ISic003432: Epitaph for Biktoria

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ID
ISic003432
Language
Ancient Greek
Text type
funerary
Object type
stele
Status
draft
Links
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Edition

Giacomo Manganaro, «Graffiti e iscrizioni funerarie della Sicilia orientale», Helikon 2 (1962): 485–501 Zotero
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Apparatus criticus

  • Text of Manganaro

Physical description

Support

Description
A cippus of the local limestone, quadrangular in section, damaged above and below (mouldings lost), with a marble plaque (21x26cm) inserted into the face, and with a further text inscribed below on the front face of the cippus.
Object type
stele
Material
limestone and marble
Object condition
No data
Dimensions
height: 51 cmwidth: 24.5 cmdepth: cm

Inscription

Layout
First five lines of text centred on marble plaque, with little respect for word-division; three continuous lines immediately below.
Text condition
No data
Technique
chiselled
Pigment
No data
Lettering

lunate epsilon and sigma; uncial omega.

Letter heights
Line 1: mm
Interlinear heights
Interlineation line 1 to 2: mm

Provenance

Place of origin
Dianae Fons
Provenance found
Recovered in 1934 from a tomb in the necropolis under via Tenente Meli, Comiso; observed by Manganaro c.1962 in the entranceway to the Scuola di Arte, Comiso
Map

Current location

Place
Comiso, Italy
Repository
Scuola di Arte
Autopsy
None

Date

3rd century CE (AD 201 - AD 300)
Evidence
lettering, archaeological-context

Text type

funerary

commentary

The first editors assumed that the second part of the text was perhaps written at a different time / by a different hand, but Manganaro assumes the role of a workshop in preparing the 'standard' imprecation below the tablet. In any case, the difference between the larger marble letters and the smaller letters cut onto the limestone base is already sufficient explanation for any difference. Manganaro rightly comments on the selective use of the more precious marble (this practice more familiar from statue bases). The final line is of very uncertain interpretation, appearing to show multiple errors in carving.

Bibliography

Digital editions
Printed editions

Citation and editorial status

Editor
Jonathan Prag
Principal contributor
Jonathan Prag
Contributors
Last revision
11/28/2025