Stela

Funerary stela with the epitaph of “Caius Aebutius Verecundus”. It has astral-type iconographic elements: a star or a cross with six arms that may be a depiction of the solar disc or the six-petalled rose that is often depicted on Roman-period stelae, as well as six hearts —possibly stylised ivy leaves— under the waxing moon. The tabula ansata bears the names of the father, “Caius Aebutius Tardus”, and his son, “Caius Aebutius Verecundus”, a soldier in the Sixth Legion who died at the age of 18 in Syria, to whom the cenotaph is dedicated. The third part of this stela is occupied by a badly worn poetic inscription of 23 lines; it contains a lamentation for the untimely death of the son and the fact that he will never again return to his homeland.

C(aius) Aebutius Tardus / C(aius) Aebutius Verecundus / filius miles leg(ionis) VI in Suria // Iamque XVIII aetas mea nunc conleverat annos / ruperunt misero fata repente viam / lectus miles eras legio quae sexta tenebat / (qui) pius in Suria fortiter arma tulit / et fortuna nimis saevas exercuit eiras / quam sic ut torrens ante diem rapuit / nemo ne votisqu(e) meis adeo usque parentes / militiae referat splendida facta suae / o miseros quei me talem genuere parentes / non licuit patrios continuisse sinus / te miseram mater quae sic deserta quereris / nam patris interitu lapsa ruina iacet / nec te pretereor cor et solacia nostri / indignor misera(s) non licuisse frui / dulces anplexus morientis et oscula data / nec tenuit moriens deficiente manu in supero it si qua viast asditusque sepulcro / instituto casus pareat usque meus / inritus infelix peregrinas possidet auras / neu quisquam pressit lumina nemo manus / hospes praeteriens titulum ne desere bostrum / et precor ut deicas sit tibi terra levis / Valeria Laura delar(gi)tur.

Inventory number: MNAT 45110