The Inscription of Andia

The Inscription of Andia

INSCRIPTION DETAILS

Findspot and Place of Origin

Country
Italy
Region
Veneto
Ancient Region
Regio X Venetia et Histria
City
Concordia Sagittaria
Ancient City

Chronology

Date of the inscription

Date
Late Fourth Century A.D.
Dating criteria

Autopsy

Institution
Location within museum
set into the wall of the right nave
Date of observation
2024

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Type
Frontal slab of the sarcophagus.
Material(s)
Limestone.
Execution
Inscribed.
Dimensions
51 × 196 cm
Epigraphic Field
51 × 196 cm
Letters Height
4-6 cm

Palaeographic comment

Inscribed front panel of a limestone sarcophagus
The iscription of Andia. Photograph courtesy of the Museo Nazionale Concordiese, Portogruaro; photo by Ortolf Harl (Ubi Erat Lupa). Courtesy of the Ministry of Culture - Regional Directorate of National Museums of Veneto. Any commercial or for-profit use of these images is strictly prohibited and must be subject to a specific authorization request to the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Veneto.

INSCRIPTION

INTERPRETATIVE TRANSCRIPTION

Flavii Servili<i> Otraustaguta e⸢t⸣ Ilateuta Felicitas F̣ḷavio Andiae, centenario numeri Bracchiatorum col = [legae] [o]ptimo, arcam de labore suo conparavimus (!), qu⸢a⸣m [arca]m conmendamus (!) sancte (!) aeclesiae (!) <c>ivitatis conco<r>dien = sium. Si quis eam ap̣ẹ⸢r⸣ire voluerit dabit fisco auri pondo duo sin = e mora

APPARATUS CRITICUS

1. [F]LAVII, CIL V 8740, ILCV 503, EDR097899 E[T], ILS 2798, ILCV 503, Hoffmann 1963, Forlati Tamaro 1978; ET, Zovatto 1946 . 2. [F]LAVIO, ILS 2798 BRAC<C>HIATORVM, Bertolini 1875a, Bertolini 1875b, CIL V 8740, ILS 2798, ILCV 503 . 2-3. [LEGE], CIL V 8740, ILCV 503, Forlati Tamaro 1978 .

TRANSLATION

The Flavii Servilii, Otraustaguta, and Ilateuta Felicitas to Flavius Andia, centenarius of the unit of the Bracchiati, their best colleague, have purchased this chest with their own labor, which they entrust to the holy Church of the city of Concordia.

If anyone should wish to open it, he shall pay to the treasury two pounds of gold without delay.

COMMENTARY

The most convincing interpretation is that proposed by Lettich. The plural Flavii Servilii should be understood as referring to two or more members of the same family rather than to a single individual (Flavius Servilius). The names Otraustaguta and Ilateuta Felicitas appear to designate a couple, as suggested by the conjunction et and by the combination of the Germanic Ilateuta with the Latin cognomen Felicitas. Together, the Flavii Servilii, Otraustaguta, and Ilateuta Felicitas dedicated the inscription to Flavius Andia, described as collega optimus and centenarius of the numerus Brachiatorum. The interpretation of Zovatto, who considered Andia a fabricensis, is unlikely, since such affiliation would normally be explicit in the text. The inscription thus appears to be a military dedication by a group of comrades, possibly of Ostrogothic origin, to their superior officer

PEOPLE

Flavii Servilii

NOMEN
Flavius
COGNOMEN
Servilius
GENS
Flavia
ORIGIN (of the name Servilius)
latin
GENDER
unknown
OCCUPATION
soldier?
ROLE
dedicator
RELATIONSHIP
colleague? (→ Flavius Andia)

Otraustaguta

COGNOMEN
Otraustaguta
ORIGIN (of the name Otraustaguta)
germanic
GENDER
male
OCCUPATION
soldier
ROLE
dedicator
RELATIONSHIP
colleague (→ Flavius Andia)

Ilateuta Felicitas

COGNOMEN
Ilateuta
COGNOMEN
Felicitas
ORIGIN (of the name Ilateuta)
germanic
ORIGIN (of the name Felicitas)
latin
GENDER
female
OCCUPATION
civilian
ROLE
dedicator

Flavius Andia

NOMEN
Flavius
COGNOMEN
Andia
GENS
Flavia
ORIGIN (of the name Andia)
germanic
GENDER
male
OCCUPATION
soldier
RANK
centenarius
NUMERUS
Bracchiati
ROLE
deceased
RELATIONSHIP
colleague (→ Otraustaguta)

Bibliography

Bertolini 1875a, 111, nr. 49.
Bertolini 1875b, 111, nr. 3.
CIL V 8740
ILS 2798
ILCV 503
Zovatto 1946, 82-83.
Brusin, Zovatto 1960, 92-93.
Hoffmann 1963, 37-38, nr. 14.
Forlati Tamaro 1978, 150, nr. 8.
Lettich 1983, 77-79, nr. 34.
EDR
EDR097899
Author of the record:
Damiana Baldassarra
Date:
22-11-2007