engleski

Sarcophagus of Priscus et Cinnamia from Novalja, Croatia (AE 1994, 1372): dabet fisco and not dabet episcopo

Smaller fragment of the AE 1994, 1372 inscription was published for the first time in 1977 by local enthusiast-archaeologist, late Rev Josip Kunkera. His initial interpretation was, unfortunately, completely unfounded and fictitious, and yet so tempting, that some later scholars accepted at least some of his ideas. His reading "dabet episcopus" stirred a discussion of this bishop’ s identity and his, otherwise unknown, diocese. This section of text was correctly read in 1987: "dabet fisco", but only in 1994 were first established both the true nature of the monument and entirety of its inscription ; however, some consequent scholarly publications still relied on previous interpretations. Therefore, the main objective of this contribution is to end further speculations that would connect this monument to an imaginary episcopus or his diocese. This aim shall be achieved by thorough, both epigraphic and typological-stylistic, analysis of the monument. The analysis has shown that the monument was a sarcophagus of the so-called architectonic type, and not some Late-Roman titulus nor a part of church liturgical furnishings. It was a product of local workshops of the beginning of the fourth century AD. It is now broken in many pieces, two of which carry slightly damaged inscription that is of poor lettering and written in very poor Latin, containing many grammatical and orthographic errors ; still, it is possible to understand almost all of its contents: Priscus and Cinnamia made this sarcophagus (arca) and built the burial place (locus sepulturae) while still alive, and arranged that anyone who would dare to violate the burial, should pay a fine of two hundred(?) folles to the fiscus. Consequently, the inscription can no longer be considered as a proof for some bishop residing in Novalja ; moreover, there are no arguments that would link the monument, or the persons mentioned on it, to the Christianity.

Latin Epigraphy; Local production of Sarcophagi

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