Record | The Cult of Saints

Very fragmentary painted Latin inscription, possibly referring to Peter (the Apostle, S00036), and Emerentiana (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00495). Found in the Coemeterium Maius / Catacombe di Sant'Emerenziana on the via Nomentana, Rome. Probably late 4th - early 5th c. [provisional entry]

Evidence ID

E07467

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

[- - -] SANCPET[- - - ]CEMER[- - -]IANh
[- - - ]AMAS [ - - -]
[- - -]A[- - -]
[- - -]AS[- - -]

[1. possibly [- - -] sanc(tus) Pet[rus san]c(ta) Emer[ent]ianη Armellini || 2. [- - - D]amas a[ntistes - - -] Armellini, AGN[es] Wilpert || 1-2. SANCI | V...A...S [- - -] CEM...NTIANE]

According to Armellini, the inscription can be understood as follows: '[- - -] Saint Peter, Saint Emerentiana [- - -] Damasus [- - -].'
According to Wilpert, line 2 contained a reference to a certain Agnes.

Text: ICVR, n.s., VIII, no. 21593 = EDB35777.

Cult Places

Burial site of a saint - cemetery/catacomb

Non Liturgical Activity

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Ecclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy

Source

Letter height 4 cm. Painted red on white plaster, in the apse of cubiculum G.

Discussion

Armellini argued that the inscription was authorized by Pope Damasus, and contained references to the deceased people from this cubiculum. Ferrua was sceptical, mainly because he was unable to read the text claimed by Armellini. He was also uneasy about seeing the name of Emerentiana in the crypt, while her body rested in a basilica above, at ground level. In line 2, Wilpert saw the name of Agnes, instead of that of Damasus. Jubaru presents yet another transcription: SANCI | V...A...S [- - -] CEM...NTIANE.

Bibliography

Edition:
Epigraphic Database Bari, no. EDB35777.
see http://www.edb.uniba.it/epigraph/35777

De Rossi, G.B., Ferrua, A. (eds.) Inscriptiones Christianae Urbis Romae Septimo Saeculo Antiquiores, n.s., vol. 8: Coemeteria viarum Nomentanae et Salariae (Vatican: Pont. Institutum Archaeologiae Christianae, 1983), no. 21593 (with further bibliography).

Record Created By

Paweł Nowakowski

Date of Entry

24/03/2019

Related Saint Records

ID	Name	Name in Source	Identity
S00036	Peter, the Apostle	Petrus	Uncertain
S00097	Agnes, virgin and martyr of Rome	Agnes	Uncertain
S00495	Emerentiana, virgin and martyr of Rome	Emerentianη	Uncertain

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Paweł Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E07467 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E07467

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world

Very fragmentary painted Latin inscription, possibly referring to Peter (the Apostle, S00036), and Emerentiana (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00495). Found in the Coemeterium Maius / Catacombe di Sant'Emerenziana on the via Nomentana, Rome. Probably late 4th - early 5th c. [provisional entry]

E07467

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Burial site of a saint - cemetery/catacomb

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Ecclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy

Source

Discussion

Bibliography

Paweł Nowakowski

24/03/2019

Very fragmentary painted Latin inscription, possibly referring to *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), and *Emerentiana (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00495). Found in the Coemeterium Maius / Catacombe di Sant'Emerenziana on the via Nomentana, Rome. Probably late 4th - early 5th c. [provisional entry]

E07467

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Burial site of a saint - cemetery/catacomb

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Ecclesiastics - bishops Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy

Source

Discussion

Bibliography

Paweł Nowakowski

24/03/2019

Very fragmentary painted Latin inscription, possibly referring to Peter (the Apostle, S00036), and Emerentiana (virgin and martyr of Rome, S00495). Found in the Coemeterium Maius / Catacombe di Sant'Emerenziana on the via Nomentana, Rome. Probably late 4th - early 5th c. [provisional entry]

Ecclesiastics - bishops
Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy