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CHRISTIAN EPITAPHS

OF THE

FIRST SIX CENTURIES.

I. THOSE IN WHICH ONLY THE NAME AND DATE ARE STATED.

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(Ecoemeterio Callisti; De Rossi, n. 16.)

Vibiu (Vibius) Fimus recessit, VII Kalendas Septembres, Dicletiano (Diocletiano) IV et Maximiano Consulibus.

"Vibius Fimus retired (from this world), on the seventh day before the Calends of September, in the Consulship of Diocletian for the fourth time, and Maximian [for the third time]," i.e. August 26th, 290, A.D.

De Rossi compares Fimus (dung) with the name Stercorius, com monly used by Christians. Thus, also, we find Stercoria applied to females. It is believed that such appellations were chosen by Christians in humility and self-abasement. I am inclined to think that,

* Coemeterium is used to denote a "Catacomb," and the inscriptions, that have been found in the Catacombs, are distinguished by the term coemeteriales, although the words do not necessarily imply "subterranean."

at least, some of them were not selected by those, who bore them, or by their relatives, but were applied by the heathen in contempt, and then adopted. We often meet with names common to both Christians and Pagans, and sometimes find the former strangely called after heathen deities, e.g. Mercurius.

I have followed De Rossi in reading R as recessit; others prefer requiescit, or rediddit, sc. animam. We should have had III after MAX, for Maximian was consul for the third time in the same year (290) in which Diocletian was consul for the fourth time.

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(In vinea supra coemeterium Petri et Marcellini; De Rossi, n. 19.) Ignatius Semnus, XV Kalendas Februarias, Hannibaliano et Asclepiodoto Consulibus.

"Ignatius Semnus, on the fifteenth day before the Calends of February, in the Consulship of Hannibalianus and Asclepiodotus," i.e. January 18th, 292, A.D.

There is an ellipsis of a word between Ignatius Semnus and XV. Kal. Feb. Either decessit or depositus "died," or "was buried,”— may be supplied; of the two, the latter is the more probable in Christian epitaphs. A similar ellipsis is found in heathen sepulchral inscriptions. Thus, in the collection given by Lanzi, Saggio, i., p. 162, we have COIILIA A D· X · KAL · DIIC, i.e. Coelia ante diem X Kalendas Decembres, scil. "Coelia, on November 22nd," whereby we should understand, that her bones were collected on that day. See Mommsen, Inscrip. Latin. Antiq., p. 210. In his n. 887, we have P for Positus, and in n. 957, ossiva, i.e. ossa.

3.

(See Plate I, 2.)

(E coemet. Theodora; De Rossi, n. 55.)

Constantio Aug. II et Constanti (Constante) Aug. (Conss.) Nonis Decemb. Clau (di)anus dormit in (pace.)

"In the Consulship of Constantius Augustus, for the second time, and Constans Augustus, on the Nones of December (i.e. December 5th, 339, A.D.), Claudianus sleeps in peace."

4.

(See Plate II, 2.)

(In Mus. Vat.; De Rossi, n. 69.)

KATAOECIC.

OKTABIAAHC

ПРООЌАЛСЕТ

ΡΩΜΟΥΛΙ

Κατάθεσις Οκταβίλλης πρὸ θ καλανδών) Σετ (εμβρίων) Ῥωμούλι.

"The burial of Octavilla (took place) on the ninth day before the Calends of September [in the Consulship] of Romulus," i.e. August 24th, 343, A.D.

'Popov, with the Latin ending of the genitive, stands for 'Popovλου, i.e. ὑπατείᾳ Ῥωμούλου.

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Gaudentius, die III Kalendas Augustas, Sergio et Nigriniano Consulibus.

"Gaudentius, on the third day before the Calends of August, in the Consulship of Sergius and Nigrinianus," i.e. July 30th, 350, A.d.

6.

DEPOSTIO SEDATI XII KAL

DECEMBRES GRAT ANOV

ET TODOSIO CONSS

(In coem. Theodoræ; De Rossi, n. 291.)

Depostio (depositio) Sedati, XII Kalendas Decembres, Gratiano V et Todosio (Theodosio) Consulibus.

"The burial of Sedatus (took place) on the twelfth day before the Calends of December, in the Consulship of Gratianus, for the fifth time, and Theodosius," i.e. November 20th, 379, A.D.

I have regarded depositio as "burial."

There are examples of

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