E07467: Very fragmentary painted Latin inscription, possibly referring to Peter (the Apostle, S00036), and Emerentiana (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00495). Found in the Coemeterium Maius / Catacombe di Sant'Emerenziana on the via Nomentana, Rome. Probably late 4th - early 5th c. [provisional entry]

online resource

posted on 2019-03-23, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

[- - -] SANCPET[- - - ]CEMER[- - -]IANh
[- - - ]AMAS [ - - -]
[- - -]A[- - -]
[- - -]AS[- - -]

1. possibly [- - -] sanc(tus) Pet[rus san]c(ta) Emer[ent]ianη Armellini || 2. [- - - D]amas a[ntistes - - -] Armellini, AGN[es] Wilpert || 1-2. SANCI | V...A...S [- - -] CEM...NTIANE

According to Armellini, the inscription can be understood as follows: '[- - -] Saint Peter, Saint Emerentiana [- - -] Damasus [- - -].'
According to Wilpert, line 2 contained a reference to a certain Agnes.

Text: ICVR, n.s., VIII, no. 21593 = EDB35777.

History

Evidence ID

E07467

Saint Name

Peter, the Apostle : S00036 Emerentiana, virgin and martyr of Rome : S00495 Agnes, virgin and martyr of Rome : S00097

Saint Name in Source

Petrus Emerentianη Agnes

Related Saint Records

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Language

Latin

Evidence not before

375

Evidence not after

425

Place of Evidence - Region

Rome and region

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Suburban catacombs and cemeteries

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Suburban catacombs and cemeteries Rome Rome Roma Ῥώμη Rhōmē

Cult activities - Places

Burial site of a saint - cemetery/catacomb

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Ecclesiastics - bishops Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy

Source

Letter height 4 cm. Painted red on white plaster, in the apse of cubiculum G.

Discussion

Armellini argued that the inscription was authorized by Pope Damasus, and contained references to the deceased people from this cubiculum. Ferrua was sceptical, mainly because he was unable to read the text claimed by Armellini. He was also uneasy about seeing the name of Emerentiana in the crypt, while her body rested in a basilica above, at ground level. In line 2, Wilpert saw the name of Agnes, instead of that of Damasus. Jubaru presents yet another transcription: SANCI | V...A...S [- - -] CEM...NTIANE.

Bibliography

Edition: Epigraphic Database Bari, no. EDB35777. see http://www.edb.uniba.it/epigraph/35777 De Rossi, G.B., Ferrua, A. (eds.) Inscriptiones Christianae Urbis Romae Septimo Saeculo Antiquiores, n.s., vol. 8: Coemeteria viarum Nomentanae et Salariae (Vatican: Pont. Institutum Archaeologiae Christianae, 1983), no. 21593 (with further bibliography).