Epigraphy

Optional Course MA/MPhil Ancient History

Leiden University

2014-2015

1st semester

Instructor: Dr F.G. Naerebout

f.g.naerebout@hum.leidenuniv.nl

www.epigraphy.eu

Epigraphy = the study of intaglio texts in hard, non-organic material and more or less related stuff [for a full view of textual evidence from archaeological sources you have look beyond epigraphy]

Epigraphy deals with any text that answers to the formalist criteria [the contents of inscriptions show a very wide range –even though some genres, such as epitaphs, predominate]

Epigraphy for the present purpose is Greek & Latin epigraphy, dealing with inscribed alphabetic texts of the 8th c BC-7th c AD [there are many other epigraphies]

Our purpose is to know and understand what epigraphers do in order to be able to critically use the published texts that epigraphers provide us with

1. Summary

Issues for the epigraphist: specialist knowledge in order to publish previously unpublished texts (and republish texts).Crucial: make a text understandable: restitutions, categorization and commentary, translation

Issues for the user of epigraphic sources: find (bibliography, geography, typology), understand (ability to ‘read’ an epigraphic edition), put to use.Crucial: knowledge of the heuristics and of the publishing conventions

continued

Lacunae and conjectures

Pausanias, Ἑλλάδος περιήγησις (Hellados Periēgēsis)(2nd c AD)

2. Typology

• Contents• Context• Form

• Corpora have chosen to use primarily context provenance / dating

• But texts are also grouped on the basis of their contents, and even form

traditionally:

• Res publicae• Res sacrae• Vita privata

Guarducci, Epigrafia greca

• Epigrafi di carattere publico• Epigrafi di carattere privato• Epigrafi sacre pagane

• Leggi sacre, cippi terminali, oracoli, inni sacri, sanationes, listi di sacerdoti etc, dediche, arai, defixiones, laminette, amuletti, varia

• Epigrafi cristiane

Ghinatti, Profilo di epigrafia greca

• Decreti• Lettere• Rendiconti• Inventari• Dediche, iscrizioni sacre• Tabelle di defissione• Responsi oracolari, laminette orfiche• “Gli altri tipi”

Larfeld, Griechische Epigraphik

• Staatsverträge, Gesetze, Dekrete, Edikte, Briefe• Ehren-, Weih- und Grabinschriften• Besitz-, Bau- und Künstlerinschriften• Beambtenurkunden• Kataloge• Privatrechtliche Inschriften• Inschriften literarischen Charakters

McLean, An introduction to Greek epigraphy

• Decrees, laws, treaties, official letters• Honorific decrees, honorific inscriptions, proxeny decrees• Dedications, ex-votos• Funerary inscriptions• Manumission inscriptions• Other legal instruments• Boundary stones, milestones, herms• Sacred laws and other sacred inscriptions• Inscriptions on buildings• Inscriptions on portable objects• Accounts and catalogues• Quarry and masons’ marks• Inscriptions in metal• Graffiti• Artists’ signatures

Meyer, Einfuehrung in die lateinische Epigraphik

• Staatsurkunden• Kalender, Liste, Fasti, Sonstiges• Private Urkunden• Bauinschriften• Meilensteine• Weihinschriften• Ehreninschriften• Grabinschriften• Verschiedenes• Kleininschriften

Lassère, Manuel d’épigraphie romaine

• Inscriptions privées– Biographie, la vie privée, épitaphes, magie

• Les institutions des cités• La vie matérielle des cités

– Constructions, métiers, productions, actes privés• La vie sociale

– Collèges, spectacles, jeux, évergétisme, la vie religieuse

• L’État– Magistratures, empereur, légions et corps auxiliaires

Bérard et al., Guide de l’épigraphiste

• Histoire• Fastes et calendriers• Économie et société• Guerre et armée• Droit• Architecture et sculpture• Concours et spectacles• Religion• Elogia• Inscriptions funéraires• Épigrammes• Tablettes, ostraca, graffites• Instrumentum domesticum

3. Finding a text

Two different basic heuristic procedures:• 1) trace a text departing from a reference• 2) establish the presence (or lack) of

epigraphic evidence departing from a particular question

• but the second will always be followed by the first

3.1 From a reference

• Abbreviations• From corpora to journals

• Tracing the text through different editions etc– Concordances– BE, SEG, EBGR, AE

• BE – contained in REG– Editors: 1888-1890 B. Hausollier; 1891-1906 Th.

Reinach; 1907-1912 A.-J. Reinach; 1913-1936 P. Roussel et al.; 1938-1984 (except for 1957/1975) J. & L. Robert; 1987-2005 Ph. Gauthier et al.; 2006- L. Dubois

– Re-publications: the Robert years, 1938-1984, have been published separately in 10 vols. Paris 1972-1987; the years1987-2001, in 4 vols. Paris 2007

– Indices: for the years 1888-1936 there is no index, for 1938-1965 an index in 3 vols., for 1966-1973 an index in 1 vol., for 1974-1977 an index in 1 vol., for 1978-1984 an index has been published in 2009, for 1987-2001 an index in 3 vols has been published in 2005-2006. For 2002- there is no index.

• SEG– Editors: vols. 1-1: Hondius, 12-25: Woodhead et al.;

26-53: Pleket et al.; 50- Chaniotis et al. – Indices: vols. 1-10 have indices in every issue, most of

names only. For vols. 11-20 (1950-1964) consolidated indices were produced by G. Pfohl, 1970, again names only; for vols. 26-35 (1976-1985) and vols. 36-45 (1986-1995) consolidated indices by Roozenbeek, Strubbe et al., 1990 & 1999, provide full indexing. There are no proper indices for vols. 1-25, and for vols. 46-53 one has to rely on the indices in the individual volumes.

– All volumes are available online (UB)

• EBGR– contained in Kernos (Chaniotis c.s.). With a subject

index in every issue.– There also are concise indices online at http://

www.kernos.ulg.ac.be/ebci.html– Issues 1-24 of Kernos are available online:

http://kernos.revues.org/

• AE, AnnEpigr– Revue des publications épigraphiques relatives à l’Antiquité

romaine: part of the Revue archéologique until the issue dated 1964, then became an autonomous publication

– Editors:

1888-1935René Cagnat, d’abord seul, puis avec Maurice Besnier jusqu’en 1932, enfin avec Alfred Merlin.

1936-1964 Alfred Merlin, avec Jean Gagé certaines années.

1965 Jean Gagé et Marcel Le Glay.

1966-1973 Jean Gagé, Marcel Le Glay, Hans-Georg Pflaum et Pierre Wuilleumier.

1974 -1978André Chastagnol, Jean Gagé, Marcel Le Glay et H.-G. Pflaum.

1979-1980André Chastagnol, Jean Gagé, Marcel Le Glay.

1981-1986André Chastagnol, Marcel Le Glay, Patrick Le Roux.

1987-1990André Chastagnol, André Laronde, Marcel Le Glay, Patrick Le Roux.

1991-

Nouvelle équipe de rédaction, sous la direction de Mireille Corbier, avec Patrick Le Roux et Sylvie Dardaine comme secrétaires de la rédaction.

3.2 as yet unknown epigraphic material

(“what epigraphic evidence is there for subject/question/problem X”)

– by provenance– by date– by subject [typology may help]

• Collections arranged according to subject• Subject indices in any epigraphic collection• Any publication (incl websites) on a subject making use of

epigraphic sources• Greek or Latin vocabulary

– by some specific characteristic

Going digital

• Websites: see portal on www.epigraphy.eu

1st assignment

• 1) trace the publication; 2) trace the inscription and find out what it is about;

3) try to do so with reference to the physical edition; 4) send your results to

f.g.naerebout@hum.leidenuniv.nl before next class

• LSCG 151 • SEG 2002, 933 • TAM 5.1.326• Kaibel 1122• ILS 1353

• Wuill. 234 • AE 1977, 24• ILCV 779• BRGK 17, 1927, 32• CLE 954

PAPER 10.000 words

Choose a subject and a question find epigraphic evidence publish a corpus (mettre en série!!) paying attention to publication history and editorial correctness. Provide full details analyse the epigraphic evidence and discuss in how far that evidence can contribute to the answering of your question (be aware of the pros and cons of the material in your selection) you may suggest some hypothesis, but you may also conclude that more (different) evidence is needed. As long as you have seriously discussed the potential of the inscriptional evidence.