| Titulus sepulchralis insculptus |
| Sarcophagus |
| Last recorded in Berlin (D), Staatliche Museen |
| Date: 337; 348 |
| Edition(s): Jastrzebowska 1989, 783-788; Carletti 2008, 169-170, n. 49 |
|
| 〈:a symbol dividing the text in two pages〉 ((monogramma Christi)) 〈:b epitaph〉 nat(us) kal(endis) april(ibus) ba(p)t(izatus) IIII non(as) april(es) | Theusebio virgini neofito i̲n̲n̲o̲c̲e̲n̲t̲i̲ hic mihi caro hic pio hic igitur filius ecce sepulto Theusebi sanctifico semper sociato pudori bis senos menses deo qui pertulit annum ter denos dies super ista luce moratus est | inmaculatus a pecc(at)o felici conditus dono est natali completus et item a Chr(is)to renatus aeternam vitae penetravit Theusebius sedem virginemq(ue) gerit dom(ino) tribuente corona〈m〉 Rufinus et Severa parentes filio dulcissimo | benemerenti fecerunt in dom(ino) quesquas in pace dep(ositus) VI non(as) mai(as) h̲i̲c̲ p̲r̲i̲o̲r̲ m̲i̲h̲i̲ f̲i̲l̲i̲u̲s̲ h̲i̲c̲ v̲i̲r̲g̲o̲ v̲i̲r̲g̲i̲n̲e̲m̲ p̲r̲i̲o̲r̲ d̲e̲d̲i̲c̲a̲v̲i̲〈t〉 h̲u̲n̲c̲ l̲o̲c̲u̲m̲ |
| The inscription is on the cover of a sarcophagus, likely from an unknown catacomb of Rome (Jastrzebowska, 783). The text is elaborated in two pages, divided by a monogramma Christi. The possible dating is due to the combination of the mention of 2nd of April as day of baptism – a sacrament that was given on Holy Saturday usually – and on the iconographic features of the object, which lead to the first half of 4th CE; in this time period, Holy Saturday occurred on the 2nd of April of 337 and 348 (Carletti, ad loc. cit.). |
| Antonello Vilella, 18/04/2020 |