Roman Funerary Inscriptions and Monuments – Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae
Roman Funerary Inscriptions and Monuments
Engraving from Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae (Leiden, 1704–1725), edited by Johann Georg Graevius and published by Pieter van der Aa.
This plate presents a series of Roman funerary monuments and epitaphs, recording the names, professions, and family ties of those commemorated. Many of the inscriptions belong to freedmen and their families, providing valuable insight into the social aspirations and commemorative practices of Imperial Rome.
Leiden between 1704 and 1725
Each Plate Approx 28 x 48 cm (Full Sheet Including Margins)
The Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae formed part of the monumental Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum series compiled by Johann Georg Graevius (1632–1703) and published in Leiden between 1704 and 1725. Overseen by the Dutch publisher Pieter van der Aa, the folio volumes combined texts, inscriptions, and richly engraved illustrations of monuments and antiquities from across Italy.
Many of the plates, such as those from the Monumenta Brixiana section devoted to finds from Brescia, document Roman statues, coins, inscriptions, and architectural remains. Executed in van der Aa’s workshop, the engravings often drew on earlier antiquarian sources but were presented in a format that reflected the 18th-century revival of interest in classical antiquity.
Conceived as a comprehensive resource for scholars, the Thesaurus also became a visual library for artists and thinkers of the early Neoclassical age, preserving and disseminating the legacy of ancient Italy through both scholarship and imagery.
The inscriptions include:
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Domitia and Domitius, son of Titus: “To the memory of Domitia and Domitius, son of Titus. Domitius Primus, son of the divine Titus, ordered by his will that this monument be made.”
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Anonymous epitaph in verse: “Stranger, you see how my monuments stand bereft of my own. Bear witness that old age, remembered by example, might still rejoice in the devotion of a husband.”
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Lucius Papinnius Secundus: “To Lucius Papinnius Secundus. His wife Muria Viaientina and Papinnius Petronianus set this up to one who well deserved it.”
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Lucius Caesius Celeber: “To Lucius Caesius Celeber, freedman. From Cassia Grata.”
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Fragmentary inscription of Marcellus Labeo: mentioning a dedication by the guild of egg-sellers (collegium oviariorum).
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Avilius Avilena: depicted in a sacrificial procession with a pig.
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Lucius Octavietus: “To Lucius Octavietus. He lived twenty-three years, in the district of the Flaminia.”
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Publius Pupius Mentolus: “Publius Pupius Mentolus, freedman of Publius, physician and municipal magistrate (quattuorvir).”
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Quintus Calventius Tropilmus and Calventia Primigenia: “To Quintus Calventius Tropilmus, freedman of Quintus, and to Calventia Primigenia, freedwoman of Quintus, his wife. Set up by Auxespha, freedwoman of Publius.”
Together these epitaphs illustrate the diversity of Roman commemorative practice: from simple name markers to elaborate monuments with portrait busts, relief scenes, and poetic inscriptions. They shed light on the identities of freedmen, artisans, and professionals, while underscoring the importance of memory, status, and family devotion in Roman society.
Full sheet with margins shown below:
