Latin epitaph in poetic meter

Of some 600 Jewish tomb inscriptions found in Rome, the only one in Latin verse comes from the Monteverde catacombs:

Photograph from online exhibition, Vaults of Memory, International Catacomb Society: http://www.catacombsociety.org/vom/menu.html (accessed on 22 April 2011).

CIJ I 476

hic Regina sita est tali contecta sepulcro
quod coniunx statuit respondens eius amori.
haec post bis denos secum transsegerat annum
et quartum mensem restantibus octo diebus;
rursum victura reditura ad lumina rursum.
nam sperare potest ideo quod surgat in aevom
promissum, quae vera fides, dignisque piisque
quae meruit sedem venerandi ruris habere.
hoc tibi praestiterit pietas, hoc vita pudica,
hoc et amor generis hoc observantia legis,
coniugii meritum cuius tibi gloria curae.
horum factorum tibi sunt speranda futura,
de quibus et coniunx maestus solacia quaerit.

TRANSLATION (from P.W. van der Horst,
Hellenism, Judaism, Christianity: essays on their interaction (1998) p. 39):

Here lies Regina covered by such a tomb, which her husband set up as fitting to his love. After twice ten years she spent with him one year, four months and eight days more. She will live again, return to the light again, for she can hope that she will rise to the life promised, as a real assurance, to the worthy and the pious, in that she has deserved to possess an abode in the hallowed land. This your piety has assured you, this your chaste life, this your love for your people, this your observance of the Law, your devotion to your wedlock, the glory of which was dear to you. For all these deeds your hope of the future is assured. In this your sorrowing husband seeks his comfort.

More burial plaques from Monteverde (from exhibition: Documents in Stone)

Photographs from online exhibition Vaults of Memory, International Catacomb Society: http://www.catacombsociety.org/vom/menu.html (accessed on 21 April 2011).

Transcriptions from The Packard Humanities Institute’s online database of Greek inscriptions: http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/main (accessed on 21 April 2011).

Burial plaque 17:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Proclus archon of the synagogue of the Tripolitanii. Let him rest in peace.

Burial plaque 18:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Makedonis the Hebrew, from Caesarea of Palestine; son of Alexandros (Alexander); a memorial of the righteous in praise; your resting is in peace.

Burial plaque 19:

TRANSLATION: Alypius of Tiberias and his son Justus and Alypius, Hebrews, lie here together with their father.

Burial plaque 20:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Pomponis, twice archon of the synagogue of the Calcaresii. He lived 60 years; his resting is in peace.

Burial plaque 21:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Neikodemos (Nicodemus), the archon of the Siburesii and loved by all; aged 30 years and 42 days. Be of courage, Ablabius the younger, no one is immortal.

Burial plaque 22:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Siculus Sabinus, archon-designate of the Volumnesii; aged 2 years 10 months.

Burial plaque 23:

TRANSLATION: Eternal home: Here lies Eupsychos; twice archon, archon of all honor and phrontistes; his resting is in peace; 55 years old.

Additional burial plaques from Goodenough

Photographs from Goodenough, E. R., Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period vol. 3 (New York, 1953) figs. 702-32.

Transcriptions from The Packard Humanities Institute’s online database of Greek inscriptions: http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/main (accessed on 21 April 2011).

Burial plaque 10:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Hilaros, archon of the synagogue of the Volumnesii, who lived 35 years; his resting is in peace; his memorial.

Burial plaque 11:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Istasia wife of Amabilios, 60 years old, and Prima daughter of Flavia, 5 years old; the resting of her and of Prima is in peace.

Burial plaque 12:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Fortunatus and Eutropis, children who love one another. Fortunatus, who lived 3 years and 4 months, and Eutropis, who lived 3 years and 7 months. Their resting is in peace. In one day they perished.

Burial plaque 13:

TRANSLATION: Donatus grammateus of the synagogue of the Vernaculi.

Burial plaque 14:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Flavia Antonina wife of Dativus the officer-for-life of the synagogue of the Augustesii.

Burial plaque 15:

TRANSLATION: This is the name of Telesinus.

Burial plaque 16:

TRANSLATION: Oppius Romanus lies here.

Documentation for burial plaques incorporated into the model

Photographs from Goodenough, E. R., Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period vol. 3 (New York, 1953) figs. 702-32.

Transcriptions from The Packard Humanities Institute’s online database of Greek inscriptions: http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/main (accessed on 14 April 2011).

Burial plaque 1:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Zoulas, grammateus, 50 years old; his resting is in peace.

Burial plaque 2:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Maria wife of Saloutios, who lived nobly with her husband; her resting is in peace.

Burial plaque 3:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Primeitiba with her grandson Euphrenon; their resting is in peace.

Burial plaque 4:

TRANSLATION: Ioudas (Judas), 7 months old, lies here.

Burial plaque 5:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Sabbatis, twice archon; he lived 35 years; his resting is in peace (Peace upon Israel).

Burial plaque 6:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Semoel (Samuel), an infant of 1 year and 5 months; his resting is in peace. Be of courage, Samoel, no one is immortal.

Burial plaque 7:

TRANSLATION: Here lies Annia. Her husband made (this).

Burial plaque 8:

TRANSLATION: Aster.

Burial plaque 9:

TRANSLATION: Ioulianos the Hebrew.

Catacombs of Ponziano - Comparanda 3

 The Roman catacombs: or, Some account of the burial-places of the early 

By James Spencer Northcote  

-In the Catacomb of Ponziano on Monte Verde, and in that of S. Valentine on the Via Flaminia, the soil foundation is of a fluvial & marine deposit 
-tufa granolare is what almost all Christian catacombs are excavated from
-Roman Christian catacombs usually under sand-pits, the soil, broken and crushed by long subterranean carriage (for many parts of the cemeteries are distant a ¼ or even ½ mile from an exit to the open air) may have been brought out through the common entrances
-Bosio in Winter 1602 found what it generally accepted as the Jewish Catacombs of Rome; it was excavated about ½ way up the ascent of Monte Verde in the tufa granolare, which forms the immediate stratum of that southern extremity of the Janiculum 
-He describes it as exactly resembling in every particular the Christian catacombs, except that there is a total absence of all emblems exclusively Christian, while the tombs are marked with such representations as the Ark of the Covenant, the 7 branched candlestick of the temple, & other Jewish tokens.  The lamps too, and terra cotta vases, were impressed with the same figures; in a fragment of Greek inscription read ‘synagogue.’  He added that the general character denoted more of poverty than did the Christian ones, which is what might be expected from the condition of Jews in Rome....Neither are there any chambers, as in the Christian catacombs, fit for the celebrations of religious worship...the only question which can be raised is concerning its antiquity, as compared with that of the Christian catacombs.     (p38-39)

Catacombs of Ponziano - Comparanda 2

Autobiography of Charles H. Spurgeon: 1856-1878 (pp 221-223
By Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Susannah Spurgeon, Joseph Harrald

- The catacombs of St. Ponziano “is situated outside Rome, in a vineyard, a good way from the walls, & though truly ancient, it is not very far opened up, but you have to go down very deep.
- When C.H. Spurgeon first went down the catacomb, he came to a place where some 8 road meet underground.  7 of these were closed 
- what he saw was a baptistry, full of sweet, clear running water, about 4 ft deep, with frescoes above their heads
- they found bones a plenty!
- very hot and close
- image
-columbaria - the niches are like small vaulted chambers; in them are sometimes an urn, lamp, bust.  In each of these small places, 2 holes sunk to receive ashes if urns aren’t used & have lids that cover the remains
-these great square buildings contains many hundreds of these ‘nests’ for the dead
-made of pure alabaster  

Catacombs of Ponziano - Comparanda

Rome, Italy (City). British and American Archaeological Society - 1891 (pp 213-214)
-the Catacombs of Ponziano differ from all the other catacombs in Rome, because they were excavated in alluvial soil, and not the soft tufo, granolare.
-primarily made of siliceous sand
-contains 3 stories
-the best preserved mural paintings are 6th or 7th c
-some murals are from 2nd and 3rd c
- = only subterranean catacomb that remains in a perfect state of preservation  
- catacomb & its adorning murals thought to be from 6th c.
- catacomb’s [entrance’s ?] lower extremity touches the clear water still supplied by the spring, which caused this spot to be chosen for a baptistry back in the day

Plan Update!

We've decided to focus our immediate efforts on the areas excavated by N. Muller between 1904-1906 and published in both Die judische Katakombe am Monteverde zu Rom (Leipzig, 1912). and "Il cimitero degli ebrei posto sulla via Portuense" Rendiconti della Pontificia Accademia Romana di Archeologia 2.12 (1915) 205-318.

This decision was made for the following reasons. Firstly, making digital or virtual models of all of the different regions of the catacomb that have been discovered (cf. post "Summary of Published Areas") would of both limited viability and utility. The Muller excavations standout amongst for several reasons. First, they comprise, without any doubt, the largest and most sustained exploration of the Monteverde catacomb group. Secondly, they are the best published, and are the only to include a plan with orientation (though lacking in scale).

For all this, there are still substantial problems with reconstructing based on the Muller publications. For one, there remain both literal gaps in the plan between regions (which digital modeling may help to fill in) and gaps in the description and documentation that allows us to conceptualize the catacomb. For the latter (and to some extent for the former), comparative evidence will be critical. This means both comparative evidence that can be gleaned from the less well published areas of Monteverde Jewish catacomb group, and also from Christian and Pagan catacombs nearby (particularly of S. Ponziano).

Tentative breakdown of responsibilities, after re-prioritization:
Brendan Saslow: leading modeling efforts.
Sean Burrus: Muller publications, reviews of the excavations.
Jesse Hoffman: Comparanda from non-Muller excavated areas of Monteverde.
Laura Puleo: Comparanda from Christian and Pagan Evidence.

Data-Mining: Vismara V - Conclusion on Muller

The following information, Vismara's survey of Mullers earliest excavations (1904-1906) will be critical to our initial phase of reconstruction on this, the best documented of areas.

• Muller describes a brick lined, barrel-vaulted vestibule averaging 2m wide, and oriented SE-NW. Connected to this vestibule with the same orientation was a staircase, 3m wide.
  
• If we accept Vismara's correction to Muller's plan of the regions explored between 1904-1906 (ie. that the image was mirrored, and E/W were inverted), then a few possible areas are indicated.
• Muller also found remains that suggested to him an upper catacomb that post-dated the lower. Muller describes the area only briefly and provides scant reasoning. Vismara questions his assertions here, which are based on bricks and inscriptions that could have been turned up in landslides, he argues. It does seem that Muller's suspicions of an upper catacomb are more likely a collapsed portion of the same extant catacomb.

UNDER EDITING
--

Data Mining: R. Pasqui, "Regio XIV" Notizie degli scavi di antichità (1911)

Regione XIV. Proseguendosi I lavori di sistemazione del prolungamente del viale del Re, a circa m. 400 dalla stazione di Trastavere, ed a m. 11,50 sopra il piano stradale moderno, sono state scoperte alcune tombe costruite a cassettoni in muratura a diversi ordini. Ciascuno di essi era diviso da mattoni o da tegole che poggiavano lateralmente sopra un piccolo battente che sporgeva dale pareti. Le tombe erano lunghe m. 1,70, m.1,85 e m. 2 e larghe m. 0,45, ed erano state costruite sopra terreno vergine di formazione alluvionale. Alcune delle tegole quivi usate avevano I bolli C. I. L. XV, 282.764

In via Monteverde, presso il cavalcavia della ferrovia, nei cavo fatto per la costruzione di una fogna, si rinvennero: una base di marmot, alta m. 0,20, del diametro di m. 0,50, ed un’anfora fittile, alta m. 1 x 0,30.

Nella cava Brunori, di proprieta del marchese Pellegrini-Quarantotti, ove erano le catacombe gindaiche, estraendosi la pietra, si rinvennero due frammenti di lastra marmoreal (m. 0,32 x 0,18), che rinniti presentano il resto dell’iscrizione:

TRANSLATION (in progress): Region XIV. Continuing the work of installation of the extension of King Avenue, about m. Trastavere 400 from the station, and m. 11.50 above the modern road, were discovered some tombs built coffered walls of different orders. Each of them was divided by bricks or tiles which rested on a small side door that stuck dale walls. The graves were long m. 1.70, m.1, 85 m. 2 m wide and 0.45, and had been built on virgin soil of alluvial formation. Some of the tiles used there had C. Stamps I. L. XV, 282,764
By way of Monteverde, near the railway bridge, in cavity made ​​for the construction of a sewer, were found: a base of marmot, tall m. 0.20, m in diameter 0.50, and clay amphora, tall m. 1 x 0.30.
Brunori in the quarry, owned by the Marquis Pellegrini-Quarantotti, where the catacombs were gindaiche, removing the stone, were found two pieces of sheet marmoreal (m. 0.32 x 0.18), which have renewed the rest of the entry:

Photos from De Angelis D'Ossat's Visit (1930's)

The following photos come from De Angelis D'Ossat's 1943 La Geologia Delle Catacombe Romane (Roma Sotterranea Cristiana, vol. III). Note the markers on the first two photos that correspond to the geological layers:

• 14: Loose sandy loam and fluvial accumulations.
  
• 13: Reddish semi-lithoid tufa.
  
• 12: Vulcanic detritus
  
• 11: Homogenous lithoid tufa, subtly striated.
  
• 10: Lithic tufa, used for construction

"Photograph of the Last Remnant of the Jewish Cemetery"
Subcaption: The gaping hole reveals the remains of a series of niches in significant decay. The two black lines mark the thickness of layer 12 (approx. 1.2 m).

"Photograph of the Last Remants of Jewish Cemetery"
Subcaption: To the right, one can see the remants of a series of decaying niches.

A Schematic Plan of the Geological Strata