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Inscriptions: Epitaph of Blandinia Martiola by her husband Pompeius Catussa

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Identification

Reference as: MPL02190
Title Epitaph of Blandinia Martiola by her husband Pompeius Catussa
Trismegistos-No. 487276

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place Lugdunum
Find Context Saint-Georges district, foundations of the Commandery, 1815.
Latitude 0.0
Longitude 0.0
Current Location Lyon, Musée Gallo-Romain Lyon Fourvière
Inventory number 187
Current Location Details Hall V.
Vicinity

Object Details

Object Type altar
Material limestone
State of Preservation complete
Dimensions

width: 48.0 cm

height: 75.0 cm

depth: 34.0 cm

Letter Size in cm (min) 2.0
Letter Size in cm (max) 3.5
Execution Technique chiselled
Religion Pagan

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography Altar with moulded base and pulvinus, surmounted by an architrave and flat pediment. D(is) ((ascia)) et ((ascia)) M(anibus) inscribed on pediment. Memoriae aetern(ae) inscribed on architrave. Hole for the storage of ashes on pedestal. Traces of colouring are visible especially in ll. 11-15.
Decoration Tags
  • Architecture / Altar
  • Architecture / Moulding
  • Architecture / Pedestal
  • Architecture / Pediment
  • Architecture / architrave
  • Architecture / base
  • Architecture / pulvinus
  • Object / Ascia

Verse Layouts

  • Prose Verse PresencePraescriptum + carmen
    Prose Verse Distinction
    • Yes, by bigger lettering in prose
    • Yes, by different layout
    Layout Types (Prose)
    • Centered
    • Left aligned
    Layout Types (Verse)
    • Left aligned
    Scriptio Continua in verse partno
    Abbreviations in verse partno
    Verse Line CorrespondenceNo, just uses all available space
    Graphic Signs and Spaces for Easier Carmen Reading
    • To separate words - Interpunction

Text

Function funerary inscription
Language(s)
  • Latin
Verse Type(s)
  • iambo-trochaic rhythm
Rhythmisation Mixed scheme

Inscription & Translations

Pediment:
D ascia `ET´ ascia MArchitrave:
MEMORIAEAETERNEpigraphic field:
BLANDINIAEMARTIOLAEPVELA͡E
INNOCENTISSIMAEQVAEVIXIT
5ANNXVIIIMVIIIIDVPOM͡PEIVS
CATVSSACIVESSEQVANVSTEC
TORCONIVGIINCOMPARABILI
ETSIBIBENIGNISSIMEQVAEME
CVMVIXITANVMVIDXVIII
10SINEVLACRIMINISSORDEVIVS
SIBIETCONIVGIPONENDVMCV
RAVITETSVBASCIADEDICAVIT

.VQVILEGISVADEINAPOLINIS
LAVARIQVODEGOCVMCONIV
15GEFECIVELLEMSIADVCPOSSEM
Pediment:
D(is) ((ascia)) `et´ ((ascia)) M(anibus) Architrave:
memoriae aetern(ae) Epigraphic field:
Blandiniae Martiolae, puel<l>a͡e
innocentissimae quae vixit
5ann(is) XVIII, m(ensibus) VIIII, d(iebus) V. Pom͡peius
Catussa, cives Sequanus, tec-
tor, coniugi incomparabili
et sibi benignissim<a>e. Quae me-
cum vixit an(nis) V, m(ensibus) VI, d(iebus) XVIII
10sine ul<l>a criminis sorde. Vi<v>us
sibi et coniugi ponendum cu-
ravit et sub ascia dedicavit.

Ṭu qui legis vade in Apol<l>inis
lavari, quod ego cum coniu-
15ge feci; vellem si ad<h>uc possem.
Pediment: D(is) ((ascia)) `et´ ((ascia)) M(anibus) Architrave: memoriae aetern(ae) Epigraphic field: Blandiniae Martiolae, puel<l>a͡e innocentissimae quae vixit ann(is) XVIII, m(ensibus) VIIII, d(iebus) V. Pom͡peius Catussa, cives Sequanus, tector, coniugi incomparabili et sibi benignissim<a>e. Quae mecum vixit an(nis) V, m(ensibus) VI, d(iebus) XVIII sine ul<l>a criminis sorde. Vi<v>us sibi et coniugi ponendum curavit et sub ascia dedicavit.

Ṭu qui legis vade in Apol<l>inis lavari,
quod ego cum coniuge feci; vellem si ad<h>uc possem.
Apparatus

l.6 reg., orig. cives

Text follows CIL. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
l. 3: Marticlae, Artaud.

Main Translation

Translation To the Manes and to the eternal memory of Blandinia Martiola, a purest girl, who lived eighteen years, nine months and five days. Pompeius Catussa, a Sequanian citizen and a plasterer, made this for his wife, incomparable and so kind to him. She lived with me for five years, six months and eighteen days without any stain of reproach. While still alive, he took care to set this up for himself and his wife, and dedicated it under the ascia.

You who are reading, go bathe in the baths fo Apollo, as I did with my wife; I wish I could do it still.
Citation R. Knapp

Other Translations

Prosopographical Information

  • NameBlandinia Martiola
    GenderFemale
    Age RangeSubadult (13–20) [expression: Canonical, precision: high]
    RoleDedicatee
  • NamePompeius Catussa
    GenderMale
    OriginForeign
    RoleDedicator

Further Information

Comment

Dating proposed by Hirschfeld.

Squeeze

Have Squeeze? no

Dating

Date (From) 201 AD
Date (To) 300 AD
Date (Criteria)
  • palaeography

Bibliography

Images

  • Epitaph of Blandinia Martiola by her husband Pompeius Catussa.

    Epitaph of Blandinia Martiola by her husband Pompeius Catussa.

    Source: CLEO L030 (c) C. Fernández Martínez

Editing History

Created 2025-12-18, by Fabio Spalla
Work Status Complete
Import Notice
Revisions
  1. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-07-07 10:12
  2. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-07-07 10:57
  3. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-07-07 13:15
  4. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-07-07 13:30
  5. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-07-07 13:32
  6. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-07-07 13:33
  7. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-07-14 12:48
  8. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-07-14 16:08
  9. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-12-15 08:44
  10. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-12-18 17:55
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