Inscriptions: Epitaph of the bishop Alexander

Identification

Reference as:	MPL00403
Title	Epitaph of the bishop Alexander
Trismegistos-No.	339009

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place	Tipasa
Find Context	The mosaic inscription decorated the tomb of the local bishop Alexander, buried in his basilica.
Latitude	36.5942
Longitude	2.44192
Current Location	Algiers, Musée des Antiquités
Inventory number
Current Location Details
Vicinity	[{"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 403, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/403", "long_id": "MPL00403", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Alexander episcopu[s l]egibus ipsis altaribus natu\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph of the bishop Alexander"}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 210, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/210", "long_id": "MPL00210", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Hic iacet egregia meritis et gratia morum, nobilis\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://db.edcs.eu/epigr/bilder/$ER_CLE_01836.jpg", "title": "Funerary inscription for Astania"}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 388, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/388", "long_id": "MPL00388", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Si quis ut vivat quaerit addisc-cere semper, hic l\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://db.edcs.eu/epigr/bilder/$EDCS-26500017.jpg", "title": "Mosaic inscription from a baptistery "}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 391, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/391", "long_id": "MPL00391", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Vivite felices quibu[s] haec sunt condita tecta, s\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Didactic mosaic from Tipasa"}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 397, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/397", "long_id": "MPL00397", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Resurrectionem carnis futuram esse qui credit. Ang\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://db.edcs.eu/epigr/bilder.php?s_language=it\u0026bild=$Zarker_00073.jpg", "title": "Mosaic inscription on the Resurrection"}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 398, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/398", "long_id": "MPL00398", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Quisquis es Christianus ad sublimia vere qui tendi\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Mosaic inscription on the importance of charity"}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 399, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/399", "long_id": "MPL00399", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Suscipit eximium sublimis regia caeli Basilium mer\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph of Basilius"}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 405, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/405", "long_id": "MPL00405", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Qui potuit cunctos operum superare labores explici\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Mosaic inscription about some work of rearrangement in Tipasa"}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 412, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/412", "long_id": "MPL00412", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "\u039c\u03b1\u03c4\u03c1\u03ce\u03bd\u03b1\u03bd \u03c4\u03ae\u03bd\u03b4\u1fbd(\u03b5)\u03b9-\u03c3\u03bf\u03c1\u1fb7\u03c2 \u03c4\u1f74\u03bd \u1f14\u03bd\u03b5\u03bd\u03ba\u03b1\u03bd \u03b3-\u03bd\u03af[\u03c3]\u03b9\u03bf\u03b9 \u03c0\u03bf\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Funerary inscription for Maxima"}, {"coords": [36.5942, 2.44192], "id": 798, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/798", "long_id": "MPL00798", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Alto labsa (sic) loco casu defuncta nefando primis\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph from Tipasa \u2013 Tipasa (Mauretania Caesariensis) - HD000756"}, {"coords": [36.7245, 3.55632], "id": 400, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/400", "long_id": "MPL00400", "place": "beni A\u00efcha hill", "text": "EPIDOC IS INVALID; UPDATE WITH WELL-FORMED XML", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "The inscription from the beni A\u00efcha hill"}, {"coords": [36.241, 1.64184], "id": 406, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/406", "long_id": "MPL00406", "place": "Tigava", "text": "Memorie Aurelie Tistciae, qui istitit sepultura. E\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph of Aurelia Tistcia"}, {"coords": [36.1444, 3.69127], "id": 411, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/411", "long_id": "MPL00411", "place": "Auzia", "text": "Sumptibus e propriis Felix Calvusque gratantes han\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "An altar to Phoebus"}, {"coords": [36.2964, 3.66993], "id": 855, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/855", "long_id": "MPL00855", "place": "A\u00efn-Bessem", "text": "Balnea rura domus fec[it C]onstantius auctor et fe\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Inscription from A\u00efn-Bessem, bei (Mauretania Caesariensis) - HD023151"}]

Object Details

Object Type	mosaic
Material	mosaic
State of Preservation	complete
Dimensions	width: 260.0 cm height: 550.0 cm depth: unknown
Letter Size in cm (min)	23.0
Letter Size in cm (max)	23.0
Execution Technique	written with mosaic tiles
Religion	Christian

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography	The text is framed by laurel leaves.
Decoration Tags	Plant / Laurel leaves

Verse Layouts

Prose Verse Presence Carmen
Prose Verse Distinction
No distinction
Scriptio Continua in verse part no
Abbreviations in verse part no
Verse Line Correspondence Yes

Prose Verse Presence	Carmen
Prose Verse Distinction	No distinction
Scriptio Continua in verse part	no
Abbreviations in verse part	no
Verse Line Correspondence	Yes

Text

Function	funerary inscription
Language(s)	Latin
Verse Type(s)	Other
Rhythmisation	Accentuating scheme

Inscription & Translations

Diplomatic Interpretative Verse Visualisation

ALEXANDEREPISCOPV[]EGIBVSIPSISALTARIBVSNATVS
AETATIBVSHONORIBVSQVEINAECCLESIACATHOLICAFVNCTVS
CASTITATISCVSTOSKARITATIPACIQVEDICATVS
CVIVSDOCTRINAFLORETINNVMERAPLEBSTIPASENSIS
5PAVPERVMAMATORAELEMOSINAEDEDITVSOMNIS
CVINVMQVAMDEFVEREVNDEOPVSCAELESTEFECISSET:
HVIVSANIMAREFRIGERATCORPVSHICINPACEQVIESCIT
RESVRRECTIONEMEXPECTANSFVTVRAMDEMORTVISPRIMAM
CONSORSVTFIATSANCTISINPOSSESSIONEREGNICAELESTIS

Alexander episcopu[s l]egibus ipsis altaribus natus,
aetatibus honoribusque in aecclesia catholica functus,
castitatis custos, karitati pacique dicatus,
cuius doctrina floret innumera plebs Tipasensis,
5pauperum amator, aelemosinae deditus omnis,
cui numquam defuere unde opus caeleste fecisset:
huius anima refrigerat, corpus hic in pace quiescit,
resurrectionem expectans futuram de mortuis primam,
consors ut fiat sanctis in possessione regni caelestis.

Alexander episcopu[s l]egibus ipsis altaribus natus,
aetatibus honoribusque in aecclesia catholica functus,
castitatis custos, karitati pacique dicatus,
cuius doctrina floret innumera plebs Tipasensis,
pauperum amator, aelemosinae deditus omnis,
cui numquam defuere unde opus caeleste fecisset:
huius anima refrigerat, corpus hic in pace quiescit,
resurrectionem expectans futuram de mortuis primam,
consors ut fiat sanctis in possessione regni caelestis.

Apparatus

l.2 reg., orig. aecclesia
l.3 reg., orig. karitati
l.5 reg., orig. aelemosinae

Text follows CLEAfrique.
l. 8: the first attestation of resurrection is found in Ioh. apoc. 20, 5.

Main Translation

Translation	The bishop Alexander did be born for the laws and altars of God; he carried out his years and career within the Catholic Church, as a guardian of chastity and a man consecrated to charity and peace; it is thanks to his teaching that the Christian population of Tipasa prospers now. He was friend of the poor, completely voted to charity, and he never missed to accomplish the celestial work: now his soul takes solace and his body rests here in peace. He awaits the future first resurrection among the dead, so that he can be admitted among the saints in the possession of the celestial Kingdom.
Citation

Other Translations

Prosopographical Information

Name Alexander
Gender Male
Age Range Adult (21–60) [precision: high]
Origin Native
Legal Status Roman citizen
Profession Religious staff
Role Dedicatee

Name	Alexander
Gender	Male
Age Range	Adult (21–60) [precision: high]
Origin	Native
Legal Status	Roman citizen
Profession	Religious staff
Role	Dedicatee

Further Information

Comment

Squeeze

Have Squeeze?	no

Dating

Date (From)	401 AD
Date (To)	450 AD
Date (Criteria)	names

Bibliography

CIL 08, 20905
CLE 01837
ILCV 01103
CLEAfrique 00157
AE 1893, 00065
AE 1922, 00025
J.-M. Lassère, Manuel d'épigraphie romaine, Paris 2005, 557-558 🔗 link

Images

Editing History

Created	2025-03-31, by Mirko Tasso
Work Status	Confirmed
Import Notice

Revisions

by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-06 15:02
by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-06 15:08
by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-06 15:29
by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-13 14:27
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-02-07 12:51
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-02-07 13:06
by Chiara Cenati
at 2025-02-07 13:06

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