§356 Aurelius Niceros

Aurelius Niceros

(0356) Text: Αὐρ(ήλιος) Νεικέρως β᾿ κατεσ- | κεύασεν τὸ ἡρῷον | (ἑ)αυτῷ καὶ γυναικ(ὶ κ)αὶ | τέκνοις· ἔθηκα δὲ | φίλον. ἐνθάδε | κεκήδευτε Αὐρ(ηλιος) | Μὰννος στρατιώτης | ἱππεὺς σαγιττάρις | δρακωνάρις ἐξ ὀφικ[ί]- | ου τοῦ λαμπροτάτου | ἡγεμόνος Καστρίο[υ] | Κώνσταντος. | ὃς δ’ ἂν ἐπιτηδεύ- | σει ἕτερος, ἔστε αὐ- | [τῷ πρὸς τὸν θεόν].

Translation: Aurelius Niceros the Second prepared the hero-shrine for himself and his wife and his children, and I made my own shrine. Here has lain Aurelius Manos, soldier, cavalryman, archer, and bearer of the dragon-standard on the staff of the most outstanding general Castorius Constans. And whoever cares for this tomb, you are with God in his view.

Commentary: Christian soldier

Provenience: Eumeneia, Phrygia 275-300 CE

Bibliography: ILS 8881; IGR 4.731; Ronald J. Sider, The Early Church on Killing: A Comprehensive Sourcebook on War, Abortion, and Capital Punishment (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 149*.