Curse Tablets The Romans Case Study Chapter 5

Curse tablet found in London Even when a curse tablet is unrolled, deciphering it is a daunting task and a reminder that these items were not meant to be read Holes for the nails and origin of the term defixiones ‘to nail down’ http: //commons. wikimedia. org/wiki/File: Curse_tablet_BM_1934. 11 -5. 1. jpg#mediaviewer/File: Curse_tablet_BM_1934. 11 -5. 1. jpg. Labels added by A. Graham.

London curse tablet from the British Museum Text: I curse Tretia Maria and her life and mind and memory and liver and lungs mixed up together, and her words, thoughts and memory; thus may she be unable to speak what things are concealed, nor be able. Translation by the British Museum

Aquae Sulis: lead curses: folded versus unfolded Source: http: //www. csad. ox. ac. uk/ribiv/jp 1. htm#Images (Copyright: Bath Archaeological Trust). Labels by A. Graham.

C 2 a C 2 b Docilianus Bruceri deae sanctissim[a]e Suli devoveo eum [q]ui caracallam meum involaverit si vir si femina si servus si liber ut […]um dea Sulis maximo letum [a]digat nec ei somnum permittat nec natos nec nascentes do[ne]c caracallam meam ad templum sui numinis per[t]ulerit Docilianus [son] of Brucerus to the most holy goddess Sulis. I curse him who has stolen my hooded cloak, whether man or woman, whether slave or free, that … the goddess Sulis inflict death upon … and not allow him sleep or children now and in the future, until he has brought my hooded cloak to the temple of her divinity. Source: www. romanbaths. co. uk/docs/Curse%20 tablets%20 final. pptx

Curse tablet recording theft of Vilbia? The text: Let he who has stolen Vilbia (fibula? ) Become as liquid as water Whoever stole her (it? ) Velvinna (a woman), Exsupereus (a man), etc. (a list of possible thieves) The bottom line (right to left): ALLINAMREG ANIVOI (the names Iovina and Germanilla) NOTE: The writing on the text is backwards in capital letters (scripta monumentalis) > nail hole below <

C 3 Minerv[a]e NB: vulgar spelling of ‘Minervae’ (‘ae’ and ‘i’ endings mean ‘to’ in Latin, de[ae] Suli donavi and are known as the dative case) furem qui caracallam meam invo-lavit si ser[v]us si liber si ba- -ro si mulier hoc donum non redemat nessi sangu[i]n[e] suo ‘involavit’ spans two lines NB: vulgar spelling of ‘serus’ for servus ‘baro’ must be a Celtic word NB: vulgar spelling of ‘nessi’ for nisi To Minerva the goddess Sulis I have given the thief who has stolen my hooded cloak, whether slave or free, whether man or woman. He is not to buy back this gift unless with his own blood. Source: www. romanbaths. co. uk/docs/Curse%20 tablets%20 final. pptx

The Fountain of Anna Perenna in Rome Dedications to Anna Perenna Lead pipe leading out of the fountain