Ploughing with Oxen

[Jochen]

The sulcus primigenius

I think each of you concerned with provincial coins has come across these types were priests leading a pair of oxen. Here is a closer view at this archaic Roman custom.

Macedonia, Philippi(?), Tiberius, AD 14-37
AE 17 (semis), 3.41g
obv. [TI] AVG
       Bare head r.
rev. Two priests in long garment, veiled, behind pair of oxes, ploughing the sulcus
      primigenius.
ref. RPC 1657
rare, VF, nice green patina
BMC locates this type to Parium in Mysia. But more recent found hoards indicate for a European origin.

The custom of the sulcus primigenius was looked at by the Romans themselves as very old. Already Romulus has performed this rite and in this way founded Rome. Dionysos von Halicarnassus (Ant. Rom. 1. 88) suggests that this act of Romulus has served as example for all later Roman city foundings. Here I have an incomplete list of colonies showing this rev. type: Brundisium, Philippi, Caesarea maritima, Caesaraugusta, Akko-Ptolemais, Ninica Claudiopolis, Berytos, Petra, Rhesaena, Antiochia.

Gaebler describes the practice based on coin pictures and the description of Hyginus Gromaticus: The act of founding the colony has been done in this way: When the colones have arrived and the auspices have been obtained, the legatus coloniae deducendae, the head covered with a part of his toga which was applied in a special kind (ritu Gabino), where a part of it was tied around the waist as belt, ploughed around the area which was provided for distribution a furrow (sulcus primigenius). This was done counterclockwise with a dyad which has to be on the right side (outwards) a bull and on the left side a cow. In doing so they held the bent handle of the plough so that the clod fell inwards. At that places were later should be the gates they lifted the plough so that the furrow here was interrupted (Varro LL.5.143)

Already previously the territory has been measured by agrimensores and divided in square areas (centuriae) and these further segmented in a certain number (sortes acceptae). Now the distribution of land began. This was done - as we know by the writings of the gromatic Hyginus - by lot and in three stages: at first the candidates were arranged in decuriae or in conternationes (10 or 3 recipients per centuria), then the order in which this community (consortia) should draw the lots, and not before this was managed the actual drawing of lots sortitio centuriarum has occurred.The legatus then has taken place on the sella curulis and before his feet the urn of lots has stood. From this urn the lots (probably small inscribed wooden rods) were drawn and everyone assigned his piece of land.
 
The ritual act of the founding therefore has consisted of two equal important procedures: the defining of the area by the primigenius sulcus, which confirms the connection to the ager publicus populi Romani, and the distribution of the field lots by the legate (sortitio).

The sulcus primigenius enclosed the sacred part of the city and itself was sacred too. Therefore Romulus has ed Remus because he jumped over the furrow ploughed by Romulus. To what extent the pomerium was identical with the area enclosed by the sulcus primigenius is a problem not definitely solved by the scholars. In any case the pomerium has to be seen as a region of order in contrast to the surrounding wilderness, in in this way too as dominance over the environment.

Probably the Romans have adopted this rite - as so much - from the Etruscans.

I had noted for myself that this rite has been repeated annually by the priests. But now I can't find any literary evidence for that.

Notes:
agrimensor = surveyor
Gabinus, after the city of Gabii, east of Rome
gromaticus = surveyor (named after a measuring device)
cinctus Gabinus:
In early times where the toga was the only garment of the Romans in peace and war, in a battle it was looped around the body as bulge (similarly like the Greeks have done with their himation), therefore classis procincta = the army. In this garb Mars was depicted on coins or statues still in imperial times. A special form of this girdling is the [i[cinctus Gabinus[/i]: the bulge was thrown over the left shoulder and the girdled around the waist; it was left for a set of sacrifices (f.e. opening of the temple of Janus, offering the spolia opima and so on). The cinctus Gabinus has not allowed to cover the head, therefore the reading - more often survived in Hss. of Serv. Aen. 5, 755 - ritu Sabino deserves preference compared to Gabino. His explanation doesn't satisfy but a more convincing is missed.

I have added the pic of a coin where Mars is shown wearing the mentioned garb.

Best regards