Graham, Alexander: Roman Africa: an outline of the history of the Roman occupation of North Africa ; based chiefly upon inscriptions and monumental remains in that country (London [u.a.], 1902)

Africa under Antoninus Pius 153

The frequent repetition of superlative epithets becomes some-
what monotonous, and difficult to appreciate in our more prosaic
times. But it must be remembered that these old-world citizens
had no other means of giving public expression to their grief
in the hour of bereavement, and that the wording of these
homely memorials, sometimes extending to twenty lines, was
often prompted by the hope that the Dii Manes would not
forget the good deeds of those who had passed away from this
world. As an example of a thoroughly homely epitaph, one
noted by Orelli1 is worthy of mention here, principally on
account of the unusual epithets lanifica and domiseda. It speaks
well for this beautiful lady Amymone that she was skilled at
the spinning-wheel; but what shall we say of a remarkable
qualification expressed in the last word—that she stopped at
home and minded the affairs of the house ?

HIC SITA EST AMYMONE MARCI OPTIMA ET PVLCHERRIMA
LANIFICA PIA PVDICA FRUG CASTA DOMISEDA

The private lives of good fathers and estimable sons have
also their full share of imperishable record and of superlative
epithets. An eminent citizen of Lambaesis is described as
omnibus virtutibus abundans vir, and a resident of Ammaedara
(Hydra) is inscribed as homo bonus rebus hominibusque perneces-
sarius, quern qutzrit patncs maximus Jiic populus. Another
dedication on a stone found on the road between Theveste and
Cirta is to an excellent father in the following simple words :
cujus eximiam bonitatem et prudentiam non solum pareyites,
verum etiam finitimi doluerunt, quam ob rem filii dulcissimi
patri rarissimo sestertium minimum quinque millibus, incolumes
parentes. At Hippo Regius (Bone) is an inscription of nineteen
lines2 to Lucius Postumius Felix Celerinus, who was not only
pontifex and duumvir, but was honoured with the distinc-
tion of flamen Augusti perpetuus. Further lines speak of his
innocentiam splendoremque et in patriam suam incomparabilem
amorem.

Nimrod, whose name is still preserved in an inscription that is quite legible.' It
need scarcely be said that the walls are mostly destroyed, and that nothing remains of
the grandeur of the ancient Capsa.

! Inscnpt. Lat. Collectio, J. Caspar von Orelli, 1828-56, Turici, No. 4639, vol. ii.

P- 319-

1 I.R.A. No. 2871.