[ 25 ] • 
others, were it in any manner neceffary. But as 
this is not the cafe, it will be fufficient to refer to 
the paper (5) wherein the former inftances are con- 
tained. 
III. 
That the Samnite letters Q\M flood (*) for the word 
MERRISS, or MERRIX, ufed at Herculaneum, 
and the neighbouring part of Campania, for MED- 
DIX, denoting the chief magiffrate of the Ofcans 
and Samnites, as we learn from Ennius (6) and 
Feftus (7), will not be denied, as I apprehend, by 
(5) Philofoph. PranfaSI. ubi Cup. 
(*) The Samnites and Etrufcans by a fingle fyllable not fel- 
dom exprefled a whole word on their coins. Thus for fiHV J, 
LVNA, we find H V J , LVN, or V J, LV, on the pieces ftruck 
in the city of LVNA ; VT » TV, for T VTERE, on thofe of 
TVDER, or TODI ; A JT» TLA, for TELAMON, on the 
medals attributed to the city going under that name, at prefent 
called TELAMONE ; FAI, on thofe of FiESVLiE, 
now denominated FIESOLE, to omit many other fimilar in- 
ftances that occur. And as the Romans on their confular coins 
exhibited COS for CONSVL, DICT for DICTATOR, &c. 
the Samnites and Ofcans on their medals probably ufed 
MR, or MER, for MERRISS, or MEDDIX, the fupreme 
magiftrate, or rather one of the two fupreme magiftrates, of the 
city, or country, where the pieces I am confidering were ftruck. 
Hence it feems to appear, that the Romans borrowed the Ihort 
manner of writing here mentioned either of the Samnites, the Of- 
cans, or the proper Etrufcans. Sag. Dijfertaz. di Cortoji. Tom. II. 
p. 53. 41. Philof Tranfafi. Vol. LIV. p. 100. 103. Una Lettera 
Al Sig. Abat . Bartkelemy di Annibale degli Abati Oliveri, &c. 
p. 43. In Pefaro, 1757. 
(6) Ennii fragm. in Annal. viii. Vid. etiam not. Francifc. 
Heftelii in Joe. p. 147, 148. Amftelodami, 1707. 
(7) Feft. in voc. Meddix. 
Vo l, LXIII. E any 
