The Bulgarian team of the Prometheus Digital Epigraphy at the French Language School “Alphonse de Lamartine” in Sofia!
Our colleagues from the Bulgarian team of the Prometheus Digital Epigraphy project recently visited students at the French Language School Alphonse de Lamartine in Sofia, where Latin is included in the curriculum. As a part of a new dissemination initiative within the Prometheus Project, they presented one of the selected Latin inscriptions from today’s Bulgaria that will be included in the PROMETHEUS digital collection and storytelling platform: a beautiful and moving verse epitaph from the town of Nikopol on the Danube.
A loving husband dedicated this inscription to the memory of his wife, Aelia. Written in poetic hexameters, it praises Aelia’s virtues as the ideal Roman woman. What makes the inscription truly touching is the husband’s heartfelt appeal to future passersby, asking them to continue honouring her memory with their own dedications, keeping her spirit alive through the ages.
Remarkably, this plea seems to have been heard: during Ottoman times, the marble block of the inscription was reused to build a public fountain, ensuring that Aelia’s memory endured in a new form. In the late 19th century, the French archaeologist Ernest Desjardins, possibly one of the first people in centuries to read the inscription, recognised the historical and cultural value of the monument and was moved by Fronto's ancient plea for preservation. He documented the inscription in his travel diaries and wrote his own poetic response in French.
While these historical details are fascinating, what matters most is the inspiration and curiosity our Bulgarian colleagues hope to spark among the students. They invited the young Latin learners to join the Prometheus Project Digital Storytelling initiative by writing their creative interpretations of Aelia’s story and the inscription’s history. The best stories will be published on our social media and may also be featured on the Digital Storytelling section of the Prometheus website.
We are truly excited to see how these young people will interpret Aelia’s story, weaving together the heritage of epigraphy and contemporary creativity!