Sarcophagus of Aelia from Nikopol

Monument ILBulg_145
Editor
Boris Gerov
Type of monument
sarcophagus
Material
limestone
Findspot
Nikopol, re-used, together with other Roman stone details and another inscription, within a fountain built in the 18th c.
Observed in
Nikopol
Origin
Oescus?
Dimensions
height 97 cm., width 200 cm.
Institution and inventory
-
No -
Hand description
4.5-5 cm letters in verse 1.
Letter size
height 2 cm.
Layout description
Inscription on the front of the sarcofagus; line 1 on the upper frame of the epigraphic field.
Inscription field
height cm., width cm.
Decoration
The epigraphic field on the front is within tabula ansata.
Audio
Text
Category of inscription
funerary inscription - verse
Date
AD 160 - 180
Dating criteria
lettering
Images
copy_r_1 copy_r_2
txt

Рrose la
[Aeternae securitati (vel D(is) M(anibus))?]
et b(onae) m(emoriae) Fronto Aug(ustorum) n(ostrorum) dispens(ator) Moes(iae) inf(erioris).
Verse la
Floribus ut saltem requiescant membra iucundis |
Aeliae carae mihi nunc hoc inclusae sepulcro, |
regina Ditis magni regis, [p]recor hoc te – |
nam meruit haec multa suis pro laudibus a me – |
inmeritae propere solventem fila dearum, |
quae globo Parcarum revoluta cuncta gubernant. |
Qualis enim fuerit vita, quam deinde pudica, |
si possem effari cithara suadere ego Manes. |
Haec primum casta, quot [t]e audire libenter |
et mundi spatia, Ditis quoque regia, norunt. |
Hanc precor Elysiis iubeas consistere campis |
et myrta redimire comas et tempora flore. |
Lar mihi haec quondam, haec spes, haec unica vita, |
et vellet, quod vellem, nollet quoque ac si ego nollem. |
Intima nulla ei, quae non mihi nota fuere. |
Nec labos huic defuit, nec vellerum inscia fila, |
parca manu, set larga meo in amore mariti. |
Nec sine me cibus huic gratus, nec munera Bacchi, |
consilio mira, cata mente, nobili fama. |
Carmini, possessor, faveas precor ac precor, ut tu |
hanc tituli sedem velles decorare quodannis |
et foveas aevi monumentum tempore grato, |
roscida ((leaf)) si rosula seu grato flore amaranthi |
et multis generum pomis variisque novisque, |
ut possit toto refoveri temporis anno. |

[........................................]
ETBMFRONTOAVGGNNDISPENSMOESINF
FLORIBVSVTSALTEMREQVIESCANTMEMBRAIVCVNDIS
AELIAECARAEMIHINVNCHOCINCLVSAESEPVLCRO
5REGINADITISMAGNIREGIS[.]RECORHOCTE–
NAMMERVITHAECMVLTASVISPROLAVDIBVSAME–
INMERITAEPROPERESOLVENTEMFILADEARVM
QVAEGLOBOPARCARVMREVOLVTACVNCTAGVBERNANT
QVALISENIMFVERITVITAQVAMDEINDEPVDICA
10SIPOSSEMEFFARICITHARASVADERE[.]EGOMANES
HAECPRIMVMCASTAQVOT[.]EAVDIRELIBENTER
ETMVNDISPATIADITISQVOQVEREGIANORVNT
HANCPRECORELYSIISIVBEASCONSISTERECAMPIS
ETMYRTAREDIMIRECOMASETTEMPORAFLORE
15LARMIHIHAECQVONDAMHAECSPESHAECVNICAVITA
ETVELLETQVODVELLEMNOLLETQVOQVEACSIEGONOLLEM
INTIMANVLLAEIQVAENONMIHINOTAFVERE
NECLABOSHVICDEFVITNECVELLERVMINSCIAFILA
PARCAMANVSETLARGAMEOINAMOREMARITI
20NECSINEMECIBVSHVICGRATVSNECMVNERABACCHI
CONSILIOMIRACATAMENTENOBILIFAMA
CARMINIPOSSESSORFAVEASPRECORACPRECORVTTV
HANCTITVLISEDEMVELLESDECORAREQVODANNIS
ETFOVEASAEVIMONVMENTVMTEMPOREGRATO
25ROSCIDA- leaf SIROSVLASEVGRATOFLOREAMARANTHI
ETMVLTISGENERVMPOMISVARIISQVENOVISQVE
VTPOSSITTOTOREFOVERITEMPORISANNO
txt

[To the divine spirits of the departed?] and to the blessed memory - Fronto, treasurer of our two Augusti for Lower Moesia (set this monument up).
May the limbs of my dear Aelia, now enclosed in this tomb,

at least rest amid lovely flowers.

Queen of the great king Dis Pater (= Proserpina), I beg you for this,

for she deserved much from me for her praiseworthy deeds.

Though she did not deserve it, you quickly cut the thread of the goddesses,

unwinding the knot of the Parcae, who govern all.
If I could describe, with my lyre, her way of life, how pure she was,

I would move the spirits of the underworld.

First, she was chaste – you will hear this with pleasure –

as it is known both in the entire world and in the subterranean residence of Dis.

I beseech you to bid her dwell in the Elysian fields

and to bind her hair with myrtle and her temples with flowers.

Once she was the spirit of my home, my hope, my one and only life.

She wanted what I wanted, and what I did not want, she also spurned.

She had no secret that was unknown to me.

She did not eschew hard work, nor was she inexperienced in wool work.

Thrifty was her hand, but she was generous in her love for me, her husband.

Without me, she did not care for food nor for the gifts of Bacchus.

She was admirable in her advice, sharp-witted and of noble reputation.

Owner (of the land with the sarcophagus), I pray you look favourably on these verses

and annually adorn the site of this tomb.

I beg you to cherish this eternal monument bedecking it,

according to the time of the year, with dewy roses or the pleasant flowers of the amaranth

and all sorts of fresh fruits of various kinds,

so that it is taken care of at all times of the year.
Aeternae securitati vel D(is) M(anibus) et bonae memoriae Fronto Auggustorum nnostrorum dispensator Moesiae inferioris.

tag: ab
⤦ n: 1

tag: lb
Aeternae securitati vel D(is) M(anibus)

reason: lost
cert: low
tag: supplied
Aeternae securitati

tag: #text
vel D(is) M(anibus)

tag: note
⤦ n: 2

tag: lb
et

tag: w
bonae

lemma: bonus
tag: w
memoriae

lemma: memoria
tag: w
Fronto

type: official
nymRef: Fronto
tag: persName
Auggustorum

lemma: Augustus
tag: w
nnostrorum

lemma: noster
tag: w
dispensator

lemma: dispensator
tag: w
Moesiae inferioris

tag: placeName
Moesiae

tag: expan
Moes

tag: abbr
iae

tag: ex
inferioris

lemma: inferior
tag: w
.

tag: #text
Floribus ut saltem requiescant membra iucundis Aeliae carae mihi nunc hoc inclusae sepulcro, regina Ditis magni regis, precor hoc te – nam meruit haec multa suis pro laudibus a me – inmeritae propere solventem fila dearum, quae globo Parcarum revoluta cuncta gubernant. Qualis enim fuerit vita, quam deinde pudica, si possem effari cithara suaderem ego Manes. Haec primum casta, quot te audire libenter et mundi spatia, Ditis quoque regia, norunt. Hanc precor Elysiis iubeas consistere campis et myrta redimire comas et tempora flore. Lar mihi haec quondam, haec spes, haec unica vita, et vellet, quod vellem, nollet quoque ac si ego nollem. Intima nulla ei, quae non mihi nota fuere. Nec labos huic defuit, nec vellerum inscia fila, parca manu, set larga meo in amore mariti. Nec sine me cibus huic gratus, nec munera Bacchi, consilio mira, cata mente, nobili fama. Carmini, possessor, faveas precor ac precor, ut tu hanc tituli sedem velles decorare quodannis et foveas aevi monumentum tempore grato, roscida si rosula seu grato flore amaranthi et multis generum pomis variisque novisque, ut possit toto refoveri temporis anno.

tag: lg
⤦ n: 3

tag: lb
Floribus ut saltem requiescant membra iucundis

tag: l
Floribus

lemma: flos
tag: w
ut

tag: w
saltem

lemma: saltem
tag: w
requiescant

lemma: requiesco
tag: w
membra

lemma: membrum
tag: w
iucundis

lemma: iucundus
tag: w
⤦ n: 4

tag: lb
Aeliae carae mihi nunc hoc inclusae sepulcro,

tag: l
Aeliae

type: attested
nymRef: Aelia
tag: persName
carae

lemma: carus
tag: w
mihi

lemma: ego
tag: w
nunc

lemma: nunc
tag: w
hoc

lemma: hic
tag: w
inclusae

lemma: includo
tag: w
sepulcro

lemma: sepulcrum
tag: w
,

tag: #text
⤦ n: 5

tag: lb
regina Ditis magni regis, precor hoc te –

tag: l
regina

type: divine
tag: persName
Ditis

type: divine
tag: persName
magni

lemma: magnus
tag: w
regis

lemma: rex
tag: w
,

tag: #text
precor

lemma: precor
tag: w
p

reason: lost
tag: supplied
recor

tag: #text
hoc

lemma: hic
tag: w
te

lemma: tu
tag: w

tag: #text
⤦ n: 6

tag: lb
nam meruit haec multa suis pro laudibus a me –

tag: l
nam

tag: w
meruit

lemma: mereo
tag: w
haec

lemma: hic
tag: w
multa

lemma: multus
tag: w
suis

lemma: suus
tag: w
pro

tag: w
laudibus

lemma: laus
tag: w
a

tag: w
me

lemma: ego
tag: w

tag: #text
⤦ n: 7

tag: lb
inmeritae propere solventem fila dearum,

tag: l
inmeritae

lemma: immeritus
tag: w
propere

lemma: propere
tag: w
solventem

lemma: solvo
tag: w
fila

lemma: filum
tag: w
dearum

lemma: dea
tag: w
,

tag: #text
⤦ n: 8

tag: lb
quae globo Parcarum revoluta cuncta gubernant.

tag: l
quae

lemma: qui
tag: w
globo

lemma: globus
tag: w
Parcarum

type: divine
tag: persName
revoluta

lemma: revolvo
tag: w
cuncta

lemma: cunctus
tag: w
gubernant

lemma: guberno
tag: w
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 9

tag: lb
Qualis enim fuerit vita, quam deinde pudica,

tag: l
Qualis

lemma: qualis
tag: w
enim

tag: w
fuerit

lemma: sum
tag: w
vita

lemma: vita
tag: w
,

tag: #text
quam

lemma: quam
tag: w
deinde

tag: w
pudica

lemma: pudicus
tag: w
,

tag: #text
⤦ n: 10

tag: lb
si possem effari cithara suaderem ego Manes.

tag: l
si

lemma: si
tag: w
possem

lemma: possum
tag: w
effari

lemma: effor
tag: w
cithara

lemma: cithara
tag: w
suaderem

lemma: suadeo
tag: w
suadere

tag: #text
m

reason: omitted
tag: supplied
ego

lemma: ego
tag: w
Manes

type: divine
tag: persName
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 11

tag: lb
Haec primum casta, quot te audire libenter

tag: l
Haec

lemma: hic
tag: w
primum

lemma: primum
tag: w
casta

lemma: castus
tag: w
,

tag: #text
quot

lemma: quod
tag: w
te

lemma: tu
tag: w
t

reason: lost
tag: supplied
e

tag: #text
audire

lemma: audio
tag: w
libenter

lemma: libenter
tag: w
⤦ n: 12

tag: lb
et mundi spatia, Ditis quoque regia, norunt.

tag: l
et

tag: w
mundi

lemma: mundus
tag: w
spatia

lemma: spatium
tag: w
,

tag: #text
Ditis

type: divine
tag: persName
quoque

tag: w
regia

lemma: regia
tag: w
,

tag: #text
norunt

lemma: nosco
tag: w
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 13

tag: lb
Hanc precor Elysiis iubeas consistere campis

tag: l
Hanc

lemma: hic
tag: w
precor

lemma: precor
tag: w
Elysiis

lemma: Elysium
tag: w
iubeas

lemma: iubeo
tag: w
consistere

lemma: consisto
tag: w
campis

lemma: campus
tag: w
⤦ n: 14

tag: lb
et myrta redimire comas et tempora flore.

tag: l
et

tag: w
myrta

lemma: myrta
tag: w
redimire

lemma: redimio
tag: w
comas

lemma: coma
tag: w
et

tag: w
tempora

lemma: tempus
tag: w
flore

lemma: flos
tag: w
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 15

tag: lb
Lar mihi haec quondam, haec spes, haec unica vita,

tag: l
Lar

type: divine
tag: persName
mihi

lemma: ego
tag: w
haec

lemma: hic
tag: w
quondam

lemma: quondam
tag: w
,

tag: #text
haec

lemma: hic
tag: w
spes

lemma: spes
tag: w
,

tag: #text
haec

lemma: hic
tag: w
unica

lemma: unicus
tag: w
vita

lemma: vita
tag: w
,

tag: #text
⤦ n: 16

tag: lb
et vellet, quod vellem, nollet quoque ac si ego nollem.

tag: l
et

tag: w
vellet

lemma: volo
tag: w
,

tag: #text
quod

lemma: qui
tag: w
vellem

lemma: volo
tag: w
,

tag: #text
nollet

lemma: nolo
tag: w
quoque

tag: w
ac

tag: w
si

tag: w
ego

lemma: ego
tag: w
nollem

lemma: nolo
tag: w
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 17

tag: lb
Intima nulla ei, quae non mihi nota fuere.

tag: l
Intima

lemma: intimus
tag: w
nulla

lemma: nullus
tag: w
ei

lemma: is
tag: w
,

tag: #text
quae

lemma: qui
tag: w
non

tag: w
mihi

lemma: ego
tag: w
nota

lemma: nosco
tag: w
fuere

lemma: sum
tag: w
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 18

tag: lb
Nec labos huic defuit, nec vellerum inscia fila,

tag: l
Nec

tag: w
labos

lemma: labor
tag: w
huic

lemma: hic
tag: w
defuit

lemma: desum
tag: w
,

tag: #text
nec

tag: w
vellerum

lemma: vellus
tag: w
inscia

lemma: inscius
tag: w
fila

lemma: filum
tag: w
,

tag: #text
⤦ n: 19

tag: lb
parca manu, set larga meo in amore mariti.

tag: l
parca

lemma: parcus
tag: w
manu

lemma: manus
tag: w
,

tag: #text
set

tag: w
larga

lemma: largus
tag: w
meo

lemma: meus
tag: w
in

tag: w
amore

lemma: amor
tag: w
mariti

lemma: maritus
tag: w
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 20

tag: lb
Nec sine me cibus huic gratus, nec munera Bacchi,

tag: l
Nec

tag: w
sine

lemma: sine
tag: w
me

lemma: ego
tag: w
cibus

lemma: cibus
tag: w
huic

lemma: hic
tag: w
gratus

lemma: gratus
tag: w
,

tag: #text
nec

tag: w
munera

lemma: munus
tag: w
Bacchi

type: divine
tag: persName
,

tag: #text
⤦ n: 21

tag: lb
consilio mira, cata mente, nobili fama.

tag: l
consilio

lemma: consilium
tag: w
mira

lemma: mirus
tag: w
,

tag: #text
cata

lemma: catus
tag: w
mente

lemma: mens
tag: w
,

tag: #text
nobili

lemma: nobilis
tag: w
fama

lemma: fama
tag: w
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 22

tag: lb
Carmini, possessor, faveas precor ac precor, ut tu

tag: l
Carmini

lemma: carmen
tag: w
,

tag: #text
possessor

lemma: possessor
tag: w
,

tag: #text
faveas

lemma: faveo
tag: w
precor

lemma: precor
tag: w
ac

tag: w
precor

lemma: precor
tag: w
,

tag: #text
ut

tag: w
tu

lemma: tu
tag: w
⤦ n: 23

tag: lb
hanc tituli sedem velles decorare quodannis

tag: l
hanc

lemma: hic
tag: w
tituli

lemma: titulus
tag: w
sedem

lemma: sedes
tag: w
velles

lemma: volo
tag: w
decorare

lemma: decoro
tag: w
quodannis

lemma: quotannis
tag: w
⤦ n: 24

tag: lb
et foveas aevi monumentum tempore grato,

tag: l
et

tag: w
foveas

lemma: foveo
tag: w
aevi

lemma: aevum
tag: w
monumentum

lemma: monumentum
tag: w
tempore

lemma: tempus
tag: w
grato

lemma: gratus
tag: w
,

tag: #text
⤦ n: 25

tag: lb
roscida si rosula seu grato flore amaranthi

tag: l
roscida

lemma: roscidus
tag: w

type: leaf
tag: g
si

tag: w
rosula

lemma: rosula
tag: w
seu

tag: w
grato

lemma: gratus
tag: w
flore

lemma: flos
tag: w
amaranthi

lemma: amaranthus
tag: w
⤦ n: 26

tag: lb
et multis generum pomis variisque novisque,

tag: l
et

tag: w
multis

lemma: multus
tag: w
generum

lemma: genus
tag: w
pomis

lemma: pomum
tag: w
variisque

lemma: varius
tag: w
novisque

lemma: novus
tag: w
,

tag: #text
⤦ n: 27

tag: lb
ut possit toto refoveri temporis anno.

tag: l
ut

tag: w
possit

lemma: possum
tag: w
toto

lemma: totus
tag: w
refoveri

lemma: refoveo
tag: w
temporis

lemma: tempus
tag: w
anno

lemma: annus
tag: w
.

tag: #text
Apparatus
Readings

4 ) Carae (cognomen) Domaszewski

Commentary

resources
current_version: 1 / 24.12.2025