Inscriptions: Funerary inscription for Maxima

Identification

Reference as:	MPL00412
Title	Funerary inscription for Maxima
Trismegistos-No.

Object

Provenance and Location

Find Place	Tipasa
Find Context	The sarcophagous was placed against the northern wall of a big tomb, close to the Saint Salsa's burial.
Latitude	36.5942
Longitude	2.44192
Current Location
Inventory number
Current Location Details
Vicinity	[{"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": 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": null, "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": 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": 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": 798, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/798", "long_id": "MPL00798", "place": "Tipasa", "text": "Alto labsa loco, casu defuncta nefando. Primis rap\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://db.edcs.eu/epigr/bilder/$JL_AE_1982_00984.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of Fidentia by her father Fidentius"}, {"coords": [36.7245, 3.55632], "id": 400, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/400", "long_id": "MPL00400", "place": "beni A\u00efcha hill", "text": "Spes in [---]ei Per te, Nu[---]el ista videmus Fir\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "The inscription from the beni A\u00efcha hill"}, {"coords": [36.241, 1.64184], "id": 406, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/406", "long_id": "MPL00406", "place": "Tigava", "text": "Memorie Aurelie Tistciae, qui istitit sepultura. E\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph of Aurelia Tistcia"}, {"coords": [36.1444, 3.69127], "id": 411, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/411", "long_id": "MPL00411", "place": "Auzia", "text": "Sumptibus e propriis Felix Calvusque gratantes han\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Altar to Phoebus"}, {"coords": [36.6073, 2.18683], "id": 807, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/807", "long_id": "MPL00807", "place": "Caesarea", "text": "Iuliae reg\u0323[is [---] l(ibertae) Calloni] C(aius) I\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://ccj-epicherchel.huma-num.fr/interface/phototheque/125/112988_det.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of Iulia Callo by her husband C.Iulius, freedwoman and freedman of king Juba"}, {"coords": [36.6073, 2.18683], "id": 808, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/808", "long_id": "MPL00808", "place": "Caesarea", "text": "[Hic eg]o quae iaceo fatis sum rapta sinistris. [S\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://db.edcs.eu/epigr/bilder/$AE_1985_00958.jpg", "title": "Epitaph of an unknown girl from Caesarea"}, {"coords": [36.6073, 2.18683], "id": 809, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/809", "long_id": "MPL00809", "place": "Caesarea", "text": "[\u2066 - - - - - - - - - - \u2069] n(um) X [---] dolere nol\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph from Caesarea \u2013 Cherchell (Mauretania Caesariensis) - HD002885"}, {"coords": [36.6073, 2.18683], "id": 2239, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/2239", "long_id": "MPL02239", "place": "Caesarea", "text": "Salvius. Duo. Bis denos vitae qu[i compleverat\u2026", "thumbnail_url": "https://books.openedition.org/efr/file/3201/tei/img-2.jpg/download/1500", "title": "Epitaph of the slave Salvius"}, {"coords": [36.6073, 2.18683], "id": 2244, "item_url": "https://db.mappola.eu/r/Inscriptions/show/2244", "long_id": "MPL02244", "place": "Caesarea", "text": "Philo, L(uci) Vibi Secundi vern(a). Vibius Gemellu\u2026", "thumbnail_url": null, "title": "Epitaph of the verna Philo by his father Vibius Gemellus"}, {"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	sarcophagus
Material	marble
State of Preservation	complete
Dimensions	width: unknown height: unknown depth: unknown
Letter Size in cm (min)	3.0
Letter Size in cm (max)	4.0
Execution Technique	incised
Religion	Christian

Decoration

Decoration and Iconography	The inscription presents a Chrismon at the end of the last line.
Decoration Tags	Symbol / Monogr. Christi

Verse Layouts

Prose Verse Presence Verse
Scriptio Continua in verse part no
Abbreviations in verse part no
Verse Line Correspondence No

Prose Verse Presence	Verse
Scriptio Continua in verse part	no
Abbreviations in verse part	no
Verse Line Correspondence	No

Text

Function	funerary inscription
Language(s)	Greek
Verse Type(s)	Dactylic hexameter
Rhythmisation	Quantitative scheme

Inscription & Translations

Diplomatic Interpretative Verse Visualisation

ΜΑΤΡΩΝΑΝΤΗΝΔ᾽Ι
ΣΟΡΑΣΤΗΝΕΝΕΝΚΑΝΓ
ΝΙ[]ΙΟΙΠΟΤΕΥΗΝ
ΕΚΓΗΣΑΝΤΟΛΙΗΣΠΕΦΥ
5Κ᾽ΑΣΜΕΝΗΣΩΦΡΟΝΙ
ΘΥΜΩΔΥΣΠΙΣΤΟΝ
ΕΧΟΥΣΑΘΑΝΙΝΕΠΙ
ΞΕΙΝΗΣΚΛΗΡΩΔΟΘΙΣΑ
ΜΑΞΙΜΑΤΡΙΠΟΛΙΤΙΟ
10ΤΡΙΑΚΟΝΤΟΥΤΙΣΕΝ
ΘΑΔΑΙΚΙΜΑΙ

Ματρώναν τήνδ᾽(ε)ι-
σορᾷς τὴν ἔνενκαν γ-
νί[σ]ιοι ποτ(ι) εὐ(ν)ὴν.
Ἐκ γῆς Ἀντολίης πέφυ-
5κ᾽ἀσμένη σώφρονι
θυμῷ Δύσπιστον
ἔχουσα θαν(ε)ῖν ἐπὶ
ξείνης κληρωδοθῖσα
Μάξιμα Τριπολιτίο(υ)
10τριακοντοῦτις ἐν
θάδαι κ(ε)ῖμαι.

Ματρώναν τήνδ᾽(ε)ισορᾷς τὴν ἔνενκαν γνί[σ]ιοι ποτ(ι) εὐ(ν)ὴν.
Ἐκ γῆς Ἀντολίης πέφυκ᾽ἀσμένη σώφρονι θυμῷ
Δύσπιστον ἔχουσα θαν(ε)ῖν ἐπὶ ξείνης κληρωδοθῖσα
Μάξιμα Τριπολιτίο(υ) τριακοντοῦτις ἐν θάδαι κ(ε)ῖμαι.

Apparatus

Text follows Leschi 1957, p. 368

Main Translation

Translation	Look at this matron, who her relatives brought to the tomb. She was born in the land of Anatolia, and she was happy and wise in her heart before befalling an unexpected death in a foreign land. "I, Maxima, daughter of Tripolitos, aged 30 years rest here".
Citation	Mirko Tasso

Other Translations

Tu vedi questa matrona, che i suoi cari hanno portato alla tomba. Ella nacque in Anatolia e fu una donna dal cuore saggio. Dopo che ebbe in eredità una morte ancora difficile da realizzare in terra straniera, Maxima, figlia di Tripolitios, giace qui. Ella aveva trentun anni. (Italian, Tasso 2024)

Prosopographical Information

Name Maxima
Gender Female
Age Range Adult (21–60) [expression: Canonical, precision: high]
Origin Foreign
Legal Status Roman citizen
Role Dedicatee
Name Tripolitos
Gender Male
Age Range Adult (21–60) [precision: high]
Origin Foreign
Legal Status Unknown

Name	Maxima
Gender	Female
Age Range	Adult (21–60) [expression: Canonical, precision: high]
Origin	Foreign
Legal Status	Roman citizen
Role	Dedicatee

Name	Tripolitos
Gender	Male
Age Range	Adult (21–60) [precision: high]
Origin	Foreign
Legal Status	Unknown

Further Information

Comment

Squeeze

Have Squeeze?	no

Dating

Date (From)	351 AD
Date (To)	400 AD
Date (Criteria)	archaeology formulae

Bibliography

L. Leschi, Etudes d’épigraphie, d’archéologie et d’histoire africaines, Paris, 1957, 368 🔗 link
M. Coltelloni-Trannoy, Les épitaphes grecques versifiées d’Afrique du Nord (I) : le milieu social, Ktèma, 32 (2007), 207-232, spec. 232 🔗 link
M. Tasso, Dio, gli dèi e il divino: religione, credenza e identità nelle iscrizioni versificate del Nord Africa romano, Wien 2024, 454, 13. 🔗 link

Images

Editing History

Created	2026-03-09, by Mirko Tasso
Work Status	Complete
Import Notice

Revisions

by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-07 14:52
by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-07 14:55
by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-07 14:58
by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-07 15:12
by Mirko Tasso
at 2023-09-13 13:32
by Anna Pokorny
at 2026-03-06 12:01
by Anna Pokorny
at 2026-03-06 12:54
by Anna Pokorny
at 2026-03-06 12:55
by Chiara Cenati
at 2026-03-09 11:33
by Chiara Cenati
at 2026-03-09 11:34
by Chiara Cenati
at 2026-03-09 11:35

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