Latin epigraphy

The Latin epigraphy is a historical and archaeological science which has as an aim the study, the repertorisation and the translation of the Latin inscriptions ancient engraved.

Nature of the inscriptions

The practice of the inscriptions during the ancient Rome, quasi non-existent under the Republic, becomes very widespread under the Empire. The inscriptions were engraved in the stone on many buildings, notifying their dedication (Tituli). One also finds some on bases of statues, sarcophagi (epitaph), on steles, milliary columns or bronze tables, carrying legal texts, which arrived to us, of which most famous is the Claudienne Table. A section of this field of study is devoted to the inscriptions and complex titulatures of the emperors on the coins of currencies. A great number of inscriptions were found during the centuries. They are joined together in collections like the Corpus inscriptionum latinarum . Each year, of new inscriptions are discovered, by chance or at the time of archaeological excavations, they are indexed annually in the epigraphic Année.

Characteristic of the Latin epigraphy

The study of the ancient Latin inscriptions encounters many problems. Often the support is deteriorated, worn or incomplete. The epigraphist must then have recourse to techniques of stamping, photograph in low-angled light, erudite deductions, to reconstitute the text. Then, the shape of drafting of the Latin texts complicates the reading. Indeed, the abbreviation and the ellipse were largely used, which makes the text hermetic to the neophyte. Moreover, certain typographical conventions are particular with the Latin writing:

It “I and “I” are written “I”
“V” and “U” are undifferentiated and are written “V”
Exemple: IVLIVS (JULIUS)
bindings: letters can find dependant V and has, NR and T, T and I
Abréviations: The first names but also much of commonly-used terms and usual formulas are noted in summary. They can be initial or incomplete words:

ex : “D.M.” is put for SAY MANIBUS.

“WHICH VIXIT ANN XXX MX D III” will be read WHICH VIXIT ASSES XXX MENSES X DIES III.

“TR PO” means TRIBUNICIA POTESTAS

A text epigraphic

Dedication on the Severe triumphal arch of Septime with Rome (203 apr. J. - C.)

Imp (eratori) Caes (ari) Lucio Septimio M (arci) wire (io) Seuero Pio Pertinaci Aug (usto) patri patriae Parthico Arabico and | Parthico Adiabenico pontific (I) maximo tribunic (ia) potest (ate) XI imp (eratori) XI, Co (N) S (uli) III proco (N) S (uli) and | imp (eratori) Caes (ari) M (arco) Aurelio L (ucii) wire (io) Antonino Aug (usto) Pio Felici tribunic (ia) potest (ate) VI Co (N) S (uli) proco (N) S (uli) ''' p ''' (atri) ''' p ''' (atriae) | '''optimis fortissimisque principibus ''' | ob rem publicam restitutam imperiumque populi Romani propagatum | insignibus uirtutibus eorum domi forisque S (enatus) P (opulus) Q (ue) R (omanus).

Note : “ | ” change of line. ''part hammered and regravée subsequently. References: LASH VI 1033 = THEY 425

Translation of the dedication:

The Senate and Roman People (set up this arc) with the emperor César Lucius Septimus Severus Pius Pertinax Auguste, wire of Marcus, father of the fatherland, victorious of Parthes Arab and Parthes adiabenes, large pontiff, holder of the power tribunician for the eleventh time, acclaimed imperator for the eleventh time, fact consul for the third time, proconsul, and at the emperor César Marc Aurèle Antonin Auguste Pius Felix, wire of Lucius, holder of the power tribunician for the sixth time, consul and proconsul, father of the fatherland, princes very good and very forts which restored the State and increased the empire of the Roman people by theirs extraordinary virtues, in peace and war.

Explained imperial titulature

Let us take an example, that of titulature of the emperor Néron:

IMP NERO CAESAR AVGVSTVS DIVI CLAVDI F GERMANICI CAESARIS NR TIB CAESARIS AVG PRON DIVI AVG ABN

PONTIF MAX TRIB POTEST XII IMP X COS IIII P P'

If the mentions one by one are taken again, that gives:

IMP : Imperator ; titrate of all the Roman Emperors since Auguste. Previously, the imperator was a victorious general acclaimed by his troops. Since Néron, which was the first to proceed thus, the word imperator replaces the first name of the emperor after his accession in Empire.
NERO : Cognomen of the people Claudia to which Néron
belongs CAESAR : cognomen Julia people, become as of the reign of Tibère the name of people impériale
AUGUSTUS : titrate decreed in Octave into 27 before JC; it gives on its holder a crowned character and will be carried by all the empereurs
DIVI CLAUDI F : Divi Claudi Filius , or wire of divine the Claude; filiation was always indicated among Romans, here Néron, adopted by Claude, divinized after his death, can say wire of divine Claude
GERMANICI CAESARIS NR : Germanici Caesaris Nepos ; Néron was the grandson of Germanicus Caesar, in other words of Caligula
TIB CAESARIS AUG PRON : Tiberii Caesaris Augusti Pronepos ; being the son (adoptive) of Claude and the grandson of Caligula, Néron is also the great-grandson of Tibère
DIVI AUG ABN : Divi Augusti Abnepos : back-back-small-wire of Auguste

PONTIF MAX : Pontifex Maximus ; the most priest of Rome was called large the Pontife. Since Jules César, who were Pontifex Maximus, and Auguste which was it also, all the emperors were large pontifes.
TRIB POTEST XII : Tribunicia Potestate XII ; i.e. “covered power tribunician for the 12th time”. The Roman Emperors were holders of the power of old the Tribuns of the plebs, which at the same time made them crowned and inviolable (one could not raise the hand on them), and also brought closer them to the people, at least symbolically. The power tribunician was annual, and it was used to count the years of reign of all the empereurs.
IMP X : Acclaimed imperator 10 times by its troupes
COS IIII : Consul for the fourth time; the consulate remained throughout the empire, and even after the fall of the Empire in Rome and Byzance obviously, without to have ever found its old importance. The consulate remained nevertheless a choice place, very required for its prestige, and the possibility that it offered to become then proconsul, governor of a province.
PP : Lord's Prayer Patriae ; titrate decreed with all the emperors since Auguste, some exceptions près.

This titulature dates from the year 65-66.

Military inscriptions

The Roman army considerably diffused the epigraphic practice in the empire and engraved innumerable monuments: dedications with the gods, the emperors, the legates and governors, dedications of buildings and of course of very many tomb stones of soldiers who find themselves near the great centers of garrison in the provinces borders of the empire. Thus these inscriptions inform us about the troops present and their displacements, about their recruitments (origins geographical and social of the recruits), about the daily life of the men and the administrative practices of the Roman army.

The army uses a certain number of abbreviations which are clean for him, for example:

STIP (endiorum): for the number of year of service
LEG (io)
a sign similar to our 7 for centurio , the rank of Centurion.
of many abbreviation indicating of the ranks: BF for Beneficiarius , A.C. for custos armorum …
COH for troop et al. for Went, with the sign ∞ to indicate units of thousand men

Examples:

'' LASH '' XIII, 8308; G. Alföldy, Die Hilfstruppen DER römischen Provinz Germania inferior , Cologne, 1968, pp. 25-28 and n° 47; B. and H. Galsterer, Die römischen Steininschriften aus Köln , Cologne, 1975, n°252 (inscription of Cologne, Germanic lower now preserved at Römisch-germanisches Museum):

Latin text: “T (itvs) FLAVIVS BASSVS MVCALAE/F (ilivs) DANSALA, EQ (ues) ALAE NORI/CORV (m), TVR (mae) FABI (I) PVDENTIS,/YEAR (norum), STIP (endiorum) XXVI, H (eras) F (aciendvm) C (vravit). ”

That one can translate by: “T (itus) Flavius Bassus wire of Mucala, Dansala, rider of the wing of Noriques, the turme of Fabius Pudens, lived 46 years, served 26 years militarily. Its heir made realize (this monument). ”

One will first of all observe the beautiful quality of engraving and the relief, recall of the importance in epigraphy of the consideration which one also carries to the support of the inscription, and not only with its text. The text presents some bindings: thus with the line the two R and the I of Noricum melted in only one letter where the small one surmounts a R of normal size, current binding for the syllable, as is current binding NT of line 3.

The gentilice of our character teaches us that it received the citizenship of one of the emperors of the dynasty flavienne, which allows of date the monument of end of the year 70 of our era. Dating which is appropriate well for the form: thereafter the epitaphs are not any more with the accusative and are preceded by the invocation to the Gods Manes (D (iis) M (anibus)). The wing where Bassus was useful had been created starting from an original recruitment in the province of Norique and had its garrison with higher Mainz in Germanie in first half of the first century of our era. It was moved in the province close to Germanie lower before 70. Bassus had been recruited, like all the auxiliaries in general without having the citizenship, it was undoubtedly granted to him after its 25 years of service, little before its death. It adopted the then sorted nominated and the name of the emperor who had given him the citizenship. The name of his/her father is indicated before his origo (place or community of birth): these two elements teach us that it came from Thrace.

'' LASH '' XIII, 8318; G. Alföldy, Die Hilfstruppen DER römischen Provinz Germania inferior , Cologne, 1968, pp. 70-71; B. and H. Galsterer, Die römischen Steininschriften aus Köln , Cologne, 1975, n°270 (inscription of Cologne, Germanic lower now preserved at Römisch-germanisches Museum)

Latin text: “C (aius) IVLIVS C (aii) (filius) GALE/RIA BACCVS LVGV/DVNI MILLET (be) COH (ortis) I TH/RACVM ANN (orum) XXXIIX/STIP (endiorum) XV, ANTISTIVS/ATTICVS AND BASSIVS/COMMVNIS H (eredes) F (aciendum) C (uraverunt)”

That one can translate by: “Caius Julius Baccus, wire of Caius, of the Galeria tribe, originating in Lyon, soldier of the first troop of Thraces, which lived 38 years, militarily served 15 years, Antistius Atticus and (Antistius) Bassius, its heirs made realize (this monument) jointly. ”

The inscription is appreciably contemporary the preceding one. The late one is represented in a scene of banquet, as it is usually the case. With the difference in the precedent we see that the relief stresses here the civil life and the civilized and romanized character of the character who made carry out the inscription. Engraving is beautiful and shows some bindings (TI, LI, Ni, NR, VM). It is about an auxiliary infantryman of troop. It should be noticed that although being useful in an auxiliary troop Baccus was a Roman citizen, and his/her father was to it already front him. The nomenclature of the citizen is complete here since it indicates his tribe. It is originating in Lyon, and its gentilice Iulius makes go up its citizenship with Jules César or Auguste.

See too

Internal bonds

Épigraphie
Zeitschrift für Papyrology und Epigraphik

External bonds

''Noctes Gallicanae'' : excel site of which the part devoted to the epigraphy is enthralling.
Site of '' the epigraphic Year ''.
Collection of imperial titulatures

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