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Unpublished and unknown Roman-era inscriptions from Ejnar Dyggve’s excavations at the Šuplja crkva site in Solin
Dino Demicheli
; Odsjek za arheologiju Filozofskog fakulteta u Zagrebu
Sažetak
Danish architect Ejnar Dyggve in 1931 conducted the archaeological excavations at the site Šuplja crkva (the so-called Hollow church), in which, apart from the significant finds of the architecture of the early Croatian and early Christian period, fifteen epigraphic monuments
were found. The site itself was not inside of the Roman city of Salona, but belonged to its eastern periphery. In this article the presented inscriptions were found used as spolia of early Christian and medieval sacral and graveyard architecture. Most of these inscriptions
are known only through Dyggve’s photographs and sketches that represent valuable documentation without which these monuments would have been completely unknown. There are 13 inscriptions dated to the period from 2nd to 6th century and they are mostly fragmented. The Roman-era inscriptions were undoubtedly transferred from a nearby Salonitan necropolis that was developed north and westward from the site. Out of 13 inscriptions, 12 are carved in Latin, while one inscription is in Greek alphabet. Since not all of the monuments are documented with a photograph, the restitution of the several inscriptions
is made entirely on the basis on Dyggve’s sketches. Ten monuments are the tombstones, while for 3 can be assumed the same purpose. Most of the texts of the inscriptions are incomplete and some of them could not read a complete word. Nine inscriptions revealed 11 certain and 2 possible names which can be added to the rich onomastic repertoire of
Salona. Two inscriptions can be singled out, since they bring not so usual epigraphic information. The first inscription (no. 1) mentions Pinnius Dalmatius, who placed a sarcophagus for himself and his family in the 4th century. The inscription predicted the penalty in case
someone tried to violate the sarcophagus. The fine was 100,000 denarii, but the denarii are listed only as a calculation unit, since at the time of the placement of the inscription the denarii were no longer a monetary denomination. The second interesting inscription (no. 13) mentions C. Valerius Telesphorus, a procurator of vicesima, but due to the partial damage of the monument, there is no information whether he was a procurator for collecting a 5% inheritance tax (vicesima hereditatium) on or manumission tax (vicesima libertatis). The epigraphic evidence confirmed so far goes in favor of inheritance tax, but there is also
space for a different interpretation. However, this information confirmed the existence of the financial procurator’s office in Salona.
The Šuplja crkva site is considered one of the most important sites of the medieval Croatian state, but there are more and more archaeological indications that it is also a valuable early Christian site which has to be seen in the ambiance of a nearby pagan necropolis. It
is little known about the large early Christian basilica, which is still mostly unexplored. It would be very important to excavate at least part of the pagan necropolis on the westernside of the site of whose existence do not speak only spolia, but also the other archeological
indications.
Ključne riječi
Ejnar Dyggve; Šuplja crkva; Solin; Salona; inscriptions; archaeological excavations; procurator XX hereditatium
Hrčak ID:
186056
URI
Datum izdavanja:
8.9.2017.
Posjeta: 1.331 *