Roman Tombs

Il patrimonio epigrafico lapidario modenese, che attualmente comprende circa 300 iscrizioni, ha restituito più di 160 menzioni relative a schiave, liberte e ingenuae vissute a Mutina e nell'ager Mutinensis tra la seconda metà del I secolo a.C. e la prima metà del IV secolo d.C. Le epigrafi esaminate mettono in luce alcuni interessanti aspetti relativi alla condizione femminile nella splendidissima colonia emiliana e, più in generale, nella società romana.

For the interpretation of mythological subjects In the Roman funerary art the author systematically applies the analysis of the Key of Dreams by Artemidorus of Daldis, Greek author of the Antonine period. The funerary art was studied before by F. Cumont and A.D. Nock, and they both discussed also some dreams chosen from the manual of Artemidorus. The comparison of the principles of the analysis of dreams (mental images) with the principles that we encounter in the iconography gives interesting results. This approach has never previously been attempted. To support his argument, the author studies not only numerous decorated sarcophagi but also a series of funerary inscriptions.

The site at Mishkova niva near the town of Malko Tarnovo is a domed tomb under a mound (Fig. 1 – 6, 10). The mound is sur¬rounded by high cylindrical crepis (h – 1.80; d – 23/25 m) with representative facade (Fig. 7 – 9). Inside the mound a second crepis was built (h – 1.00/1.50?; d – 17/19 m). The tomb is composed of a long dromos (h – 1.85; 5.30 x 1.47 m), a central circular chamber (h – 2.90; d – 2.70/3.70 m) and rectangular lateral one (h – 1.00/1.50?; 2.10/2.30 x 1.40 m).
No dating materials were found during the archaeological excavations. The tomb was revealed plundered and destroyed. Based on the archaeological context and the simi¬larity with the tomb at Propada locality (Fig. 12) the monument was dated to the end of the 2nd – beginning of the 3rd c. AD (Delev 1985: 75 – 79). Some researchers (architects and cultural anthropologists) dispute the date and the type of the monument as they interpret it as a sanctuary/ heroon whose construction and architectural characteristics put it in 5th – 3rd c. BC (Rousseva 2000: 96 – 108).
The current paper attempts to systematize the information accumulated over the years. From the overview of the available data and the possible parallels of the tomb at Mishkova niva the following conclusions can be defined:
- The design of the facility is direct¬ly inspired by the Roman funerary monu¬ments with high cylindrical crepis, which add monumental architectural outlook of the mound. Possible parallels of the tomb come from the central areas of the Roman state and date from the period of the late republic and early imperial period (1st c. BC – the beginning of 2nd c. AD). In the provinces their different versions are used till the Late Antiquity (Fig. 24 – 34);
- The elements of the covering construction of the central chamber and those of the synchronous tomb at the Propada locality are similar to the tholoi and the rotundas in the Greek-Roman architecture. Preserved monuments for comparison originate mainly from the Apennines region and to a limited extent from Attica and Asia Minor. The period of their distribution is again in the late republic and early imperial times (middle of the 2nd c. BC – beginning and the middle of the 2nd c. AD) (Fig. 6, 11 – 12, 14, 38 – 41);
- The style and symbolism of the pediment have a strong Roman pattern and are widespread within the empire. According to the best examples from Thrace and the neighboring provinces, it could be dated in the second half of the 2nd c. AD (Fig. 7 – 8, 15).
Both the analysis of the structure and the discussed examples from the Greek and Roman architecture support the archaeological interpretation and dating of the site – a tomb from the late 2nd beginning of the 3rd c. AD.

The paper focuses on the structure, burial dynamics and evolution of the northern necropolis of the Roman
colony Iulia Emona (Ljubljana, Slovenia). This large necropolis has been extensively excavated and to date approximately 3000 graves have been discovered. This analysis relies mostly on the latest excavations, especially those at the sites Kozolec II and Slovenska cesta 55a. The aim is to shed some light on the question of how the northern necropolis was structured and how it evolved over time. There is also a discussion of structurally differentiated burial areas in the necropolis,as well as its infrastructure and relation to the northern road and industrial areas in the vicinity.

""The author analyses the mythological subjects known from the funerary paintings of the Near East. He is interested principally in the meaning and the message which these representations conveyed. He studies the interpretative problems of funerary iconography in terms of the principles that we encounter in the iconography of roman art - principles which are confirmed by Artemidorus of Ephesus (or Artemidorus of Daldis), a Greek author of the Antonine period, in his manuel Key to Dreams (Onirocriticon). This approach has never previously been attempted. To support his argument, he refers to numerouse monuments of funerary art as well as to a series of inscriptions adorning the monuments in Roman necrpoleis.

L’auteur analyse les sujets mythologiques connus de la peinture funéraire au Proche-Orient. Il s’intéresse principalement au sens et au message que ces représentations portaient. Il étudie la problématique de la sémantique de l’iconographie funéraire en fonction des principes qu’on retrouve dans l’iconographie plastique et qu’Artémidore d’Ephese (soit Artémidore de Daldis), auteur grec de l’époque antonine, confirme dans son manuel La clef de songes (Onirocriticon). Cette démarche n’avait jusqu’alors, jamais été entreprise. Pour appuyer son raisonnement, l’auteur se réfère à des nombreux monuments d’art funéraire, ainsi qu’à une série d’inscriptions ornant des monuments des nécropoles romaines.
See also: M.T. Olszewski, Artémidore, mythologie et symbolique funéraire, Archeologia (Warsaw) 52, 2001, pp. 39-60.
M.T. Olszewski, Le statut de l'image selon Artémidore et l'art romain, in: Morlier, H. ed., IXe Colloque international pour l'étude de la mosaïque antique et médiévale, Roma 5.11.2001-10.11.2001, Collection de l'Ecole Française de Rome 352/2, Rome 2005, pp. 859-880.""

By chance, in 1963 the Roman bridge of Maastricht was discovered at the bottom of the Maas by dredging and an extensive collection of Roman stones was found in its ruins, making this group of finds one of the most important Roman testimonies in Maastricht. The result is a lapidarium that is unique in the Netherlands, but has unfortunately been inaccessible to the public for decades since 2000. The find complex from the Maas hardly has a closed context. The first impression of the researchers at the time, that the remains of grave monuments were the main part, turned out to be correct. Due to the secondary and sometimes also tertiary reuse of the stones and the often very severe damage to the sculptures, identification was not always possible. In many cases, information such as the model of the stone block, the type of stone, and the locations of the lever and clamp holes had to be used. Only the fragments of the tombs from the 2nd and 3rd centuries are discussed here.

The Hellenistic tradition of funerary monuments in Early Imperial Asia Minor was based equally on both, the form and decoration of tomb monument. Figurative decoration on panel reliefs or sarcophagi embodied political allegory and civic ideology together with the depiction of the deceased. Unfortunately, various free standing statues and mural paintings are nowadays considered lost, despite numerous references of ancient authors and epigraphic evidence. How much of funerary decoration should be understood in terms of traditional civic ideas of the Hellenistic world and how much in terms of Roman concept, is one of the most important issues related to the Roman sepulchral landscape in Anatolia. Early Imperial architectural forms followed Hellenistic tradition while communicating Roman ideas through orientation and organization of space. Similar system of public honors that Greek cities bestowed upon their citizens and foreign benefactors in previous period (praise, crown, statue, prohedria, tafé demosia) was maintained. Architectural changes in western Asia Minor came about in the Augustan Age, reflecting the major political transformation of the empire.

La stele modenese del tonsor L. Rubrius Stabilio Primus si rivela una fonte preziosa per riflettere su varie problematiche legate alla considerazione del lavoro nel mondo antico. Molto interessante e complessa è anche la storia familiare di questo antico professionista.

Hellenistic Tomb at Wadi Nu’eima

In 2002 a burial (Fig. 5) dating to the late Hellenistic period was excavated at the northern bank of Wadi Nu’eima, west of Tell Al-Mafjer. The burial cave hewn in the rock is of arcosolian type. The tomb was uncovered during bulldozing work at the northern bank of Wadi Nu’eima. The tomb comprised a single square burial chamber, surrounded by four arcosolia, hewn into three sides of its walls.


A Tomb at eth-Thiniya

In 2010 a tomb was excavated on behalf of the Department of Antiquities in the area of eth-Thiniya, west of Tell es-Sultan and north of Tell Es-Samarat, along the cliff north of Tawaheen es- Sukkar.  It consists of a square chamber, surrounded by several arcosolia, hewn into three sides of its walls. Each arcosolium contained 2-3 ossuaries. The tomb dates from the first century AD.

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