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Inscriptions: Epitaph of Marcus Aurelius Zosimus by his patron

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Identification

Reference as: MPL01568
Title Epitaph of Marcus Aurelius Zosimus by his patron
Trismegistos-No. 544264

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place Aricia
Find Context Castel Gandolfo, on the left of the ancient Appian Way, about 300 meters before the 13th mile, 1864.
Latitude 0.0
Longitude 0.0
Current Location Castel Gandolfo (Roma), villa Barberini
Inventory number
Current Location Details Villa Barberini, gardens.
Vicinity

Object Details

Object Type base
Material marble
State of Preservation complete
Dimensions

width: 65.0 cm

height: 121.0 cm

depth: 95.0 cm

Letter Size in cm (min) 0.0
Letter Size in cm (max) 0.0
Execution Technique chiselled
Religion Pagan

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography Praescriptum and poem inside a frame, subscriptum beneath the frame.
Decoration Tags
  • Architecture / frame

Verse Layouts

  • Prose Verse PresencePraescriptum + carmen + subscriptum
    Prose Verse Distinction
    • Yes, by bigger lettering in prose
    Layout Types (Prose)
    • Centered
    Layout Types (Verse)
    • Centered
    Scriptio Continua in verse partno
    Abbreviations in verse partno
    Verse Line CorrespondenceNo
    Graphic Signs and Spaces for Easier Carmen Reading
    • To mark the continuation of a verse in the following line (indentation)

Text

Function funerary inscription
Language(s)
  • Latin
Verse Type(s)
  • Elegiac couplet
Rhythmisation Quantitative scheme

Inscription & Translations


MAVRELIVSCOTTAE
MAXIMILZOSIMVS
ACCENSVSPATRONI

LIBERTINVSERAMFATEOR
5SEDFACTALEGETVR
PATRONOCOTTANOBILISVMBRAMEA
QVIMIHISAEPELIBENSCENSVSDONAVIT
EQVESTRISQVIIVSSITNATOS
TOLLEREQVOSALERET
10QVIQVESVASCOMMISITOPES
MIHISEMPERETIDEMDOTAVIT
NATASVTPATERIPSEMEAS
COTTANVMQVEMEVMPRODVXIT
HONORETRIBVNIQVEMFORTIS
15CASTRISCAESARISEMERVIT
QVIDNONCOTTADEDITQVINVNC
ETCARMINATRISTISHAECDEDIT
INTVMVLOCONSPICIENDAMEO?
Outside the frame:
AVRELIASATVRNINAZOSIMI

M(arcus) Aurelius Cottae
Maximi l(ibertus) Zosimus,
accensus patroni.

Libertinus eram, fateor,
5sed facta legetur
patrono Cotta nobilis umbra mea.
Qui mihi saepe libens census donavit
equestris, qui iussit natos
tollere quos aleret,
10quique suas commisit opes
mihi semper, et idem dotavit
natas ut pater ipse meas.
Cottanumque meum produxit,
honore tribuni, quem fortis
15castris Caesaris emeruit.
Quid non Cotta dedit, qui nunc
et carmina tristis haec dedit
in tumulo conspicienda meo?
Outside the frame:
Aurelia Saturnina Zosimi.
M(arcus) Aurelius Cottae Maximi l(ibertus) Zosimus, accensus patroni.

Libertinus eram, fateor, sed facta legetur
patrono Cotta nobilis umbra mea.
Qui mihi saepe libens census donavit equestris,
qui iussit natos tollere quos aleret,
quique suas commisit opes mihi semper, et idem
dotavit natas ut pater ipse meas.
Cottanumque meum produxit, honore tribuni,
quem fortis castris Caesaris emeruit.
Quid non Cotta dedit, qui nunc et carmina tristis
haec dedit in tumulo conspicienda meo?
Outside the frame:
Aurelia Saturnina Zosimi.
Apparatus

Text follows CIL 14, ILS and CLE. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.

Main Translation

Translation Marcus Aurelius Zosimus, freedman of Cotta Maximus, adjutant to his patron.

I was a freedman, I admit, but men will read that my shade was ennobled by the patronage of Cotta, who often willingly gave to me the sums of the equestrian census and bade me to beget children whom he would rear, who always entrusted his wealth to me and also dowered my daughters as if he himself were their father, and promoted my Cottanus with the post of tribune, which he bravely served out in Caesar's camp. What did Cotta not give? Now in sorrow he has also given this epitaph for public view on my tomb.

Aurelia Saturnina, wife of Zosimus.
Citation E. Courtney

Other Translations

Prosopographical Information

  • NameMarcus Aurelius Zosimus
    GenderMale
    OriginUnknown
    Legal StatusFreedman / Freedwoman
    RoleDedicatee
  • NameCotta Maximus
    GenderMale
    OriginNative
    Legal StatusRoman citizen
    RankOrdo senatorius
    RoleDedicator
  • NameCottanus
    GenderMale
    OriginNative
    Legal StatusRoman citizen
    RankOrdo equester
    ProfessionMilitary staff
  • NameAurelia Saturnina
    GenderFemale
    OriginNative
    RoleDedicator

Further Information

Comment

Dating proposed by G. Di Giacomo in EDR138163.

Squeeze

Have Squeeze? no

Dating

Date (From) 1 AD
Date (To) 50 AD
Date (Criteria)
  • formulae
  • prosopography
  • names

Bibliography

Images

  • (c) M. G. Granino Cecere

Editing History

Created 2025-04-10, by Eric Andreas Kunz
Work Status Confirmed
Import Notice Imported from Epigraphic Database Roma at 2024-08-22T15:08:20, ID there: EDR138163
Revisions
  1. by Unknown
    at 2024-08-22 15:08
  2. by Eric Andreas Kunz
    at 2024-11-07 14:07
  3. by Eric Andreas Kunz
    at 2024-11-07 14:08
  4. by Anna Pokorny
    at 2025-02-04 14:58
  5. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-01 15:11
  6. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-01 15:39
  7. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-01 16:13
  8. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-03 10:04
  9. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-03 10:55
  10. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-03 14:23
  11. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-03 14:23
  12. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-04-08 12:25
  13. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-04-10 12:22
  14. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-04-10 13:13
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