The Testament of Vibius Adiranus

Bibliographic Data

ID9359865
AuthorsKatherine Mcdonald (0000-0003-1195-7978, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, corresponding author)
Year2012
Volume102
Pages40-55
Publication date2012-06-07
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Roman Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0075-4358 • E-ISSN: 1753-528X
PublisherCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0075435812000044
OpenAlexW2102303324
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited16

This article reconsiders one of the best-known examples of Oscan epigraphy — the inscription which commemorates the testament of Vibius Adiranus to the vereiia- of Pompeii. It has been widely accepted that this inscription is a first-century a.d. copy of a second-century b.c. original, and is therefore the latest extant example of Oscan in a formal public inscription. This is challenged here with an analysis of both the linguistic detail and archaeological context, and it is shown that this inscription itself is more likely to be the original. The re-dating suggested here has implications for our understanding of language use at Pompeii; it also facilitates more accurate estimates of when the deaths of the Italic languages took place

Archaeology · Art · Context (archaeology · Epigraphy · Extant taxon · Linguistics · Literature · New Testament · Palaeography · Ancient Near East History · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classics · History · Linguistics and language evolution · Philosophy

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