12-31-2011, 06:24 AM
Quote:but the main problem is, the fragments bear so little resemblance to the formulae generally used on tombstones.What would we expect to see on a tombstone?
A funerary formula like D(is) M(anibus), which is often separated from the main inscription. Next, a name: say, VIC[TORIA]. She might be Victor's daughter (it's not uncommon for daughters to take a name derived from their father's name). So we'd expect something like: VIC[TORIA FILIA VICT]|ORIS. (I've put in the line break so that you can see how this might work in our inscription.)
It is probably too much to hope that our putative Victoria was a midwife (line 4: OB[STETRIX !)
Alternatively, the sequence ORISCA reminds me of the formula HON]ORIS CA[USA ("out of respect"), but that formula usually occurs towards the end of a tombstone. I have definitely never seen it on the first two lines of an inscription.
Assuming that line 4 is the beginning of a word, there are many formulas beginning OB ("on account of"/"for the purpose of"), such as OB MEMORIAM ("as a memorial"), and it could even be OB[IIT --("he/she died ..."). Equally, it could be OR--, or OP--.
As you can see, there is really too little to go on.
