Record | The Cult of Saints

Latin epitaph in mosaic of the presbyter Amantius, who rests 'with the martyrs in the bosom of Abraham', found in Tipasa (Mauretania Caesariensis, western North Africa), 4th/5th c.

Evidence ID

E06955

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Funerary inscriptions

Me(moria) Amant(i)
presbiteri v [e]
rus Dei cult[o
r
qui etia-
m cum m-
arturi-
bus
in sinu Abr[ae]
requiescu[nt?] (or requiesci[t]?)
cum Ilar[a]

'Grave [literally Memory] of the Presbyter Amantius, true worshipper of God, who reposes with the martyrs in Abraham's bosom, with Hilara'

Text: Duval 1982, no. 176.
Translation: Stanisław Adamiak

Cult Places

Burial site of a saint - unspecified

Non Liturgical Activity

Burial ad sanctos

Source

The epitaph was found in the 'area of Bishop Alexander' in Tipasa, and is still there. It is a mosaic, 118 long and 47 wide, with blue letters on a white background, between 6 and 7.5 cm high. Immediately to the right of it is a second mosaic inscription to the same Amantius, but without further reference to martyrs.

Discussion

The wording of Amantius' epitaph is a generic hope that he rests in heaven, but the specific reference to martyrs, rather than saints in general, reflects an African reality in which saints and martyrs were practically synonymous, and may also reflect a burial 'ad sanctos' (i.e. near the grave of a saint, such as the martyr *Victorinus who was buried in this same area (see E06594)). We do not know whether Amantius was a Catholic or Donatist presbyter.

Bibliography

Editions:
Duval, Y., Loca sanctorum Africae: Le culte des martyrs en Afrique du IVe au VIIe siècle (Rome: École Française de Rome, 1982), vol. 1, 372-374, no. 176.

Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss/Slaby no. EDCS-15600041, see http://db.edcs.eu/epigr/edcs_id.php?s_sprache=en&p_edcs_id=EDCS-15600041.

Epigraphic Database Heidelberg HD020526, see https://edh-www.adw.uni-heidelberg.de/edh/inschrift/HD020526.

Trismegistos no. 203935, see https://www.trismegistos.org/text/203935.

Images

From Y. Duval 1982, no. 176

Record Created By

Stanisław Adamiak

Date of Entry

29/10/2018

Related Saint Records

ID	Name	Name in Source	Identity
S00060	Martyrs, unnamed or name lost		Certain
S02628	Victorinus, martyr of Tipasa		Certain

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Stanisław Adamiak, Cult of Saints, E06955 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E06955

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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