Inscriptions: Epitaph of of the freedwoman Pontiliena

Identification

Reference as:	MPL02220
Title	Epitaph of of the freedwoman Pontiliena
Trismegistos-No.	233431

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place	Carthago Nova
Find Context	Castillo de la Concepción, western foundations of the so-called asilo de las Hermanitas, 1974.
Latitude	0.0
Longitude	0.0
Current Location	Cartagena, Museo Arqueológico Municipal de Cartagena
Inventory number	136
Current Location Details
Vicinity	[{"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 2220, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/2220", "long_id": "MPL02220", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "Sei quaer\u0323i\u0323s\u0323 nomen, [co]n\u0323s\u0323i\u0323s\u0323-te et percipe\u0323 \u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://institucional.us.es/cleo/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mu13b.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of of the freedwoman Pontiliena"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 927, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/927", "long_id": "MPL00927", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "Mater, si posse[m], fili vice mortis s[---]. Nunc \u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph of Philocalus by his mother Aucta and sister Adventa"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 928, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/928", "long_id": "MPL00928", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "Argentaria C(ai) f(ilia) Faustil(la) octavos cum i\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph from Carthago Nova \u2013 Cartagena (Hispania citerior) - HD037645"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 929, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/929", "long_id": "MPL00929", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "C(aius) Licinius C(ai) f(ilius) Torax hospes consi\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph from Carthago Nova \u2013 Cartagena (Hispania citerior) - HD037760"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 930, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/930", "long_id": "MPL00930", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "M(arcus) Oppius M(arci) f(ilius) fore(n)sis ars hi\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph from Carthago Nova \u2013 Cartagena (Hispania citerior) - HD037778"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 931, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/931", "long_id": "MPL00931", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "Filiola\u0323[m] amisit pa[trem], materque sequtast ips\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://institucional.us.es/cleo/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/mu5-scaled.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of the household slave Salviola"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 932, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/932", "long_id": "MPL00932", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "Sicinia C(ai) f(ilia) Secunda filia cum matre est \u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph from Carthago Nova \u2013 Cartagena (Hispania citerior) - HD037805"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 933, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/933", "long_id": "MPL00933", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "[Q(uintus) Lusius] L(uci) f(ilius) Seni[ca] [molle\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph from Carthago Nova, bei \u2013 Cartagena, bei (Hispania citerior) - HD037944"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 2219, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/2219", "long_id": "MPL02219", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "Vinuleia L(uci) l(iberta) Calena. Heic sitast. F\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://cil.bbaw.de/ace/files/PH0001333.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of the freedwoman Vinuleia Calena by her daughter"}, {"coords": [37.6028, -0.987953], "id": 2227, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/2227", "long_id": "MPL02227", "place": "Carthago Nova", "text": "\|A Plotia L(uci) et F\u0323ufiae l(iberta).- Prune ha\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://db.edcs.eu/epigr/bilder/$CIL_02_03495.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of the freedwoman Plotia"}, {"coords": [39.4704, -0.376813], "id": 860, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/860", "long_id": "MPL00860", "place": "Valentia", "text": "Pius pr(a)eclarus doctor alacer facundus Iustinian\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Elogium from Valentia \u2013 Valencia (Hispania citerior) - HD024284"}, {"coords": [39.4704, -0.376813], "id": 861, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/861", "long_id": "MPL00861", "place": "Valentia", "text": "Constructu(m) p[---cu]rrunt fastigium quis[--- a?]\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Building/dedicatory inscription from Valentia \u2013 Valencia (Hispania citerior) - HD024287"}, {"coords": [39.4704, -0.376813], "id": 862, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/862", "long_id": "MPL00862", "place": "Valentia", "text": "[\u2066 - - - - - - - - - - \u2069] [b?]ona liq[uet?] [---]l\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Inscription from Valentia \u2013 Valencia (Hispania citerior) - HD024293"}, {"coords": [38.8428, 0.107511], "id": 935, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/935", "long_id": "MPL00935", "place": "Dianium", "text": "C(aius) Iul(ius) H[---] sibi et Co[rneliae] Sphr[a\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph from Dianium \u2013 Denia (Hispania citerior) - HD039492"}, {"coords": [38.8428, 0.107511], "id": 938, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/938", "long_id": "MPL00938", "place": "Dianium", "text": "M(arcus) Acilius Eros h(ic) s(itus) e(st), pistor.\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://institucional.us.es/cleo/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/v7.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of the baker Marcus Acilius Eros by his freedmen and freedwomen"}, {"coords": [39.4883, -1.10044], "id": 2235, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/2235", "long_id": "MPL02235", "place": "Requena", "text": "Iu[---]++ +V\u0323[---] S\u0323osi-n\u0323a++g\u0323i f(ilius) Gili-t\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://db.edcs.eu/epigr/bilder/$ZPE_192_306_1.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of a man killed by bandits, dedicated by his son and sons-in-law"}]

Object Details

Object Type	slab
Material	limestone
State of Preservation	fragmentary (adjoining fragments)
Dimensions	width: 43.0 cm height: 43.5 cm depth: 33.0 cm
Letter Size in cm (min)	2.5
Letter Size in cm (max)	5.0
Execution Technique	chiselled
Religion	Pagan

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography
Decoration Tags

Verse Layouts

Prose Verse Presence	Verse interrupted by prose
Prose Verse Distinction	No distinction
Layout Types (Prose)	Left aligned
Layout Types (Verse)	Left aligned
Scriptio Continua in verse part	no
Abbreviations in verse part	no
Verse Line Correspondence	No
Graphic Signs and Spaces for Easier Carmen Reading	To separate words - Interpunction

Text

Function	funerary inscription
Language(s)	Latin
Verse Type(s)	Dactylic hexameter Hemiepes
Rhythmisation	Mixed scheme

Inscription & Translations

Diplomatic Interpretative Verse Visualisation

SEIQVAE...
NOMEN[]
TEETPERCIPPA͡VCA:

DVMVIXEIETPOTV

5[]NTILIENAE[]PON͡TI[]NI
[]IBERTAETFILIA[]ADEM

MORIENSETFVIET.VM
EPISTOLIVM

VALE

Sei quaeṛịṣ
nomen, [co]ṇṣịṣ-
te et percipẹ pa͡uca:

dum vixei et potuẹị,

5[P]ọntiliena e[t] Pon͡ti[li]ẹni
[l]iberta et filia [e]adem;

moriens et fui et ṣum
epistolium.

Vale.

Sei quaeṛịṣ nomen, [co]ṇṣịṣte et percipẹ pa͡uca:

dum vixei et potuẹị,

[P]ọntiliena e[t] Pon͡ti[li]ẹni [l]iberta et filia [e]adem;

moriens et fui et ṣum epistolium.

Vale.

Apparatus

l.1 reg., orig. Sei
l.4 reg., orig. vixei | reg., orig. potuei

Text follows CartNova. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
l. 5: [- - -]ienae et [- - -]eni, HEp 1995.

Main Translation

Translation	If you ask the name, stop and hear a few words: as I was alive and in possession of my capabilites, I was Pontiliena, both the freedwoman of Pontilienus and also his daughter. In my death I was, and still am, but a short note. Farewell.
Citation	C. Cenati, V. González Berdús, P. Kruschwitz

Other Translations

Si quieres saber mi nombre, detente y atiende a unas pocas palabras: mientras viví y pude, fui Pontiliena, liberta y, al mismo tiempo, hija de Pontilieno; al morir pasé a ser, y soy, un breve mensaje. Adiós. (Spanish, R. Hernández Pérez, X. Gómez Font)

Prosopographical Information

Name Pontiliena
Gender Female
Legal Status Freedman / Freedwoman
Role Dedicatee

Name	Pontiliena
Gender	Female
Legal Status	Freedman / Freedwoman
Role	Dedicatee

Further Information

Comment

Dating proposed by Abascal Palazón and Ramallo Asensio (CartNova).

Squeeze

Have Squeeze?	no

Dating

Date (From)	50 BC
Date (To)	1 BC
Date (Criteria)	palaeography

Bibliography

CartNova 03, 00167 (with photo, tab. 150; also on dating)
ELRH C42 (with photo)
CLEHisp 00087
CLE 02401
A. Beltrám Martínez, P. San Martín Moro, Cartagena en la Antigüedad. Estado de la cuestión. In: U. (ed.), S. (ed.), Crónica del XVI Congreso Arqueológico Nacional, Zaragoza 1983, 873 - HEp 1995 🔗 link
M. Koch, Die römische Gesellschaft von Carthago Nova nach den epigraphischen Quellen. In: F. Heidermanns (ed.), H. Rix (ed.) et al., Sprachen und Schriften des antiken Mittelmeerraums. Festschrift für Jürgen Untermann zum 65. Geburtstag, Innsbruck 1993, 235, nr. 191. 🔗 link
HEp 1995, 00585
R. Hernández Pérez, Poesía latina sepulcral de la Hispania romana: estudios de los tópicos y sus formulaciones, Valencia 2001, 239, nr. 248 - HEp 2001 🔗 link
HEp 2001, 00331
R. Hernández Pérez, X. Gómez Font, Carmina Latina Epigraphica Carthaginis Novae, Valencia 2006, 37, nr. 4 (with photo) - AE 2006 🔗 link
AE 2006, 00145
S. M. Marengo, Pontiliena epistolium in una iscrizione di Carthago Nova, SEBarc 12 (2014), 193-196 - AE 2014, HEp 2014-2015 🔗 link
AE 2014, 00739
HEp 2014-2015, 00461
M. Pena, La gens Pontiliena/Pontulena, entre Asculum y Carthago Nova, Mél. Arch. Hist.Ec. Fr. Rome. Antiquité 127, 1 (2015), 188 - AE 2015 🔗 link
AE 2015, 00672
C. Cenati, V. González Berdús, P. Kruschwitz, Ceterum censemus Carthaginem Novam esse legendam: Roman poetry as cultural history, Exemplaria classica. Journal of classical philology 28 (2024), 114-115, nr. 2 (with English translation and photo, 114) 🔗 link
CLEO MU13B (with Spanish translation) 🔗 link
EDCS-20400274 🔗 link
HD037795 🔗 link
HEpOl 14116 🔗 link
MQDQ 🔗 link

Images

Epitaph of of the freedwoman Pontiliena.
Source: CLEO MU13B (c) M. Ruiz

Editing History

Created	2025-09-09, by Fabio Spalla
Work Status	Complete
Import Notice

Revisions

by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-08-28 15:29
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-08-28 15:55
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-08-29 06:38
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-08-29 06:38
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-01 10:15
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-03 07:40
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-07 12:00
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-07 12:08
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-09-08 12:56
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-09 08:05
by Fabio Spalla
at 2025-09-09 08:09
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-09-09 09:42

Download

Download as XML