A SON’S EPITAPH, ROME Alison E. Cooley AEC/ASHL ANChandler.3.67 Oxford Ashmolean Museum ANChandler.3.67 AshLI 66

A funerary altar of white marble (0.74 0.36 0.27). On the sides appear a jug (urceus) (left), and libation-dish (patera) (right). Above, a rounded pediment is filled by an eagle, with outspread wings. In the centre of the altar’s top surface is a medium-sized round hole. The rear is smoothly finished. It is in a good condition.

The inscription is inscribed on the front face, within a moulded frame (inscribed area: 0.33 0.225). Remains of guiding lines are still visible. There are interpuncts.

 0.024 (line 1); 0.02 (line 2); 0.022 (lines 3-5); 0.02 (lines 6-7) It probably originated from Rome. possibly second century AD (DM formula, tria nomina) The altar belongs to the Arundel Collection, given to the University of Oxford by Henry Howard, Earl of Arundel, in 1667 (Prideaux 1676). It probably originated from Rome. The Arundel marbles were first displayed in the ‘Garden of Antiquities’ outside the new Sheldonian Theatre from 1668/9 (Sturdy and Moorcraft 1999), and were subsequently transferred indoors in 1715 to ‘The Marble School’, an upper gallery in the Bodleian Quadrangle. In 1749, they were transferred downstairs to the ground floor in the former School of Moral Philosophy, and at some point then ended up in the basement of the (Old) Ashmolean Museum on Broad Street (now the Museum of the History of Science) (Munby 2013). The Ashmolean Museum in its current location was built behind the University Galleries, was opened in 1894, and finally the University Galleries and Ashmolean were amalgamated by statute in 1908 The inscription is currently in a storeroom. Photograph Photograph: inscription Photograph: inscription Photograph: pediment detail Photograph:side
dis manibus Marco Cornelio Pio qui vixit annis XIIII mensis XI diebus V Marcus Cornelius Onesimus filio karissimo fecit

To the spirits of the dead. To Marcus Cornelius Pius who lived for 14 years, 11 months, 5 days. Marcus Cornelius Onesimus set this up to his dearest son.

A XIII (Prideaux, Maittaire); XIIII (Maittare p.561)

This decorated funerary altar was set up by a father for his son. They both have tria nomina, but it is uncertain whether they are freeborn or freed.

Prideaux (1676) p.83, no.13; Maittaire (1732) p.34, no.47+ p.561; Chandler (1763) p.136, no.67; CIL VI.3 no.16284 [Hübner] (1886)

Online: EDCS-12001180 [accessed 12/08/15]

ChandlerR. 1763 Marmora Oxoniensia Oxford Clarendon Press Maittaire M. 1732, 2nd edn. Marmorum, Arundellianorum, Seldenianorum, Aliorumque Academiae Oxoniensi Donatorum London William Bowyer Munby J. 2013 A rare collection: Oxford museums past and present Excalibur: Essays on Antiquity and the History of Collecting in Honour of Arthur MacGregor H. Wiegel and M. Vickers Oxford BAR Int. ser. 2512 75-85 Prideaux H. 1676 Marmora Oxoniensia ex Arundellianis, Seldenianis aliisque conflata Oxford Sturdy D. and N. Moorcraft 1999 Christopher Wren and Oxford’s garden of antiquities Minvera 10.1 25-28