Inscriptions: Epitaph of Lucius Claudius Rufinus
Identification
| Reference as: | MPL02185 |
|---|---|
| Title | Epitaph of Lucius Claudius Rufinus |
| Trismegistos-No. | 487394 |
Object
Provenance and Location
| Find Place | Lugdunum |
|---|---|
| Find Context | Hill of Fourvière, district of Antiquaille, monastery of the Visitation. |
| Latitude | 0.0 |
| Longitude | 0.0 |
| Current Location | Lyon, Musée Gallo-Romain Lyon Fourvière |
| Inventory number | AD290 |
| Current Location Details | Hall XX |
| Vicinity |
Object Details
| Object Type | altar |
|---|---|
| Material | limestone |
| State of Preservation | incomplete |
| Dimensions |
width: 50.0 cm height: 89.0 cm depth: 45.0 cm |
| Letter Size in cm (min) | 2.0 |
| Letter Size in cm (max) | 2.5 |
| Execution Technique | chiselled |
| Religion | Pagan |
Decoration
| Decoration and Iconography | Altar with moulded base and pulvinus, part of praescriptum written on architrave. Ascia within D(is) M(anibus) formula on pediment, now lost. |
|---|---|
| Decoration Tags |
|
Verse Layouts
-
Prose Verse Presence Praescriptum + carmen + subscriptum Prose Verse Distinction - Yes, by bigger lettering in prose
Layout Types (Prose) - Centered
Layout Types (Verse) - Centered
Scriptio Continua in verse part no Abbreviations in verse part yes Verse Line Correspondence No, just uses all available space Graphic Signs and Spaces for Easier Carmen Reading - To separate verses - Vacat
- To separate words - Interpunction
Text
| Function | funerary inscription |
|---|---|
| Language(s) |
|
| Verse Type(s) |
|
| Rhythmisation | Quantitative scheme |
Inscription & Translations
Epigraphifc field:
CLHVNC[]SSTYGIASRVFINVS
ADVMBRAS INSTITVIT
5[]ITVLVMPOSTANIMAEREQV
[]EM QVITESTISVITAEFATI
SITLEGE[]VR[] CVMDO
M͡VSACCI[][]ACORPVSHA
BENS QVODQVEMEAM
10RETINETVOCDATALITTE
RASAXO V[]V͡AVIVET
QVISQVELEG[]LOS
[]OTTIOHICSI[]IVVE
[]ILIROBOREVONDAM
15[]IBIMOXQS[]NVTRIC[]
MRCIANEIT[]VERINA
[]ONLACTIAEHAECMONI
MENTADEDIT
CLHVNC[]SSTYGIASRVFINVS
ADVMBRAS INSTITVIT
5[]ITVLVMPOSTANIMAEREQV
[]EM QVITESTISVITAEFATI
SITLEGE[]VR[] CVMDO
M͡VSACCI[][]ACORPVSHA
BENS QVODQVEMEAM
10RETINETVOCDATALITTE
RASAXO V[]V͡AVIVET
QVISQVELEG[]LOS
[]OTTIOHICSI[]IVVE
[]ILIROBOREVONDAM
15[]IBIMOXQS[]NVTRIC[]
MRCIANEIT[]VERINA
[]ONLACTIAEHAECMONI
MENTADEDIT
Epigraphifc field:
Cl(audius) hunc [vi<v>u]s Stygias Rufinus
ad umbras ( vac. 3) instituit
5[t]itulum, post animae requ-
[i]em ( vac. 3) qui testis vitae fati
sit lege [fut]ur[us], ( vac. 3) cum do-
m͡us acci[piet] ṣ[axe]a corpus ha-
bens. ( vac. 3) Quodque meam
10retinet vocẹṃ data litte-
ra saxo, ( vac. 3) vọ[ce t]u͡a vivet,
quisque legẹ[s titu]los. ( vac. 3)
[R]ottio hic siṭ[us es]ṭ iuve-
[n]ili robore q̣uondam
15[qui s]ibi moxq(ue) s[uae] nutric[i]
Mạrcian<a>e, it[e]ṃ Verinaẹ
[c]onlactiae haec moni-
menta dedit ( vac. 3)
Cl(audius) hunc [vi<v>u]s Stygias Rufinus
ad umbras ( vac. 3) instituit
5[t]itulum, post animae requ-
[i]em ( vac. 3) qui testis vitae fati
sit lege [fut]ur[us], ( vac. 3) cum do-
m͡us acci[piet] ṣ[axe]a corpus ha-
bens. ( vac. 3) Quodque meam
10retinet vocẹṃ data litte-
ra saxo, ( vac. 3) vọ[ce t]u͡a vivet,
quisque legẹ[s titu]los. ( vac. 3)
[R]ottio hic siṭ[us es]ṭ iuve-
[n]ili robore q̣uondam
15[qui s]ibi moxq(ue) s[uae] nutric[i]
Mạrcian<a>e, it[e]ṃ Verinaẹ
[c]onlactiae haec moni-
menta dedit ( vac. 3)
[D(is) ((ascia)) M(anibus)] Architrave: [et m(emoriae)] aeternae L(uci) Cl(audii) Rufini.
Epigraphifc field:
Cl(audius) hunc [vi<v>u]s Stygias Rufinus ad umbras ( vac. 3)
instituit [t]itulum, post animae requ[i]em ( vac. 3)
qui testis vitae fati sit lege [fut]ur[us], ( vac. 3)
cum dom͡us acci[piet] ṣ[axe]a corpus habens. ( vac. 3)
Quodque meam retinet vocẹṃ data littera saxo, ( vac. 3)
vọ[ce t]u͡a vivet, quisque legẹ[s titu]los. ( vac. 3)
[R]ottio hic siṭ[us es]ṭ iuve[n]ili robore q̣uondam
[qui s]ibi moxq(ue) s[uae] nutric[i] Mạrcian<a>e, it[e]ṃ Verinaẹ [c]onlactiae haec monimenta dedit ( vac. 3)
Cl(audius) hunc [vi<v>u]s Stygias Rufinus ad umbras ( vac. 3)
instituit [t]itulum, post animae requ[i]em ( vac. 3)
qui testis vitae fati sit lege [fut]ur[us], ( vac. 3)
cum dom͡us acci[piet] ṣ[axe]a corpus habens. ( vac. 3)
Quodque meam retinet vocẹṃ data littera saxo, ( vac. 3)
vọ[ce t]u͡a vivet, quisque legẹ[s titu]los. ( vac. 3)
[R]ottio hic siṭ[us es]ṭ iuve[n]ili robore q̣uondam
[qui s]ibi moxq(ue) s[uae] nutric[i] Mạrcian<a>e, it[e]ṃ Verinaẹ [c]onlactiae haec monimenta dedit ( vac. 3)
et sub asc(ia) dedica͡vit, curan͡t͡e Cl(audio) Sequent͡e patrono.
Apparatus
l.17 reg., orig. conlactiae
Text follows CIL. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
ll. 1-2: [d. M. et quiet]i aeternae, CLE.
l. 13: Rottio, alternative name of Rufinus, CLE.
ll. 15-18: altered verse to fit two pentameters in one, CLE.
Main Translation
| Translation |
To the Manes and to the eternal mamory of Lucius Claudius Rufinus. Claudius Rufinus made this altar while still alive before the Stygian shadows, so that, after the rest of his soul, it would bear witness to his life, following the law of destiny, when a stone abode welcomes him enclosing his body. And since the stone retains my voice in carved letters, it will live again in your voice, whoever it is who reads these verses. Here lies Rottio, once strong in his youth, who arranged these monuments and dedicated them under the ascia to himself and then to his wet nurse Marciana, as well as to his foster sister Verina, his patron Claudius Sequens remaining in charge of them. |
|---|---|
| Citation | Fabio Spalla |
Other Translations
-
Cl(audio) Rufino, todavía en vida, dispuso este epitafio para su muerte, con la idea de que fuese testigo del destino de su vida tras el descanso de su alma, según es costumbre, cuando la morada pétrea en que se halla grabado acoja su cuerpo; y puesto que la letra esculpida en la piedra conserva
mi voz, recobrará la vida en tu voz, seas quien seas el que lees estos versos. Aquí está enterrado Rotio, de fortaleza juvenil en otro tiempo, que mandó construir este monumento fúnebre para sí mismo y luego para su nodriza Marciana y su hermana de leche Verina. (Spanish, C. Fernández Martínez) - [A los dioses Manes y al descanso] eterno de Lucio Claudio Rufino. Claudio Rufino en vida dispuso este epitafio ya ante las sombras Estigias para que fuese testigo de su vida, tras el descanso de su alma, según la ley del destino, cuando una morada de piedra lo reciba conteniendo su cuerpo. Y como la letra grabada en la piedra retiene mi voz, en tu voz vivirá seas quien seas el que leas estos versos: aquí está enterrado Rotión, de fortaleza juvenil en otro tiempo, que para él y después para su nodriza Marciana y asimismo para Verina, su hermana de leche, otorgó esos monumentos y los dedicó bajo el ascia, bajo el cuidado de su patrono, Claudio Secuente. (Spanish, C. Fernández Martínez and M. Limón Belén)
Prosopographical Information
-
Name Lucius Claudius Rufinus Gender Male Role Dedicator -
Name Marciana Gender Female Profession Other profession Role Dedicatee -
Name Verina Gender Female Role Dedicatee -
Name Claudius Sequens Gender Male
Further Information
Comment
Dating proposed by Fernández Martínez and Limón Belén (CLEO).
Squeeze
| Have Squeeze? | no |
|---|
Dating
| Date (From) | 251 AD |
|---|---|
| Date (To) | 300 AD |
| Date (Criteria) |
|
Bibliography
- CIL 13, 02104
- CLE 01278
- J. Cholodniak, Carmina sepulcralia latina epigraphica, Petersburg 1904, 328, nr. 908a. 🔗 link
- C. Fernández Martínez, Poesía epigráfica latina II, Madrid 1999, 60, nr. 1278 (Spanish translation of the elegiac couplets) 🔗 link
- A. Le Mer, C. Chomer, Carte archéologique de la Gaule 69.2: Lyon, Paris 2007, 504. 🔗 link
- E. Castelli, Titulus. Un contributo alla storia della parola nel mondo romano, Tyche 31 (2016), 70-71. 🔗 link
- A. Cooley, New approaches to the epigraphy of the Roman world, The journal of epigraphic studies 1 (2018), 31 - AE 2018 🔗 link
- AE 2018, 00012
- CLEO L005 (with Spanish translation) 🔗 link
- EDCS-10501061 🔗 link
- MQDQ 🔗 link
Images
Editing History
| Created | 2025-07-16, by Fabio Spalla |
|---|---|
| Work Status | Complete |
| Import Notice |
Revisions
-
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-07-01 12:04 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-07-01 12:40 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-07-01 12:56 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-07-01 12:59 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-07-02 13:14 -
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-07-13 16:14 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-07-14 15:47 -
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-07-14 15:48 -
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-07-16 18:41
