E05280: Very fragmentary inscription, possibly referring to relics of unnamed saints. Found in a small cemetery near the cemetery of Callistus, via Appia, Rome. Late antique.

[- - -]um abuit supertactae ferres (?)
[- - - ]equiae sanctorum

1. sec]um: Grisanzio in EDB || 2. in r]equiae Ferrua

The editor, Antonio Ferrua, pointed out that the meaning of the text, and even the division of letters into words in line 1 is not clear. We find there, perhaps, the expression secum abuit / 'had with him/her', a prefixed form of the participle tactae / 'touched', and the 2nd singular imperfect form of the subjunctive of fero: ferres / 'you would have been carrying', 'you would have been reporting', etc.

According to Ferrua, line 2 could be restored as in r]equiae sanctorum, which he, however, does not explain. The Christian liturgy knows the expression pro requiae / 'for the repose'. But perhaps we have here a corrupted form of the expression re

quiae sanctorum / 'relics of saints'. One could also complete the line as, for example obs]equiae sanctorum / 'funeral rites of saints', etc.

Text: ICVR, n.s., VI, no. 17356 = EDB14499.