Epigraphy!

This Thursday, we went to an epigraphy (inscription) museum in Rome (Il Museo Nazionale dei Iscrizioni). In order to prepare for this excursion we read a book on inscriptions and had an epigraphy workshop. There were a lot of really exciting things in the museum.

This bust has nothing to do with epigraphy, but I thought that it was worthy of being photographed.
Here is a picture of me with a copy of the cippus found beneath the lapis niger. The inscription is truncated and archaic (older than the 6th century BC), so nobody knows exactly what it says. However, there is a mention of either a rex (king) or a rex sacrorum (a religious office in the early republic). This baffling inscription is the subject of much study, speculation, and debate. I have included this Julio-Claudian inscription because it is interesting. Mentioned along the bottom are "AETORES TUBICINES LITICINES CORNICINES ROMANI," which means something like "Roman trumpeters, tuba players, buglers, and horn players." Apparently, this inscription was purchased by ancient brass players to honor the emperor.
This was my groups inscription. 2 other students and I were given the task of translating one inscription and writing a short commentary. Here's a closer up view:

Part of the challenge of an inscription, besides it obviously being in an ancient language, is the use of abreviations. In this case, there weren't too many. I'll show you an edited version of the text and then a translation.

D(IS) M(ANIBUS) MAGNIA VENERIA [FECIT] T(ITO) MAGNIO DULITO PATRONO IDENQUE MARITO ET T(ITO) MAGNIO PHILOSTORGO FILIO QUI VIXIT ANNIS XII MENSIBUS V DIES VIIII DULCISSIMIS

"To the gods of the underworld, Magnia Veneria erected this for Titus Magnius Dulitus, her patron and also her husband, and for Titus Magnius Philostorgus, her son who lived for 12 most sweet years, 5 months, and 9 days."

It was a lot of fun putting together a translation and commentary. Even a seemingly insignificant grave marker can have a lot of meaning. Compared to literature, epigraphy is not too difficult; it just takes some getting used to.