284 CHRISTIAN EPITAPHS OP 



"Gulfinus, a servant of God, lived seventy years, more or less. He 

 retired (from this world), in peace, on the third day before the CalendB 

 of August, in the 500th year of the asra," i.e. July 30th, 462, a.d. 



The Spanish sera counts from January 1st, 38, B.C. There are many 

 examples of its use. The oldest that I have observed is that given above. 



25. 

 AETERNALIS FA 

 MVLVS DEI VIXIT 

 AN -XL VI • REQ • IN 

 PAC • VI • KAL • SE 

 PTEM ERA DNI 

 D • XL VIII 

 {Galistei in Lusitania, ex Emerita; Muratori, 1821, 9.) 



jEtemaKs, famulus Dei, vixit annos XLVI, requiesdt in pace, 

 VI. Kalendas Septembres, era Domini DXLVIII. 



"^ternalis, a servant of God, lived forty-six years, rested in peace 

 on the sixth day before the Calends of September, in the 500th year of 

 the jera of (our) Lord," i.e. August 2'7th, 510, a.d. 



I have given this example on account of the use of DNI, which 

 is not common. If we had ANNO DNI, it would, of course, refer 

 to the Christian, or Dionysian, sera; but this is said to have been 

 first used in the year of Christ, 525. As it stands, DNI = Domini 

 means Augustus, referring to his subjugation of Spain. Or, is DNI 

 a contraction of Dominii, i.e. of Roman rule? 



IV. Those in which the Relationship op the Deceasid is 



Stated. 



(tt.) To a father :— 26. 



LEOPARDO PATRI DVLCISSIMO 

 BENEMERENTI IN PACE DEP 

 DIE XV • KAL • IAN • CONSTANTIO VIII 

 ET IVLIANO CAESCONS 



{Ad S. Agnen.; De Rosei, n. 130.) 

 Leopardo, patri duhissimo, benemerenti in pace. Depositus, die XV 

 Kalendas Januarias, Constantio VIII et Juliana Ccesare Consulihus. 

 " To Leopardus (our, or my) sweetest father, well-deserving, in peace. 

 Buried on the fifteenth day before the Calends of January, in the Con- 

 sulship of Constantius, for the eighth time, and Julianus Caesar," i.e. 

 December 18th, 356, a.d. 



