366 CHRISTIAN EPITAPHS OF 



Locus Decii cuhicularii hujus hasilicce. Hie quiescit caro tnea ; 

 novissimo vero die per Christum credo resusc'itabitur a mortuis. 

 Depositus XV Kalendas Junius et iterum post consulatum Basilii, 

 Viri Clarissimi. 



" The place of Decius, Custodian of this Basilica. Here rests my flesh, but, 

 at the last day, through Christ, I believe it will be raised from the dead. 

 Buried on the fifteenth day before the Calends of June, in the third year 

 after the Consulship of Basilius, a most distinguished man," i.e. 544, a.d. 



In the text, the letters in Italics are given according to De Rossi's 

 restoration. 



(Z.) To a deaconess: — 73. 



HIC IN PACE REQVIESCIT B-M 

 THEODORA DIACONISSA QVAE 

 VIXIT IN SECVLO ANNOS PL • MIN 

 XLVIII • D • XI • KAL • AVG • V • P • C • 



PAVLINI IVNVCINDII 



{Ticini in Sanctissimse Trinitatis ; Muratori, 424, 6.) 



Hie in pace requiescit boncB memorice Theodora Diaeonissa quce 

 vixit in seculo (sgeculo) annos plus minus XLVIII. Deposita XI 

 Kalendas Augustas, quinto post consulatum Paulini Junioris, Viri 

 Clarissimi, Indictione secunda. 



" Here rests in peace, Theodora, a Deaconess, of good repute, who lived 

 in this world forty-eight years, more or less. Buried on the eleventh day 

 before the Calends of August, in the fifth year after the Consulship of 

 Paulinus Junior, a most distinguished man, in the second Indiction," i.e. 

 July 22nd, 539, a.d. 



1. 1. BoncB memorite. Literally, "of good memory," i.e. worthy 

 to be remembered for her virtues. 



The duties discharged by females among the early Christians are 

 noticed by heathen writers. Thus, Pliny, Epist. x., 96, says: — 

 necessarium credidi ex duabus ancillis, qucB ministry dicebantur, 

 quid' esset veri et per tormenta qucerere ; and Lucian, De morte 

 Peregrini, 12 : — eioOev fxev ev6v<; 7)v bpav irapa tw Secrfxwn]pi(a ttc/h- 

 /xfvovra -y/oaSia X'lP^'^ Tivas Kat TraiSia opcfiava k. t. X. 



(To be Continued.) 



