Description of Monument

White marble sarcophagus (2.14 × 0.90 × 0.90) and lid; for further description see Isik 106.

Description of Text

Inscribed in the moulded central tabella.

Letters

Quite well-designed, but only moderately well-aligned, not easy to date but perhaps of the first half of the third century, 0.025-0.03; for sigma, Ω for omega; unconventional spelling in ll.1, 3.

Date

Middle to late third century A.D. (lettering and nomenclature), but this inscription is probably secondary, since the sarcophagus was certainly intended for a husband and wife.

Edition ἡ σορός ἐσστιν καὶ ὁ τόπος ἐν ᾧ ἐπίκειτε Μάρκου Αὐρηλίου Παπίου τοῦ καὶ Μελίτωνος

Translation

The sarcophagus and the plot on which it stands belong to Marcus Aurelius Papias, also called Meliton.

Commentary

The owner is otherwise unknown. The unusual abbreviation of his nomen, like the shortness of the text, could suggest a later date.

Locations

Unknown Necropolis, North-east: 'Bagharassi, extra muros' (Gaudin); 'In a field 10 min east of the Heraclean gate' (MAMA) Museum

Text Constituted From

Transcription (Reynolds); publications.

History of Recording

Recorded by Gaudin (169); by the MAMA expedition; by the NYU expedition (Sarcophagus catalogue 45).

Bibliography

Published by Reinach, from Gaudin's squeeze, REG 19, 1906, 277, no. 171; by Cormack, from the MAMA records, MAMA 8, no. 556c, whence McCabe 459 ; by Reynolds and Isik 106.

Photographs

Face (1968)

Face (1973)

View (1980)