The Presbyters Project

(ed. Vives 1942, no. 92)

below the arch: cross in a circle: Romanus Presbyter, the servant of God, lived 75 years, rested in peace of the Lord on 15th day before the Kalends of [...] in the year 5[...] of the era.

(trans. M. Szada)

Discussion:

If we assume that there are no missing letters in the date, Presbyter Romanus died in 512 (550 year of the Spanish era, which started in 38 BC). But probably there is a lacuna and therefore we should suspect that Romanus died some time after 512. Hübner (1900, no. 311) read "δLX" (= 560 in the Spanish era, that is 522 AD). Vives (1942, no. 92) also suggested that the lacuna "XV ka[...]s" should be filled "XV Kalendas Maias".

Place of event:

Region

Iberian Peninsula

City

Mértola

About the source:

Origin: Mértola (Iberian Peninsula)

The inscription is on the marble plate 0.9 m high, 0.445 m width, 0.035 depth. It was found by Miguel de Oliveira in Mértola and is now kept in the National Archaeological Museum in Lisbon (Hübner 1900, no. 311; Barroca 2000, no. 16).

Edition:

Hispania Epigraphica Online Database, no. 29850

E. Diehl, Inscriptiones latinae christianae veteres, Berlin 1925-1932, no. 1175B.

E.W.E. Hübner, Inscriptiones Hispaniae christianae. Supplementum, Berlin 1900, no. 311 (illustration).

M. de Oliveira, Epigrafia cristã em Portugal, Lisbon 1941, no. 12.

J. Vives, Inscripciones cristianas de la España romana y visigoda, Barcelona 1942, no. 92 (see also Correcciones, p. 175).

Bibliography:

M.J. Barroca, Epigrafia medieval Portuguesa (862-1422), v. 3: Anexos, indices, biblografia e estampas, Lisboa 2000.

Categories:

Burial/Funerary inscription

PR88.

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

PR88.

Age

PR88.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER144, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=144