Archaeologists excavating at the Molinete Archaeological Park in Cartagena have uncovered a heavily charred metal vessel buried beneath the collapsed remains of a building destroyed by fire at the end of the 3rd century AD.
At first glance, the object appeared unremarkable: a corroded mass of metal fragmented by heat and time. However, once restored from more than 200 pieces, researchers identified it as a sitella (or sitilla), a type of Roman metal cup used in official lottery procedures.
Beneath layers of rust, an engraved inscription emerged with unexpected historical significance—the name of a Roman governor previously unknown in historical text.
The inscription identifies Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus as quaestor pro praetore, a rare administrative role. Unlike an ordinary quaestor, he would have assumed full provincial authority in the absence or incapacity of a sitting governor. Such arrangements are scarcely documented in Hispania Citerior, making this find particularly valuable.
The vessel includes the word SORTES, confirming its use in the drawing of lots. In Roman civic life, these lotteries determined the allocation of offices, assignments, or ceremonial roles. Although the text refers to a drawing of tablets, the fragmentary nature of the inscription prevents researchers from establishing whether it related to administrative appointments, local elections, or religious consultations.
The context of the discovery adds further intrigue. The building stood near the ancient sanctuary of Isis, and previous excavations in the same area revealed a monumental cornucopia, an object often associated with Fortuna, the deity most closely linked to chance and lotteries.
Epigraphic evidence also suggests broader economic and political connections. The Lucretius name appears on lead ingots from the Cartagena–Mazarrón mining district, attributed to “S. Lucretius, son of Spurius.” This points to a family deeply involved in mining interests in southeastern Iberia, consistent with the Roman practice of assigning provinces through sors, often favoring officials with established economic stakes.
According to researchers publishing in the Epigraphic Archive Bulletin, Spurius Lucretius Tricipitinus was likely a senator who governed the province between 47 and 27 BC, prior to the administrative reforms of Augustus. Far from an obscure name, the inscription suggests a figure actively involved in civic life at Carthago Nova, possibly even financing public works.
This discovery offers a rare and revealing glimpse into how power, chance, and economic interests intersected in one of the wealthiest regions of the Roman Mediterranean.
Sources : Molinete Archaeological Park
