Reliefs, Public and Private 165Rome (Ryberg 1955: 130; Fless 1995: cat. 1 pl. 40 fig. 2; Ferrea 2002), on the
Munich/Paris Census Monument (the so-called Domitius Ahenobarbus Ara: Ryberg
1955: 27 pl. 8 fig. 17 a–c; Kähler 1966: 14 figs. 4 –10; Stilp 2001), on the Ara
Borghese (Ryberg 1955: 23 pl. 7 fig. 15 a–b; Schäfer 1989: 383 cat. B 19 pl. 90
fig. 4), or on the circular base from Cività Castellana (Kuttner 1995: figs. 28 –30).
Yet unlike many scenes of sacrifice from the empire, these show the gods as present,
ready at the altar to accept their offerings. The direct dependency of ritual and deity
is made palpable by the image. The republican monuments’ dedicators, unknown
today, must have found it important to put themselves next to the deity and, con-
comitantly, his or her divine assistance. One may call it the most balanced option
to achieve this by making both sides face each other at the altar. As the mortal
performs the sacrifice it is clear enough who is asking for assistance and who is
granting it.
Part of the pictorial tradition’s nucleus is the simple libation performed at an altar
or tripod, a sacrifice in itself or the preliminary rite required for the more costly
animal sacrifice. Thus the depiction of a libation is borrowed for that of a preliminary
sacrifice. Adding acolytes and animals expands the altar scene to hint at an animal
sacrifice. Since handing the offered substance to the deity is the main action and
even the purpose of most Roman rituals, representations that adopt this very
sequence are frequent. Altars to the Lares of the compita (crossroads) use the
simple altar scene for many monuments (Hölscher 1988; Schraudolph 1993; Fless
1995; Hänlein-Schäfer 1996). These images do not combine any sumptuous ritual
sequences with sundry attendants but are limited to showing the ritual’s crucial action.
Among their elements are the togatus(man in a toga) emptying his patera(bowl)
with his head covered (capite velato) over the altar or tripod and a victimarius
leading a sacrificial animal toward him. There may be acolytes assisting the performer
by holding the acerra(incense box) or bringing the jug and patera. Usually a flute-
player is behind or beside the altar. The compitaaltars were set in the vici(districts)
newly organized by Augustus, who imposed the restructuring of Rome into 14 regions
and 265 viciin 7 bc, thereby renewing cult associations, which had partly ceased
to exist. Every vicuswas from now on led by a college of four vicomagistri, who
were elected from the inhabitants of their district and began their one-year tenure
of office on August 1. Their duties included the cults of the Lares and the Genius
Augustias well as the upkeep of the shrines. Four vicoministriassisted. While in
office the vicomagistriwere entitled to wear the toga praetextaand to be accom-
panied by two lictors.
The representation of the regular post-reform rituals at the compital shrines which
is considered the most exact is the front scene of the vicus Aescletialtar (fig. 12.1).
It was consecrated during the cult’s ninth year (ad2–3) by the four magistriof that
vicus. They are shown in common sacrifice, two togatifacing one each side of the
altar capite velatoand offering a libation over the mensa(table) with their right hands.
Behind the altar the flute-player en faceaccompanies the (seemingly) common rite
while two acolytes lead in the sacrificial pig for the Lares and the bull for the Genius
from the left. A lictor with his fascesin the left part of the scene denotes the official
rank of the magistri, just as the toga praetextadid as part of the original painting