Leaderboard

A Roman gravestone, removed from Italy during WWII and relocated to a backyard in New Orleans, Louisiana, will be returned to Italy (see video below). Here is a translation and explanation of the inscription: 🪦 Latin Inscription: D(is) M(anibus) / S(e)x(to) Congenio Vero / mi(liti) cl(assis) p(raetoriae) Mi(senensis) natio(ne) Bes(sso) / vixit an(nis) XLII mi(litavit) an(nis) XXII / Tutela (triere) Asc(l)epio / fece(runt) Atilius Carus / et Vettius Longi/nus heredes / b(ene) m(erenti) 📜 Translation: "To the spirits of the dead. For Sextus Congenius Verus, soldier of the praetorian fleet Misenensis, from the tribe of the Bessi [i.e., a Thracian]. He lived 42 years, served 22 in the military, on the trireme Asclepius. Atilius Carus and Vettius Longinus, his heirs, made this for him, well deserving." 🧭 Contextual Notes: · D.M. (Dis Manibus): A standard Roman funerary dedication meaning “To the spirits of the dead.” · Sextus Congenius Verus: The deceased, a Roman sailor. · Classis Praetoria Misenensis: The elite imperial fleet stationed at Misenum, near Naples. · Natio Besso: Indicates he was ethnically Bessian — a Thracian tribe from the Balkans. · Trireme Asclepius: Named after the Greco-Roman god of medicine, suggesting the ship may have had ceremonial or medical significance. · Atilius Carus and Vettius Longinus: His heirs, likely fellow sailors, as Roman soldiers were not legally permitted to marry until later imperial reforms. · Bene merenti: “Well deserving” — a common epitaph honoring the deceased’s service and character. This stele is a rare and poignant example of Roman naval funerary practice. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-married-couple-in-new-orleans-found-a-stone-in-their-backyard-it-turned-out-to-be-an-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-180987485/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-15182737/A-long-lost-ancient-Roman-artifact-reappears-New-Orleans-backyard.html