Origo and commercial activities of the Italics of Delos. A prosopographic research

Abstract

In the inscriptions of Delos are mentioned many characters from Italy, mostly negotiatores, who took part at the intense trades that were held on the island, especially after the foundation of the free port by the Senate of Rome (167 BC). Such characters have been the subject of many studies, starting from the end of the 19^th century. However, among many aspects relating to their community that have been explored, the one of their geographical origins has been neglected or roughly investigated. So, it was decided to undertake an investigation into the origin of the Italics of Delos through the prosopography method and the comparison with the contemporary Italian occurrences of the nomina attested on the island. The paper shows the methodological principles by which the research was carried out, synthetizing its results: until today have been analysed 30 out of 184 nomina known in Delos. Of the majority of the thirty families related to them, it has been possible to determine the cities or the regions from which they came from; furthermore, the research led to identify the commercial and productive activities in which these gentes were engaged and which they probably had to deal with also in Delos, since the epigraphic documents of the island are almost entirely deprived of references about such activities. Contemporarily with the research about the gentes, an autoptic exam of the inscriptions concerning Italics with a nomen has been carried out: until today have been red 125 inscriptions out of 278.