ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by discussing ways in which touch might bring the risk of contamination to the sphere of religion. The supposedly unusual nature of the inscription initially led some scholars to question its origin and authenticity. In numerous other contexts Roman Empire society saw danger in physical contact with objects or persons deemed to be sacred, and the touch of a slave might be especially problematic. When a person became polluted in ancient Rome, it was predominantly as a result of physical contact with some form of impurity. Religious officials in Rome were often required to maintain a more rigorous degree of ritual and bodily purity and to avoid actions or substances that might hinder them in their religious duties. In both religious and non-religious contexts, the idea of dirtiness can be used to reinforce boundaries, hierarchies and structures. The danger resulting from the "wrong" sort of sexual contact represented a far more widespread concern for Roman society.
