Altar of Caius Caesar. End of the 1st BC. Century

Votive altar of white Luni (Carrara) marble. Only the top third part remains conserved, which includes the epigraph area, cymatium and the lateral pulvini decorated with interwoven leaves and small Gorgon heads.

The altar forms part of the ideological and iconographic program developed in the Cartagena theatre in order to influence the public promotion of Augustus¿s young heirs. The inscription includes the political career cursus honorum of the youth: in the year 6 B.C. he was appointed pontifex (pontiff) and elected for the consulate in 5 B.C., carrying out magistracy functions in the year 1 A.D. and being appointed as imperator (emperor) in the year 3. The dedicator, Lucius Iunius Paetus, the same one who also appears in the Fortuna altar, was a distinguished representative of the local elite who also is likely to have participated in the financing of the construction of the theatre.

C(aii) Caesaris Augusti f(ilii)
pontif(icis) co(n)s(ulis) design(nati)
principis iuuentutis
Dedicated (with honour) to Caius Caesar, son of Augustus, pontiff, elected consul, prince of youth, Lucius Iunius Paetus, son of Lucius, grandson of Titus, dedicated (this altar).