Verso la provincializzazione dell’Italia romana: la carriera di A. Vitellius Felix Honoratus durante il principato di Valeriano e Gallieno

The crisis of the 3rd century AD stimulated also in Italy temporary and partial answers to urgent problems, before the institution of the provinces (293 AD). In Thugga an eques, A. Vitellius Felix Honoratus, whose cursus honorum took place between 253 and 265 AD, was celebrated in 265/267 AD by his fellow citizens. He was advocatus fisci for the vehiculatio along the Flaminia, Transpadana, Noricum roads; advocatus fisci for imperial properties in Proconsularis and Numidia; praepositus for the regions of central and southern Italy with the task of managing the annona for Gallienus’ army. His career bears witness to the growth and differentiation of the tax burden especially in Italy. From 260 AD the Po valley had logistical needs similar to those of cities in provinces with a high military presence, and Rome was a megalopolis full of needs. Some coeval epigraphic sources (three praepositi for the security of the Adriatic and southern regions of Italy) and literary sources of senatorial tendency testify to the suffering of the rural populations of southern Italy and Sicily, but also of the plebs of Rome, during the reign of Gallienus. Aurelius Victor describes the bloody revenge of the Senate and the plebs of Rome against Gallienus’ supporters in the capital, and in particular against one of his (anonymous) advocatus fisci. An examination of these sources suggests quite traumatic administrative changes, entrusted to equites in Italy in the years 250s and 260s AD.