Memorial Tablet

Memorial Tablet

Marble

A rectangular marble memorial tablet with three lines of inscribed Latin. The finely carved lettering is enlivened with black pigment and sits within a wavy border. The top left corner has broken off where the 'SE' of SECUNDIONI would have been inscribed. The tablet is well-preserved with only minor damage and some chips along the edges. On either side of the vertical edges are two pierced holes, possibly for mounting. Remains of an iron rivet can be seen in the pierced hole on the right side. Faint chalk markings are visible on the corners of the bottom edge, possibly previous lot numbers(?). The inscription reads: "Philema, the wardrobe maid, for her brother Secundio, the steward of Caelia, 25 years old."
Secundio's title sumptuarius is that of the trusted slave in charge of the household budget. The archaic English word 'sumptuary' is derived from it.
Function: A memorial tablet identifying a niche in a colombarium for a house-slave. Set up by a sister (a vestispica presumably of the same household) for her brother.

Purchased from Charles Ede Ltd, London, with funds from the Friends of Antiquity, 2013.

AD 1 - AD 100

13.02