The Inscription of Martinianus and Severina
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
- Type
- Panel of the frontal slab of the sarcophagus.
- Material(s)
- Limestone
- Execution
- Inscribed.
- Dimensions
- 51 × 80.5 cm
- Epigraphic Field
- 42 × 71 cm
- Letters Height
- 4.5-7.5 cm
Palaeographic comment
Dextrograde direction, horizontal alignment, vertical module, irregular ductus, deep incision.
F with unusual lower arm beneath the crossbar and oblique upper arm ascending to the right.
M composed of four oblique strokes.
N with oblique lateral strokes.
INSCRIPTION
INTERPRETATIVE TRANSCRIPTION
LID:
M(anibus) D(is)
CHEST:
Martinia
=
nus biarcus (!) fabri
=
ce<n>sis sibi et Aur(eliae)
Severiane (!) coniugi
vivus fecit.
Pos(t) obitu(m), si q(uis) vol(uerit) <aperire>, dab(it) fisc(o) a(uri) un(cias) III.
APPARATUS CRITICUS
1. FL(AVIVS), Bertolini 1874a, Bertolini 1874b, Bertolini 1875b
.
TRANSLATION
To the Manes gods.
Flavius Martinianus, biarchus of the fabricenses, made (this tomb) for himself and for his wife Aurelia Severiana while still alive.
After (their) death, if anyone wishes to open (it), he shall give to the fiscus 3 (roman) ounces of gold
PEOPLE
Flavius Martinianus
- NOMEN
- Flavius
- COGNOMEN
- Martinianus
- GENS
- Flavia
- ORIGIN (of the name Martinianus)
- latin
- GENDER
- male
- OCCUPATION
- fabricensis
- RANK
- biarchus
- ROLE
- dedicator/deceased
- RELATIONSHIP
- husband (→ Aurelia Severina)
Aurelia Severina
- NOMEN
- Aurelia
- COGNOMEN
- Severina
- GENS
- Aurelia
- ORIGIN (of the name Severina)
- latin
- GENDER
- female
- OCCUPATION
- civilian
- ROLE
- deceased
- RELATIONSHIP
- wife (→ Flavius Martinianus)
Bibliography
| Bertolini 1874a, 24, nr. 9. |
| Bertolini 1874b, 284, nr. 5. |
| Bertolini 1875b, 116, nr. 8. |
| CIL V 8754 |
| ILCV 520 |
| Lettich 1983, 56-57, nr. 13. |
- EDR
-
EDR097902
- Author of the record:
- Damiana Baldassarra
- Date:
- 26-11-2007
COMMENTARY
Flavius Martinianus commissioned during his lifetime a sarcophagus for himself and for his wife Aurelia Severina. Anyone who violated the tomb would have to pay the treasury three ounces of gold.
Martinianus was a fabricensis, a worker in the arrow factory of Concordia, and held the role of biarchus, a subordinate military rank (Lettich 1983, 64).
The cognomen Martinianus is attested from the time of Emperor Carus (PIR² V, 23-24). In late antiquity, Sextus Marcius Martinianus was famous, magister officiorum of Emperor Licinius and appointed Caesar by the latter shortly before being deposed by Constantine and then executed (PLRE I, 563).
Martinianus is also the name of a veteran born in Dacia in the second half of the 3rd century who, after serving for forty-five years, retired to Milan, where he established his tomb ( CIL V 6244 = EDR139631).
The gentilicium Aurelius, already widespread in Concordia from the early imperial period (CIL V 8656 = EDR097826), is found in numerous late antique inscriptions, including those discovered in the Eastern Necropolis ( CIL V 8726 - CIL V 8734 - CIL V 8735 - CIL V 8735a - CIL V 8741).