A WIFE’S EPITAPH, ROME Alison E. Cooley AEC/ASHL ANChandler.3.117.xml Oxford Ashmolean Museum ANChandler.3.117 AshLI 116

A plain rectangular marble plaque (0.30 0.228 0.019), consisting of five fragments which have been joined together (in a modern mount). The rear and sides have been smoothed finished.

It is inscribed on the front face. The layout has been carefully designed, with each line centred. There are some interpuncts. Guiding lines are clearly visible, with three extra lines that have not been used below the existing text.

 0.023 Of unknown provenance, it probably originated from Rome. possibly second century AD (use of DM formula). It is first recorded in Oxford according to CIL, but is in fact listed in the sale catalogue (Langford 1749) for the collection belonging to Christopher Wren, Esq., of Hampton Court (son of Sir Christopher Wren) sold at auction in London as lot 64 on 6th April 1749, after his death. Lot 64 comprised seven marble inscriptions (also C3-110; C3-113; C3-118; C3-128; C3-132; C3-134). This lot was bought by Richard Rawlinson: he is listed in the sale catalogue as one of the buyers at the auction, and also himself writes later that year of having bought Latin inscriptions from Mr Wren’s sale (Enright 1956: p.306 - Rawlinson Bod. MS. C 989 f.123, 16 Nov 1749, letter to Bodleian’s librarian). All of these Latin inscriptions are in the Ashmolean as part of the Rawlinson Collection, which was given to Oxford University in 1753, and at first kept in the University Collection in the Bodleian Library (Enright 1956: p.340). It is included in a list of antique marbles transferred from the Ashmolean Museum basement room to the marble rooms of the Randolph Building in January 1888 (Archive MS. ‘Marbles sent from Ashmolean Museum’ p.34, no.169). It is currently in a storeroom. photograph
dis manibus Rogatianus Germanae coniugi bene mrenti fecit

To the spirits of the dead. Rogatianus set this up for his well-deserving wife Germana.

This is a conventional epitaph set up by a husband for his wife. We cannot judge their social status from their single names given here.

Chandler (1763) Part 3, Pl.III.cxvii, with drawing; CIL VI.4 fasc.1, no.25443 [Hübner] (1894)

Online: EDCS-13801695 [accessed 29/10/15]

Ashmolean Museum Department of Antiquities Marbles sent from Ashmolean Museum Chandler R. 1763 Marmora Oxoniensia Oxford Clarendon Press Enright B.J. 1956 Richard Rawlinson: collector, antiquary, and topographer (Bod. MS. D.Phil. d.1786) Langford A. 1749 A catalogue of the genuine and entire collection of medals and statues of Christopher Wren Esq, late of Hampton Court, deceased; together with the collection of drawings of architecture of the late Sir Christopher Wren, his father (London 1749) http://artworld.york.ac.uk R. Stephens The art world in Britain 1660 to 1735