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Inscriptions: Epitaph of the freedman and alumnus Aurelius Timavius by his patron Aurelius Maximus

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Identification

Reference as: MPL02233
Title Epitaph of the freedman and alumnus Aurelius Timavius by his patron Aurelius Maximus
Trismegistos-No. 415390

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium
Find Context Church of Saint Ursula, reused for an altar, found before 1902.
Latitude 0.0
Longitude 0.0
Current Location Köln, Römisch-germanisches Museum Köln
Inventory number 29, 311
Current Location Details Hall 124
Vicinity

Object Details

Object Type stele
Material limestone
State of Preservation incomplete
Dimensions

width: 50.0 cm

height: 75.0 cm

depth: 18.0 cm

Letter Size in cm (min) 3.0
Letter Size in cm (max) 5.8
Execution Technique chiselled
Religion Pagan

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography
Decoration Tags

Verse Layouts

  • Prose Verse PresencePraescriptum + carmen
    Prose Verse Distinction
    • No distinction
    Layout Types (Prose)
    • Justified
    Layout Types (Verse)
    • Justified
    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)
  • Dactylic hexameter
  • Trochaic septenarius
Rhythmisation Quantitative scheme

Inscription & Translations

Front (A):
DM
AVRELIOTIMAVIO
ALVMNODVLCISSIM
OE͡TSAN[]MOQ
5VIVIX[]XVII
AVREL[]MVS
PATRON[](scil POSVIT)
[]RDAN
IA«G»ENITVSISTICMI
HICARETIMAVIPOST
10VARIOSCASSVSPOST
TOTDISCRIMINARE
RVMDESERISHEVPVL
CHRAMPRIMAEVO
    OREIVVENT
Back (B):
15D`TI´M
MAVIOLIBERTOALV
MNOAVRELIMAXIMI

TVTIMAV[]VLCEMNO
MENDV[]VSVOTISAD
20S:SPIRITV[]MTVFEREBAS
ORPOREELABISACRVMCO
RPVSVTTERRAMMANE
RESPIRITVMCELVMSEQVI
SPIRITVMMOVERECVNC
25TASPIRITVMESSEQVODDEV
MCVMMIHIEXTREMISCA
NEBASVOCIBVSSOLAMIN[]
FLORISABSCIDENSIVBE[]
RATIASTRISTIDIA[]
Front (A):
D(is) M(anibus).
Aurelio Timavio,
alumno dulcissim-
o e͡t san[ctissi]mo, q-
5ui vix[it annos] XVII,
Aurel[ius Maxi]mus
patron[us] (scil. posuit).-
[D]ạrdan-
ia «g»enitus istic, mi-
hi care Timavi, post
10varios cas{s}us, post
tot discrimina re-
rum, deseris, heu, pul-
chram primaevo
f̣ḷ( vac. 2)ore iuventạṃ.
Back (B):
15D(is) `Ạụṛẹḷịọ Ti´ M(anibus).
mavio liberto alu-
mno Aureli Maximi.

Tu, Timav[i, d]ulcem no-
men, du[lcib]us votis ad-
20ẹs: spirituṃ, [que]m tu ferebas,
c̣orpore elabi sacrum, co-
rpus ut terram mane-
re spiritum celum sequi,
spiritum movere cunc-
25ta, spiritum esse quod deu-
m. Cum mihi extremis ca-
nebas vocibus solamin[a],
floris abscidens iubeṇ[tae]
g̣ratias tristi dia[e].
Front (A):
D(is) M(anibus). Aurelio Timavio, alumno dulcissimo e͡t san[ctissi]mo, qui vix[it annos] XVII, Aurel[ius Maxi]mus patron[us] (scil. posuit).

[D]ạrdania «g»enitus istic, mihi care Timavi,
post varios cas{s}us, post tot discrimina rerum,
deseris, heu, pulchram primaevo f̣ḷ( vac. 2)ore iuventạṃ.
Back (B):
D(is) `Ạụṛẹḷịọ Ti´ M(anibus). mavio liberto alumno Aureli Maximi.

Tu, Timav[i, d]ulcem nomen, du[lcib]us votis adẹs:
spirituṃ, [que]m tu ferebas, c̣orpore elabi sacrum,
corpus ut terram manere spiritum celum sequi,
spiritum movere cuncta, spiritum esse quod deum.
Cum mihi extremis canebas vocibus solamin[a],
floris abscidens iubeṇ[tae] g̣ratias tristi dia[e].
Apparatus

l.28 reg., orig. iubentae

Text follows Galsterer and Galsterer 2010. Picture checked by Spalla 2025.
l. 5: vix[it annis], CIL; CLE.
l. 29: iuban[te], CLE.

Main Translation

Translation Front (A):

To the Manes. For Aurelius Timavius, a very sweet and most devoted foster son, who lived seventeen years, his patron Aurelius Maximus put this up.

Born in Dardania, here you lie, my dear Timavius, after many misfortunes, after so many hazards, oh! you relinquish your handsome youth in its first bloom.


Back (B):

To the Manes. To the freedman Aurelius Timavius, foster son of Aurelius Maximus.

You, Timavius, sweet name, you are present here with your vows: the soul which you carried leaves the body, so that your sacred body may stay on earth, your soul may reach heaven, and the spirit may move everything, for the spirit belongs to the gods. This you were singing to me with your last breaths, in consolation, while the graceful flower of your youth was cut short on that sad day.
Citation Fabio Spalla

Other Translations

Prosopographical Information

  • NameAurelius Timavius
    GenderMale
    Age RangeSubadult (13–20) [expression: Canonical, precision: high]
    Legal StatusFreedman / Freedwoman
    RoleDedicatee
  • NameAurelius Maximus
    GenderMale
    RoleDedicator

Further Information

Comment

Dating proposed by López Sánchez. Lazzaro proposes an uncertain dating to either the 2nd or 3rd century AD.

Squeeze

Have Squeeze? no

Dating

Date (From) 201 AD
Date (To) 300 AD
Date (Criteria)
  • archaeology
  • formulae

Bibliography

Images

  • Front (A) of the stele with epitaph of Aurelius Timavius.

    Front (A) of the stele with epitaph of Aurelius Timavius.

    Source: EDCS-01200210 (c) Museum RGM Köln

  • Back (B) of the stele with epitaph of Aurelius Timavius.

    Back (B) of the stele with epitaph of Aurelius Timavius.

    Source: EDCS-01200210 (c) Museum RGM Köln

Editing History

Created 2025-10-10, by Fabio Spalla
Work Status Complete
Import Notice
Revisions
  1. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-09-16 09:48
  2. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-09-16 10:17
  3. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-09-16 10:54
  4. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-09-16 10:55
  5. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-09-16 10:56
  6. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-10-08 14:36
  7. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-10-10 08:16
  8. by Fabio Spalla
    at 2025-10-10 08:18
  9. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-10-10 10:39
  10. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-10-10 10:41
  11. by Chiara Cenati
    at 2025-10-10 10:48
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