Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

An expanding collection of inscriptions, papyri, and other sources in translation (run by Philip A. Harland)

Grave of Menandrianos with Bequest to Linen-workers and Weapon-fans (ca. 180-250 CE) Hierapolis - Phrygia


Hierapolis (Phrygia, Asia Minor — Pleiades map), ca. 180-250 CE
Tullia Ritti, An Epigraphic Guide to Hierapolis (Pamukkale) (Istanbul: Yayinlari, 2006) 48-52 (no. 1) = AGRW ID# 11834


bibliography            

Coffin (sarcophagus) located within a larger burial complex with two chambers (tomb 162) on the eastern side of the road in the northern necropolis, near the point where the road turns further east. The two chambers were used by more than one family and another sarcophagus was found within the same chamber as our inscription. The inscription presented here is on the lid of the sarcophagus and dates to the late second or first half of the third century. A later inscription of the fourth century is on the body of the same coffin, indicating reuse (text not presented here).

This is the grave and vaulted chamber of Marcus Aurelius Ammianos son of (?) Menandrianos.  Ammianos, his wife …, and their children will be buried in it, and no one else is allowed to be buried in it.  But if anyone does anything contrary to what is written above, that person will pay 1500 denarii to the most sacred treasury.  I also leave behind 250 denarii for the grave–crowning to the designated members of the guild of flax–workers (linōtai; or: linen–workers), with each member receiving one denarius which will be provided on the twentieth day of the eighth month.  But if, on the designated day, they do not provide the funds left behind for the grave–crowning, they will give over double the amount to the association of those who like weapons (philoploi; i.e. likely a gladiatorial fan–club).

Translation by: Harland



ἠ σορὸς ǀ καὶ ἡ καμǀάρα Μάρ(κου) Αὐρη(λίου) ǀ Ἀμμιανοῦ Μενανδριανοῦ, ἐν ᾖ κηδευθήσετε αὐτὸς ὁ Ἀμμιανὸς καὶ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ ǀǀ [— — —] καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, ἑτέρῳ δὲ οὐδενὶ ἔξεστι κηδευθῆνε, εἰ δὲ μή, ǀ ὁ ὑπεναντίον τι πυήσας τοῦ προγεγραμμένου δώσι τῷ ἱερωτάτῳ ταμίῳ ⚹ αφʹ, ǀ καταλείπω δὲ καὶ τοῖς προγεγραμένο<ι>ς τῆς ἐργασίας τῶν λινωτῶν στεǀφανωτικο<ῦ> ὀνόματι ⚹ σνʹ πρὸς τὸ ἀπονέμεσθε ἐκάστῳ ὀνόματι ⚹ αʹ ὃ δοθήσεǀται μηνὶ ὀγδόου δεκάτῃ ἀπιόντος, εἰ δὲ μὴ δώσουν τῇ ὁρισμένῃ ἡμέρᾳ τὸ καταǀλιφθὲν στεφανωτικόν, τοῦτο διπλο[ῦν ἀ]ποδώσου[ν] τοῖς φιλόπλοις.

Sarcophagus of Ammianos Menandrianos and his family with the inscription on the lid.
Photo © 2013 Rachel McRae.

Item added: March 13, 2013
Item modified: December 4, 2015
ID number: 11834
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=11834

Leave a Question, Comment or Correction

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*