Bilingual (Greek-Latin) Metrical Inscriptions from the Roman Western world. Corpus and Analysis

Abstract

[eng] This doctoral dissertation consists of a corpus of inscriptions discovered in the Western Mediterranean which contain a metrical and bilingual text in Greek and Latin. Specifically, the corpus includes inscriptions that are either bilingual or exhibit bilingual phenomena, where at least one of the texts is metrical or contains metrical reminiscences. The main corpus comprises eighty-two inscriptions categorised into three sections: inscriptions with metrical parts in both languages (“Additional Poetical Bilingualism”), inscriptions with a prose text in one language and a carmen in the other (“Functional Bilingualism in the Western Half of the Roman empire”), and inscriptions where one part is written in one language but using sometimes the alphabet of another (“Transcribed Text”). Regarding the inscriptions that are not included in the main corpus, twenty-two epigraphs have been classified as dubia for various reasons: their fragmentary state, metrical irregularities or commatica, metrical parts due to stereotyped formulae, questionable bilingual-metrical intention, and inscriptions from potentially different ages. Furthermore, fifteen epigraphs have been relegated to the appendices for several reasons, including defixiones with metrical reminiscences, having a literary intention but isolated rhythmic sequences, tabulae opisthographicae, being inscriptions of different centuries, being published together despite being different inscriptions found at the same location, displaying bilingual phenomena resulting from a stonecutter’s mistake, and being bilingual because the author of the text (not the commissioner) signed the inscription in Greek and Latin. The corpus analyses epigraphs dating from the first century BCE to the sixth century CE. The limes referenced are those established during the division of the Roman Empire into its Western and Eastern halves. Therefore, this (main) corpus includes bilingual metrical inscriptions from Rome, Regio I, III, VIII, and XI, Sicilia, Sardinia, Germania Superior, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Gallia Narbonensis, Gallia Lugdunensis, Africa proconsularis, Mauretania Caesariensis, Hispania citerior, and Lusitania. Rome stands out with forty-nine examples, underscoring its central role as the epicentre of Roman culture and administration. Regio I, a region adjacent to Rome with a Greek background, provides nine examples. Single examples from Regio III, Regio VIII, and Regio XI illustrate the small presence of such inscriptions in other regiones of Italy. Similarly, the islands of Sicilia and Sardinia each provide one example. Germania Superior, on the northern frontier, also offers one example, while in Dalmatia there have been preserved two bilingual carmina epigraphica. Pannonia, bordering province, provides three examples of this sort of inscriptions. The provinces of Gallia Narbonensis and Gallia Lugdunensis offer five and one examples respectively. Africa proconsularis provides three examples: an epitaph, an honorific inscription, and a mosaic with texts. In Mauretania Caesariensis a sole bilingual metrical epitaph has been detected. Finally, the Iberian Peninsula is represented by two examples from Hispania Citerior and one inscription from Lusitania. In terms of epigraph typology, funerary inscriptions remain the most prevalent category of texts. The second most numerous group consists of votive inscriptions, while honorific and musive inscriptions represent the categories with the fewest examples. Each scheda within the study meticulously examines the onomastics of individuals named in the inscription. Besides, attention has been given to the reason for the language choice in the piece commissioned. Additionally, linguistic features, stylistic nuances, thematic elements, and metrics have been thoroughly analysed and discussed.

[cat] Aquesta tesi doctoral consisteix en un corpus d’inscripcions descobertes al Mediterrani Occidental que contenen textos mètrics i bilingües en grec i en llatí. El corpus inclou cent divuit inscripcions bilingües o que mostren fenòmens bilingües, en les quals almenys un dels textos és mètric o conté reminiscències mètriques. El corpus principal comprèn vuitanta-dos inscripcions categoritzades en tres seccions: inscripcions amb parts mètriques en ambdós idiomes (“Additional Poetical Bilingualism”), inscripcions amb un text en prosa en un idioma i un carmen en l’altre (“Functional Bilingualism in the Western Half of the Roman empire”), i inscripcions on una part està escrita en un idioma però utilitzant a vegades l’alfabet de l’altre (“Transcribed text”). Pel que fa a les inscripcions excloses al corpus principal, vint-i-dos s’han classificat com a dubia per diversos motius: estat fragmentari, irregularitats mètriques, parts mètriques a causa de fórmules estereotipades, intenció bilingüe-mètrica dubtosa i inscripcions probablement de diferents èpoques. A més, quinze epígrafs s’han col·locat als appendices per diversos motius: defixiones amb reminiscències mètriques, intenció literària però amb seqüències rítmiques aïllades, tabulae opisthographicae, inscripcions de diferents segles, diferents peces d’un jaciment publicades juntes, bilingüisme a causa d’un error, i ser bilingües perquè l’autor del text signa la inscripció en grec i llatí. El corpus analitza epígrafs que daten del segle I aC al segle VI dC. Els limes referits són els establerts durant la divisió de l’Imperi Romà en les seves meitats occidental i oriental. Per tant, aquest corpus principal inclou inscripcions bilingües mètriques de Roma, Regio I, III, VIII i XI, Sicilia, Sardinia, Germania Superior, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Gallia Narbonensis, Gallia Lugdunensis, Africa proconsularis, Mauretania Caesariensis, Hispania Citerior i Lusitania. Roma destaca amb quaranta-nou exemples, seguida de la Regio I, amb nou inscripcions. Quant a la tipologia d’inscripcions, els epígrafs funeraris continuen sent el grup més nombrós. El segon grup més abundant consisteix en inscripcions votives, mentre que les inscripcions honorífiques i musives representen les categories amb menys exemples. Cada scheda examina minuciosament l’onomàstica de les persones esmentades a la inscripció. A més, s’ha prestat atenció a la raó de la elecció de l’idioma en la peça encarregada. Així mateix, s’han analitzat i discutit detalladament els aspectes lingüístics, estilístics, temàtics i la mètrica.