Mirabilia
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mirabilia7.bsky.social
Mirabilia
@mirabilia7.bsky.social
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mirabilia7.bsky.social
The chief reason I love the Romans despite all the unsavoury aspects of their culture is because of their funerary inscriptions that bring long-dead children, charioteers, soldiers, freedwomen and strangers to life in such a heart-rending way.

My favourite from Aquileia:
HIC IACET RESTUTUS PELEGER IN PACE FIDELIS EX AFRICA VENIT UT ISTAM URBE(M) VIDERET H(A)EC INVISA TELLUS ISTUM VOLUIT CORPUS HABERE HIC QUO NATUS FUERAT OPTANS ERAT ILLO REVERTI ID MAGIS CRUDELIUS UT NULLUM SUORUMQUE VIDERET INVENERAT SATIS AMPLIUS QUAM SUOS IPSE PARENTES NEC IAM ERAT EXTER SICUT PROVENIT UT ESSET AB IPSIS SED QUO FATA VOCANT NULLUS RESISTERE POSSIT HUICSODALICIUM FLORENSIUM CONTRA VOTUM FECERUNT "Here lies in peace the foreigner Restutus, baptized. He came from Africa to see this city. But this unlucky land wanted his body. From here he had wished to return to place of birth; it was all the more cruel, since he could not see any of his own. However, here he found much more than his parents; he was no longer a stranger as he had come, but considered one of us. But when fate calls nobody can refuse to go. The Florenses association did this in spite of his hopes."
September 21, 2025 at 1:41 PM