DEPOSSIO HILARES QV[A]E
VIXIT ANNVS VII M[ENSE] VNO D[IEBVS]
XIII DEPOSITA DIAE VII [ANTE] IDVS
(SE)PT[EMBRES] RICOMEDE ET CLYARC[H]O CONS[VLIBVS]
Translation
HERE LIES HILARA,
WHO LIVED FOR 7 YEARS, 1 MONTH AND 13 DAYS.
SHE WAS LAID TO REST ON SEPTEMBER 7,
WHEN RICOMEDES AND CLEARCHUS WERE CONSULS
Description
In addition to the inscription this epitaph includes the Christian ‘Chi-Rho’ symbol, a monogram of the Greek letters X (chi) and P (rho), which stands for ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ the Greek word for Christ. We can date the epitaph precisely to the year it was made due to the inclusion of the consul names at the end. Consuls were the chairman of the Roman senate and only held the office for a single year. Ricomedes and Clearchus were the consuls for the year 384.
Christian epitaph for Hilara, a young girl
Italy, AD 384
acquired by Sir Charles Nicholson in Italy, 1857-58, donated 1860
NMR.1066
