§355 Aurelius Poseidonius

Aurelius Poseidonius

(0355) Text: Αὐρ(ήλιος) Πύρρος ὁ καὶ Ταῦρος | καὶ Αὐρ(ηλία) Χρυσηὶς Πρόκλου ἡ σύνβιος αὐτοῦ Αὐρ(ηλίῳ) Ποσειδωνίῳ | παλαιστρατιώτῃ ἐν τῷ κοιμητηρίῳ κατε- | σκεύασαν θήκην ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων | μνείας χάριν. ἀνεξοδίαστόν τε εἶναι τούτου, | μὴ ἕτερον καταθέσθαι· ἐὰν δέ τις τολμήσει, | δώσει τῷ ἱερῷ ταμείῳ x γ’ καὶ τ[ῇ πόλει] | ἄλλο τοσοῦτ[ον].

Translation: Aurelius Pyrrhus also known as Taurus, his wife, and Aurelia Chryseis, daughter of Proclus, prepared this dedication in the cemetery from their own funds for Aurelius Poseidonius, the veteran soldier, for the sake of memory. This man’s tomb is not to be sold, and please do not inter another. But if someone dares, he will pay 33 denarii to the sacred treasurer and as much again to the city.

Commentary: Christian soldier

Provenience: Plovdiv, Bulgaria (Philippopolis) 250-350 CE

Bibliography: IGBulg 3a.1007; Ronald J. Sider, The Early Church on Killing: A Comprehensive Sourcebook on War, Abortion, and Capital Punishment (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 148-149*.