A letter of Iulius Paternus to the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus reporting works in the city and a dispute. Inv. 538. I.Sicily 0308. Marble. 164 - 166 AD.
The main fragment was found in 1741 in the area of the Duomo, and given by Giuseppe Paternò to Ignazio Paternò Castello, Prince of Biscari, shortly afterwards. The smaller fragment is first recorded in 1769. Perhaps half the text is lost from the left side, if the restoration of the Emperors’ titles in line 1 is correct (this also provides the date). Traces on the reverse suggest the stone is complete bottom right, but the text may have continued on a second stone below. Three further fragments of a very similar text (perhaps even part of the same text) are also preserved (one was found in via Dusmet in 1958), but the relationship between these remains very uncertain. Translation of a fragmentary text is difficult, but the general sense appears to be clear.
Iulius Paternus was appointed by the Emperors as a curator operis (overseer of public works) for Catania. This letter reports his efforts to complete the works and to resolve a crisis over the funding. The works may have been connected with the harbour (portus, line 2, or porticus? one of the similar fragments describes harbour works). The Catania senators refused to pay their part and the work was completed by Paternus with imperial funds. The imperial procurator (called Seius? the financial officer for the island) subsequently tried to put arrangements in place to ensure the city repaid Paternus for the work. This proposal was resisted by the city duumvirs and a small group of senators (acting "irreverently" towards the procurator). Paternus intervened further to resolve the dispute. The letter's publication - probably attached to the building works - will have confirmed that resolution and publicised Paternus's actions.
