Original scientific paper
LITTERAE OLIM IN MARMORE INSCULPTAE: HUMANIST EPIGRAPHY ON THE EASTERN COAST OF THE ADRIATIC UNTIL THE AGE OF MARKO MARULIĆ
Bratislav Lučin
orcid.org/0000-0003-2356-0353
; Književni krug Split – Marulianum, HR – 21000 Split
Abstract
In the introduction the paper gives some general outlines of the place of
epigraphy in humanism as well as the current state of research in the Croatian humanist epigraphy. A short review of the medieval interest in ancient inscriptions is followed by a more detailed presentation of humanist epigraphists on the Apennine peninsula; with special attention being given to their links with Dalmatia and Dubrovnik. Along with Cyriacus of Ancona, who was connected with the humanists of Zadar, Trogir, and Dubrovnik, it appears that an important and so far unknown role in Split was played by Girolamo Bologni. Their own interest in
the local heritage of classical antiquity as well as the contacts with their humanist counterparts from across the Adriatic inspired numerous Croatian humanists to copy ancient inscriptions, and so it can be said the epigraphy on the eastern coast of the Adriatic developed almost simultaneously with that on the Apennine peninsula. Epigraphic activities of Juraj Benja (Georgius Begna), Petar Cipiko (Petrus Cepio/
Cippicus), Marin Rastić (Marinus de Restis), Marin Marinčić (Marinus Marincics), previously unknown Jerome of Trogir (Hieronymus Tragurinus), Dmine Papalić (Dominicus Papalis), and Marko Marulić (Marcus Marulus), are presented in more detail. Marulić’s work In epigrammata priscorum commentarius is a pinnacle of the epigraphic studies in the Croatian Renaissance humanism, and the article argues its
exceptional value in the international context as one of the very fist collections of inscriptions with a commentary. The fial part of the article attempts to answer the question why the interest in epigraphic studies among Croatian humanists died out almost completely after the death of Marko Marulić.
Keywords
Humanist epigraphy; Croatian humanism; reception of antiquity; collections of ancient inscriptions with a commentary
Hrčak ID:
136532
URI
Publication date:
3.2.2015.
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