Erasure from memory In Messalina's time, the condemnation of damnatio memoriae followed on an offence within the context of the Roman imperial cult. The cult was directed from above by members of the imperial circle through official initiatives within the pro-imperial power structure. It was effective among the wider public, however, only insofar as there was personal assent. Theoretically the sentence of damnatio memoriae was supposed to erase all mention of the offender from the public sphere. The person's name was gouged from inscriptions and even from coinage. Sculptures might be smashed or at the very least would be dismounted and stored away out of sight.
Erasure from memory In Messalina's time the condemnation of damnatio memoriae followed on an offence within the context of the Roman imperial cult The cult was directed from above by members of the imperial circle through official initiatives within the pro-imperial power structure It was effective among the wider public however only insofar as there was personal assent Theoretically the sentence of damnatio memoriae was supposed to erase all mention of the offender from the public sphere The person's name was gouged from inscriptions and even from coinage Sculptures might be smashed or at the very least would be dismounted and stored away out of sight