1-4 CHRISTIAN EPITAPHS OP 



" Severus, who had also the name Paschasins, was bora on one of the Paschal 

 days, the day befoi'e the Nones of April {i. e. April 4th), on the day of Jupiter, 

 (Thursday), in the Consulship of Plavius Constantinus and Rufns, most distin- 

 guished men [i. e. 457 a. d.), who lived six years. He received baptism on the 

 eleventh day before the Calends of May {i. e. April 21st), and laid aside his albs 

 at the sepulchre, on the Octave of Easter, on the fourth day before the Calends 

 of May, ia the Consulship of Flavius Basilius, a most distinguished man," i. e. 

 463 A. D. 



I. 1. nomine. Whether we regard Severi as used for Severus, or 

 governed by some word understood, it seems certain that nomine should 

 be joined to the name following, as in De Rossi's nn. 41, 49, 172, 

 229, &c. . De Eossi remarks : '^ lUe, cxijus hoc est epitaphium, paterno 

 sive inatsrno cognomine Severus ap)peUatus Paschasii quoque agnomen 

 liabuit, quod natus erat anno 457 die Jovis paschali." 1. 2. dies Pas- 

 chales. Used for die Paschali. These dies Paschales, as we know 

 from a law of the Emperor Valentinian, Cod. Theodos. ii. 8, 2, were in 

 number 15, 7 before and 7 after Easter-day. pridie Nonas Apriles die 

 Jovis, i. e. on Thursday, April the 4th, in Easter week, for in the year 

 457 A.D. (^scil. the year in which Constantine and Rufus were Consuls), 

 according to both Roman and Alexandrian calculation, Easter-day was 

 observed on March the 31st. 1. 5. percepit, i. e. haptisma percejnt, 

 " received baptism." ^PercijDio is similarly used in heathen inscrip- 

 tions, where it is applied to those who had participated in the mystic 

 rites of the Mater Deiim Magna Idsea or of Mithras, known as the 

 ■f Tauroholium and Crioholium. Thus we have — percepto Tauroholio 

 Crioholioqne, in an inscription, given by De Rossi n. 24, of the date 



* In some instances, where this verb is used, it is difficult to decide whether 

 the inscription is Christian or Pagan. Thus in Henzen's n. 6147 : — D. M. Murines 

 Verinus pater Murtie Verine et Murtie Floricmeni Jiliabus malemerentibus crudelis 

 •pater titulum iscripsit. Verina percepit M. X, vicxit annos XII, menses V, Florianes 

 percepit M. XII. vicxit annis VIII, M. III. Innocentes acceperunt a suo patre quod 

 ei debuerant ; and in Mommsen's 1. N". n. 3160: — D. M. Ingenio&ce que vixit annis 

 III, 31. V, Dies XXI. Fide percepit mesorum VII. Aur. Fortunius pater filim. 

 Henzen regards fide as used iovjidem ; I am inclined to take it as an adverb. 



\ The Taurobolium and C'riobolium were respectively sacrifices of a bull and a 

 ram, on the occasion of initiations. The persons who received them {qui per- 

 ceperunt) descended into a deep pit, which was covered over with a wooden 

 platform composed of pierced planks. On this platform the animal was killed, 

 and the persons beneath presented their bodies to receive the blood, as it 

 descended through the holes. The result was believed to be purification that 

 lasted for twenty years, or everlasting regeneration. 



