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Paper short abstract:

My paper aim at studying the role played by Roman gods in craftsmanship. This question will be tackled by analyzing the latin sources coupling craftsmanship and felicitas, a concept used by Romans to identify positive outcomes resulting from the intervention of gods in earthly matters.

Paper long abstract:

Just like the relief (https://mann-napoli.it/en/gabinetto-segreto-2/#gallery-3) on the outter arch of the oven of the bakery in Pansa’s house in Pompey, numerous Latin sources couple the concept of felicitas and craftsmanship. This fact gains a very interesting value in the light of the main constant of the Latin corpus of felicitas: the link Romans traced between this concept and their gods. Indeed, my doctoral research showed that the Romans used the concept of felicitas to identify a very specific kind of results: positive outcomes resulting from the intervention of gods in earthly matters. This is, for example, the case of Cicero during the speech he gave in 66 in favor of the bill granting to Pompey the command of the war against Mithridates (Man., 16, 47):

"It remains for me to speak – though guardedly and briefly, as is fitting when men discuss the prerogative of the gods (potestate deorum) – on the subject of good luck (felicitate), which no man can claim as his own, but which we may remember and record in the case of another."

Therefore, analyzing the sources articulating felicitas and craftsmanship appears as a relevant mean of studying the role that the Romans gave to their gods in their crafting activities. What task did Romans entrust to their gods? What part of the crafting process did the Romans apply divine power to? Taking my lead from the results of my doctoral research, my paper will aim at comparing the role played by felicitas in craftsmanship to the one it played in other context, such as military success for instance.