Pausanias Analysis

Passage 8.43.5

← 8.43.4 8.43.6 →

Passage 8.43.5: Antoninus Pius permits citizens to bequeath their estates to their children.

Historical Non-skeptical

Greek Text

ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ὑπελίπετο οὗτος καὶ ἄλλο τοιόνδε ἐς μνήμην. ὅσοις τῶν ὑπηκόων πολίταις ὑπῆρχεν εἶναι Ῥωμαίων, οἱ δὲ παῖδες ἐτέλουν σφίσιν ἐς τὸ Ἑλληνικόν, τούτοις ἐλείπετο ἢ κατανεῖμαι τὰ χρήματα ἐς οὐ προσήκοντας ἢ ἐπαυξῆσαι τὸν βασιλέως πλοῦτον κατὰ νόμον δή τινα· Ἀντωνῖνος δὲ ἐφῆκε καὶ τούτοις διδόναι σφᾶς παισὶ τὸν κλῆρον, ὁ προτιμήσας φανῆναι φιλάνθρωπος ἢ ὠφέλιμον ἐς χρήματα φυλάξαι νόμον. τοῦτον Εὐσεβῆ τὸν βασιλέα ἐκάλεσαν οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι, διότι τῇ ἐς τὸ θεῖον τιμῇ μάλιστα ἐφαίνετο χρώμενος·

English Translation

This emperor also left behind another memorable example. Among his subjects who possessed Roman citizenship, if their sons were part of the Greek community, it was customary either to have their property given to unrelated persons or to enlarge the imperial wealth according to a certain law. Antoninus, however, allowed these citizens to bequeath their estates to their children as well, thus choosing to appear merciful rather than to keep a financially advantageous law. The Romans called this emperor "the Pious," for he seemed especially devoted to honoring the divine.

Proper Nouns

Eusebes (Pius) (Εὐσεβής) person
Antoninus (Ἀντωνῖνος) person
Romans (Ῥωμαῖοι) person
Hellenikon (Ἑλληνικόν) place
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