#LatinForTheDay - 6 September

"Omnis avet quae iam bellis spectataque fama
turba ducum, primae seu quos in flore iuventae
temptamenta tenent necdum data copia rerum.
at quibus arvorum studiumque insontis aratri,
hos stimulant magnaque ratem per lustra viasque... Image
"...visi laude canunt manifesto in lumine Fauni
silvarumque deae atque elatis cornibus amnes."

Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 1.100-106
'That whole host of heroes, their renown in war well-known,
Were ablaze; as were that collection whom, still in their
First flush of youth, quests have not yet exhausted.
The Fauns, seen cavorting in the thickets and along the roads
In the clear light of day, sang of the Argo...
'As did the goddesses of the glades and the horned river-gods,
Rousing those whose task was but to till the fields with peaceful plough.'
Here Valerius Flaccus speaks of the effect of Juno's proclaiming of the quest of Jason and the Argo, calling to her those who wished to be "exalted to heaven for their glorious deeds".
The Image at the head of this brief thread is 'The Argonauts', a triptych by Max Beckmann, 1949-1950 (National Gallery of Art, Washington: 1975.96.1.a-c. Link - nga.gov/collection/art…).

#LatinForTheDay

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More from @DocCrom

7 Sep
Another quick #EpigraphyTuesday thread with this funerary inscription for the daughter of Blescius Diovicus. #Roman

Image: Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, Cambridge (D 1970.11). Link - collections.maa.cam.ac.uk/objects/468494
The inscription was discovered prior to 1601 in Risingham, the site of the Roman fort of Habitancum, on Dere Street - which ran from York to Corbridge.
Text:

"D(is) M(anibus)
Blescius
Diovicus
filiae
suae
vixsit
an(n)um
I et die(s) XXI"
Read 6 tweets
7 Sep
A quick #EpigraphyTuesday thread to get my day going, with this dedicatory statue group of Dionysus from the Mithraeum in London: ca. 4th Century AD. #Roman

Image: Museum of London (18496). Link - collections.museumoflondon.org.uk/online/object/…
The group shows Dionysus accompanied by typical members of his retinue: Silenus upon his ass; a Satyr; a Maenad holding a 'cista'; and a panther.
But as this is and epigraphy thread, what really interests us is the brief inscription on the base:

"hominibus bagis bitam"

'(Give) life to wandering men'
Read 5 tweets
6 Sep
Ancient Coin of the Day: The last few days have been a bit coin-light, so let’s get back to it with a look at some electrum issues of Thebes, starting with this hemidrachm ca. 360-340 BC. #ACOTD #Numismatics #Thebes

Image: ANS 1959.73.1. Link - numismatics.org/collection/195…
These fabulous coins come from a series of electrum coins issued by Thebes which is in itself interesting given the lack of gold mines in Boeotian territory, entailing that the dating of these issues has come under recent scrutiny.
The Obverse of this series shows a bearded and ivy-wreathed Dionysus. Dionysus was said to have been born in Thebes, and then famously returned to that City where its king, Pentheus, refused to acknowledge Dionysus' god-head.
Read 9 tweets
10 Aug
#EpigraphyTuesday - a second piece spotted on my Edinburgh jaunt, with this relief dedication to the goddess Brigantia, from Birrens: ca. Mid-Late 2nd Century AD. #Roman

Image: National Museum of Scotland (X.FV 5). Link - nms.ac.uk/explore-our-co…
Inscription:

"Brigantiae s(acrum) Amandus
arc(h)itectus ex imperio imp(eratum) (fecit)"

Translation:

'Sacred to Brigantia: Amandus, the engineer, by command fulfilled the order'
The damage to the text of the inscription has led to some speculation about its reconstruction: an alternative reading of the damaged section could be "ex imperio ipsius" - 'by command of the goddess herself'.
Read 6 tweets
10 Aug
#EpigraphyTuesday - spotted on my recent Edinburgh rambling, a lovely little altar dedicated to Mercury from Castlecary ca. AD 140-190. #Roman

Image: National Museum of Scotland (X.FV 32). Link - nms.ac.uk/explore-our-co…
Inscription:

Deo
Mercurio
milites leg(ionis) VI
Victricis Pie F(idelis)
(a)ed(em) et sigillum
cives Italici
et Norici
v(otum) s(olverunt) l(aeti) l(ibentes) m(erito)

Image: Author's own photograph
Translation:

'To the god Mercury, soldiers of the Sixth Legion 'Victorious, Dutiful and Loyal', being citizens of Italy and Noricum, set up this shrine and statuette, gladly, willingly, and deservedly fulfilling their vow.'
Read 5 tweets
9 Aug
#LatinForTheDay - 9 August

"Exercitum cum militari more ad pugnam cohortaretur suaque in eum perpetui temporis officia praedicaret in primis commemoravit: testibus se militibus uti posse quanto studio pacem petisset, quae per Vatinium in colloquiis, quae per Aulum Clodium cum...
"...Scipione egisset, quibus modis ad Oricum cum Libone de mittendis legatis contendisset; neque se umquam abuti militum sanguine neque rem publicam alterutro exercitu privare voluisse."

Caesar, Civil War 3.90.1-2
'As he was exhorting the army to battle with his usual militaristic style, and dropping in mentions of his unceasing services to the troops, Caesar stressed these points in particular: that his soldiers could bear witness to the fact that he had always sought peace with the...
Read 6 tweets

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