Latin Epigraphy and LoVisvilleMatt HVghes

Centre College Class of 2016To build on my previous experiences, I decidedto take an in-depth study in Latin epigraphical(stone-cut) texts with Dr. Kalin Stoev. Dr. Stoevintroduced me to this field of study while I wasin Bulgaria in the summer of 2013. Thisinvolved me traveling to several moreprovinces of the Roman Empire and trackingdown and translating over 200 epitaphs,monumental, votive, and commemorativeinscriptions.

Roman Provinces Visited:

Brittania

Italia

Narbonensis

Mauretania

Aquitania

Non-Provinces:

Caledonia

Hibernia

Tracking and TranslatingLovisville: Speed Art

MuseVm

The FVtVreNext summer I plan on attending the Classics summer school at the American Academy in Rome. This is a six week immersive program in classical Rome. This program aims to provide its students with a well-founded understanding of the growth and development of the city of Rome by analyzing material remains and literary sources.

Types of inscriptions

FVnerary MonVmental

Votive

Commemorative

damnatio memoriae

deo mercurio milites leg(ion) vi victricispie(ntissimi) f(ecit) ED et sigillum civesItalici et Norici v(otum) s(olvit) l(aetus)

l(ibens) m(erito)

I spent five days in the Art History department at University of Louisville with Dr. Linda Gigantelearning about death and burial in Ancient Rome. We learned about and translated many of the epitaphs from the collection in the Speed Art Museum. This collection was attained by R.C. Ballard Thrustron in 1911 from a cemetery near the south wall of Rome. Most of the epitaphs in the Speed collection came from columbaria, underground tombs in which families purchased niches to place ash urns. On my last day in Louisville, we were fortunate enough to get access to go down into the store rooms of the Speed Art Museum. Here we were able to work with the artifacts up close and personal and really get a feel for the amount of work required to keep a collection of this size (almost 200 unique inscriptions).

To the god Mercury, the most dutiful sixth legion, Victrix, and the citizens of Italy and Noricum made this statuette. They gladly, willingly, and deservedly fulfilled their vow.