VESELINKA NINKOVIC Roman Epigraphic and

Comptes rendus bibliographiques/Критика и библиографија ŽAnt 71 (2021) 225–238 229
VESELINKA NINKOVIĆ, Roman Epigraphic and Anepigraphic Monuments

from the Lapidarium in the National Museum in Belgrade (Antiquity X), Belgrade:
National Museum, 2019, 262 p. XLVIII pl. illustrations, map p. 27, parallel text in
Serbian and English.
This Xth volume of the Museum series/collection Antiquity is published on the

occasion of the 175th anniversary of the National Museum of Serbia, but there has been
no book launch, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.8
The author presents the stone monuments of the collection of ancient and me-
dieval epigraphic and anepigraphic monuments, including a brick with an inscription
(no. 105), mostly displayed in the big gunpowder storage room (in the Belgrade for-
tress, in the lower town), some in the Sahat Gate (Clock Gate), in the open space of
the Belgrade fort and a few in the permanent exhibition at the National Museum. The
monuments were found on the territory of today's Serbia, Albania (4 from Dyrra-
chium–Durrës, Drač) and Macedonia (3 from Stobi-present-day Gradsko, near Veles,
and 1 from Prilep). Due to the previous relocations of the collection to various places
(from 1970 until now most of them were located in the Belgrade Fort), it was con-
sidered that many monuments were lost. After a careful study of the documentation
(old inventory books, archives) and literature (most of them were published a long ti-
me ago), the author managed to determine the precise data for 149 items processed in
the catalogue, which originate from 34 sites. Of these, 128 are epigraphic and 21 are
anepigraphic, belonging to the period from the 1st to the 7th century although most of
the monuments belong to the 2nd and 3th centuries. Most of these are found by chance
in the context of subsequent constructions.
The catalogue is preceded by a short introduction, followed by information on
the history of the collection: the beginning of the collection, manners of acquisition
(mainly through donations, less often by purchase), as well as the publications of epi-
graphic monuments. Only six monuments were discovered as a result of archeologi-
cal excavations. One of them is a famous dedicatory inscription of Claudius Tiberius
Polycharmos Achyrios (no. 100, Stobi) found 1931 in the north-east corner of the at-
rium colonnade in the Central basilica but belonging to the first construction phase of
the synagogue (probably built thanks to a donation of Polycharmos in the 1st or 2nd
century AD) whose remains were discovered in 1970, below the Christian basilica.
The monuments are of private or public character. Funerary: sarcophagi (nos.
1–7), tombstones (nos. 8–55); votive altars (nos. 56–91); honorary (no. 92–to impera-
tor Philip 244–249 AD); military (no. 93 – list of veterans); then public: milestones
(nos. 102–104), and inscriptions concerning various buildings (nos. 94–101). The
“building group” encompasses inscriptions of a very different nature: mainly votive
(to Hecate–no. 94 inscribed on the architrave beam of the temple, to Jupiter and Her-
cules – no. 95, to Mother Earth – no. 97), the cippus referring to the real building
(no. 96 mentioning the valetudinarium of the cohort II Aurelia nova), no. 98 refer-
ring to the porticus, as well a column (no. 101, cut in the middle of the inscription
which cannot be restored) reused as a pilaster in the Episcopal Basilica. The column
from Stobi (no. 100) is about the donation of a part of the house (triclinium and tetra-
stoon) of Claudius Tiberius Polycharmos Achyrios for the needs of the synagogue, in
keeping with his wish. No. 95 mentions a templum, and no. 97 the reconstruction of a
ruined temple. Two votive inscriptions were left out of this group: no. 86, which men-
tions the temple, and no. 72, mentioning the restoration of a temple or other objects
––––––––
8
The book is announced with a few pages on: http://beogradskonasledje.rs/wp-con-
tent/uploads/2019/10/lapidarijum.pdf&clen=874609&chunk=true
230 Comptes rendus bibliographiques/Критика и библиографија ŽAnt 71 (2021) 225–238
relating to the collegium fabrum, probably because neither were found in buildings as
was the case with the other inscriptions of this group. Instead, an inscription from
Dyrachium (no. 99) is included, with no indication that it is a building inscription.
More suitable and more important for the classification of inscriptions, however, is
the content rather than the place of discovery.
Of the 128 inscriptions, 117 are in Latin, which is normal because Upper
Moesia belonged to the Western cultural sphere, called Latin. Only 11 inscriptions
are in Greek of which 5 were found outside Serbia (4 from Macedonia, one from Alba-
nia - Durres), as well 10 fragmentary inscriptions from unknown sites. One of them has
a Greek inscription on the front, while on the right side was inscribed an inscription
in Latin, of which only the upper parts of four letters remained. There are no bilin-
gual monuments in the collection.
The most numerous are inscriptions made by soldiers due to the proximity of
the Danube Limes (legio IIII Flavia – Antoniniana, felix, Severiana, Alexandriana,
Maximiana, Galliena and VII Claudia/pia fidelis) as well as the mining area (Avala,
Kosmaj) which were defended by auxiliary detachments: II Aurelia nova mlitaria
equitata civium Romanorum (no. 96), V Lucensium (no. 73), XIIX voluntariorum ci-
vium Romanorum (no. 74) and I Ulpia Pannoniorum milliaria equitata (no. 74). The
catalogue also includes fragmentary inscriptions (nos. 106 -128) with only a few let-
ters remaining, so they cannot be completed, which does not show the benefit of pub-
lishing such inscriptions. Most of the monuments of the collection originate from
Singidunum (Belgrade), the mining area of Kosmaj (metalla Tricon(i)ensia) and from
Viminacium (Kostolac).
It should be noted that the museum had 11 stone monuments originating in
Albania, of which three were lost in the whirlwinds of the wars of the second half of
the XX.9 Only four out of eight monuments of this small Albanian collection-some of
which come from archaeological excavations on the walls of Dyrrachium, led by the
Committee for Antiquities in Drač (Durrës), during the First Balkan War when the
Royal Serbian Drač District was formed, which lasted only six months (November 1912
- April 30, 1913) - have been published. It is not known why the two marble reliefs de-
picting gladiators and a damaged relief with a scene of Pan and two nymphs are omit-
ted from this publication.10
Only two inscriptions belong to the early Christian period: one is a brick (no.
105) and the other (121) is a fragmented tombstone from an unknown site with the
typical Christian formula Hic requiescunt. A sarcophagus (no. 129, dated on the ico-
nographic feature to the second half of the 4th century) depicting Jonah and the Good
Shepherd, found at Singidunum, must be added. The only Jewish inscription (no.
100) come from archaeological excavations carried out by the Belgrade Museum be-
fore World War II in Stobi-Macedonia.
Although the descriptions are neat and detailed, an attempt to identify icono-
graphic elements and to interpret the scenes is generally lacking, and some identifica-
tions are questionable, if not erroneous. At least there should be a question mark over
some of them.
I will mention only a few. There are no apparent elements for the identificati-
on of figures, on funerary stele no 27, like Heracles and Hermione. The relief is dete-
riorated, and the attributes are indiscernible. The one on the left leg of the archer, not
mentioned by the author, can be an arrow box (quiver), or a club according to Duša-
nić. The sword (if so,-not seen by prior publishers!) in the left hand of the male figu-
re is not at all an attribute of Heracles, and a sea monster had nothing to do with the
––––––––
9
See J. Mitrović, Zbornik Narodnog Muzeja, XXIII-1, 2017, 443, figs. 9-11.
10
J. Mitrović, figs. 1–3.
Comptes rendus bibliographiques/Критика и библиографија ŽAnt 71 (2021) 225–238 231
cult of Heracles. The female figure could be the deceased for whom the monument
was erected. It looks as though she is naked: do the two oblique lines at the level of
the thighs indicate the sex?
On the funerary stele no. 33 a spear with a signa is in fact a signum–a pole
mounted by phalerae and other signs, topped with a leaf-shaped spear point or an
open human hand–manus (denoting the oath of loyalty of soldiers), or an animal head
as it is on this stele erected for a signifier (standard bearer of the signum of the Ro-
man legion) L. Aurelius Andronicus veteranus ex signifero legionis VII Claudiae.
The basket on the funerary (?) monument is in fact a situla (bucket-shaped
vessel). The “cylindrical end with a depiction perhaps resembling horns ”on the
man's head displayed on the left part of fragmented monument no 145 is in fact a
basket-like crown called calathus or modius of Serapis (Macrobius, Saturnalia, I. 20.
13), symbolizing fertility. A very similar object is displayed between two lions on no
137.
The typological classification of monuments is not always precise either. The
funerary monument no. 141 had to be defined as a cippus. Similarly, monument no.
148, should be defined as an altar rather than a pedestal. Funerary monument no. 54
is actually a typical Roman funeral altar with volute pillows on both sides (the one on
the right side is missing), and the rosettes are indeed a decorative, ending part of the
pillows between which palm leaves are displayed. The two horizontal rows below are
part of the frieze in the upper part of the altar body.
The catalogue ends with a list of abbreviations (pp. 167-168), a bibliography
(171-186) and two indexes. The index locorum (p. 187) and general epigraphic index
(188-202) follow the N. Vulic's epigraphic tradition covering the names of people,
deities, including realia (Sacerdotes, tribus), ancient geographical names as well the
names of emperors and members of their families, consular dates, military units and
ranks (legions, cohorts, fleets), public functions and honors (provincial and city) fini-
shing with building terms, collegia and Varia. The concordance tables precede the
forty-eight illustration plates–the photos of the monuments being of excellent quality.
What is missing is a commentary on the names in the inscriptions as well as
an iconographic analysis on the representations in particular on the non-figural ele-
ments on the monuments. The author probably considered this unnecessary given that
the major part of the collection has been published (with the exception of some epi-
graphic fragments, nos. 106, 107, 119, 126-128, and some reliefs and altars nos. 133,
140, 143, 147-149). Nevertheless, a summary of, or references to previous opinions
on the names and on prior iconographic analysis as well would be very useful. A the-
matic index was also highly desirable.
The author's greatest contribution is the identification of monuments and the
establishment of a detailed museum documentation. Thus, the catalogue remains on
the level of a museum guide intended for a fairly professional audience.
Скопје, ноември 2021

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Comptes rendus bibliographiques/Критика и библиографија ŽAnt 71 (2021) 225–238 229

VESELINKA NINKOVIĆ, Roman Epigraphic and Anepigraphic Monuments

This Xth volume of the Museum series/collection Antiquity is published on the

Скопје, ноември 2021

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