singular mutations, which are also very remarkable on our tablets, from which we extract the word quis, which is thus written scholars after him, we're of opinion that a this approximation M. R occurs on a coin current hand, distinct from the statuary hand, described in the Journal des Savans, 1684, if we may be allowed the expression, did in this form h. P, Q, and S, undergo very not exist among the Romans. The contrary theory, that a current hand did exist, is abundantly proved by these tablets, and that as early as the second century. Spangenberg ventured probably first on the conjecture of S. An ancient fragment found at Rome, the possibility of a current writing simply for expedition. Pliny and Ælian both seem to treat of a minute character distinct from the larger; and there are certainly inscriptions extant, though of late date, where clear traces are observable of a variation from the capital characters into smaller and oblique forms. The MSS. of Ravenna, of the fifth, sixth, and seventh centuries, confirm this. Boldetti and Buonarrotti both furnish examples, in V and L, of alterations of the uncial form, which exhibit the perpendicular line in this latter character as nearly horizontal, and the right angle formed by the perpendicular with the base as wholly altered, and an acute angle is contained by the two lines, thus. The G undergoes also a change, so as to approach very closely to our common letter. Fis also remarkably assimilated to our current form. M is still more remarkable for in the year 1700, and which may be referred, from the consular suffixes, to A. D. 308 or 309, contains characters of exactly similar current writing to the Libellus before us, and thereby establishes its own genuineness and that of our inscriptions. The characters are not uniquely joined as in our own, but some appear united to others, and again many stand isolated in position. The affinity to our own current hand in both is very remarkable in these letters Pnbd. An inscription at Milan exhibits a similar conformity. Another on lead, given by Lanzi, Saggio di Lingua Etrusca, ii., tab. 16; iii., p. 656, confirms the circumstance that it must be read from the same law, and is also remarkable from left to right. From this we extract the word Dicata, which is thus written OTADIO An inscription on the statue of a Muse, at Florence, runs as follows, almost into our to our readers for an excellent praxis in the hand. An inscription found in the codex of a Harmony of the Four Gospels furnishes This MS. is curious, since it is dated five fresh means of collation of the character. years after the last Roman consul, Basilius, fatigable author has not stopped here, but of whom we have spoken above. Our indewith the assistance of Thiersch has inspected The A in this inscription varies considera- | affinities here are very remarkable, and we bly from the more angular, such as XXX, recommend the careful observation of them and assumes a round turn; this character, and the D, are evidently approximations to our current hand. The style of both these letters varies from our tablets, which represent the D, in the form of the A, described aboved. An inscription of the time of Aurelius is next collated with the tablets; but before we proceed to the comparison we must first note, that the inscriptions delineated by Leon Laborde, (Voyage de l'Arabie pater and potters' ware, and from these the Petrée, Paris, 1830), and our countryman, tion. Various Roman bricks confirm most theory in question receives further corroboraMr. Grey (Transactions of the Royal Society, London, Murray, 1832, i., p. 147), written in unknown Greek and Roman character, are clearly of the current hand, and probably written during the time of Titus by the Roman soldiery while in Judea. The Greek exhibits the angular form of the Latin A. A, and other affinities; and we feel happy in being enabled to point out the key to the decyphering of these inscriptions fully both to our countryman and his distinguished fellow-traveller over the same regions. We now refer to an inscription of the same period nearly as our tablets, extracted from Marini (Act. Frat. Arval., i., 263.) The amply our author's argument. These, of nish the closest resemblance, since the clay course, when they contain inscriptions, furand the wax are analogous substances for the stylus. This of course furnishes additional the time of Aurelian contains also curious proof. The inscription above alluded to in specimens of the current hand, and from the large characters in which it is given, is easier collated with other inscriptions than our tablets, which contain many of its forms, but from being given in their own small size, the characters are less determined. We subjoin a table of the twenty-four Roman letters in their forms of current hand : The letter L in the above table exhibits a singular change from the uncial form in the superior length of the base to the perpendicular. S also is carried considerably above as well as below the line, maintaining a similar character with our ƒ which we use on the duplication of this letter. The O is frequently annexed to another letter, as or. It is also subjoined to. HT and Q exhibit remarkable affinities to our current hand. The E formed by two strokes, On a comparison of the characters in our tablets with those of Pompeii, so obvious a similarity occurs, that it suggested itself instantly to the acute observation of one of our best scholars at the first glance, but his distinguished position does not permit us here to insert his name. Now these bear the date unquestionably of 79 A. D., for at that period Pompeii was submerged and from the walls marked either with a stylus or nail, we gain many specimens of the current hand. Thus, TDU sustuli, viŠTALIS vestalis, ex is a remarkable irregularity both from the Roman uncial and our current form. The V discharges the office of U and V. The J, hibit characters the same as on these tablets; longer than the I, is found at the end of the union of V or U with S final as in words, as Jvlj, Collegj. The i nowhere re ceives any dot or point over it. From the SELLERY Severus. similar character of the B and D in these in- Of the singular form of the E, MONVscriptions we suspect great confusion has arisen in words into which these characters enter. Our author refers to the donation of Odoacer in proof of this point, where we find such forms as, Judeatis, suscridsit, scridsit, nodiscum, &c. With respect to the connection of letters, the union of vowels with consonants in the writing occurs more frequently than that of consonants with each other. The letters d, f, g, q, m, p, r, t, all admit this union. Three or four letters frequently occur without any break or separation. We refer our readers to p. 60 of our author's work for an illustration of these forms; this current style, in a table he there gives, possesses, at least, an antiquity as early as Cicero. MNTUM (monumentum,) furnishes an exemplar. Many more examples exhibiting a conformity of character to our tablets might be adduced, but we must, in mercy to our printer, refer our readers to the work before us for further illustration. Contractions occur but rarely in our tablets:---Neq(ue), homin, hom, h; Aldur once in the last line, Ald in the middle, for Alburnum, which is also found with all its letters. We find also ss for supra scripto; act(um); et IMP (eratore); CS or Css for consulibus. The letters is probably also imply i(nfra) s (criptum). As to punctuation, there is little or none in these tablets; no commas or other stops appear, and periods or full stops but rarely. The orthography, like the modern Italian, is defective in aspirates as abere, aberet, abuerat, abiturum; the contrary to this is often exhibited in ancient inscriptions, where we frequently read aspirates hac for ac, have, harena, holitor, Hosiris, hex controversiæ, &c. I in these tablets seems to be confounded with E, reddedisse, reddedisset; there are also numerous inscriptions in which the same orthographical variety occurs, as in reddedit, possedet, &c. E also appears to have as early as this period assumed the present representation of E, as in questores, presentes. The letter D is interchanged with T, as quit, quot. In Menofili, the letter f occurs, as in the Italian, for ph. Nor must these variations be considered as errors of the librarius, for each copy agrees in the same style of writing. The specimen is unique and perfect of small hand and current-writing; no fault of the librarius or copyist is traceable; no erasure by his own or correction from another hand is apparent; for, though we find in one "ad statione" for stationem, this is not without ancient authority, since we read on Marbles, "ardente lucernam, cura agant, pietate redere, post ea uxore, &c. An apparent solecism must also be carefully noted as really no error, for "legi continetur," which occurs twice, is forensic Latinity, and it must be noted that "contineri" is construed legally with the dative. The style, though forensic, is in pure Latinity, nor are such expressions as "abere aut abiturum" to be held as marks of barbaric style, since they were probably the ancient legal style, equivalent to our "feme sole," and other legal terms. Coeval inscriptions with our own exhibit similar forms, as in particular that ancient conveyance by Herennius executed in the reign of Severus and Caracalla, A. D. 174, in which, towards the end, we find the words "dolum huic rei abesse afuturumque." The word "cautio" also occurs in these tablets, a very common juridical expression, for the full sense of which we refer our readers to a work from which we have already quoted, the Dictionary of Roman Antiquities; this word passed into Gothic. We have the words "cautionem suam, in qua eis caverat, recepisset." A " cautio" is any writing in which security is provided for a party for money lent. When this instrument is destroyed it is equivalent to the cancelling the debt. We say "Cavere cautione et cautionem, cavere in re, de re." A similar legal expression we have in "rationes ille reddidisse." If any errors occurred in these details of calculation care was taken to pro vide a remedy, even after the lapse of twenty years. The word "proponere" may be also noticed, which is of common occurrence in edicts, actions, &c. The curiosa felicitas of the jurists of Rome, circa verborum proprietatem, is carefully preserved. We shall offer a few observations on the words Magis ter, Quæstores, Collegium. On the first of these we refer our readers to the dictionary. cited above for many of its combinations, to which we shall append a few more. Magister was a general term among the Romans for numerous offices civil and military, private and public. Our word Master has not even yet parted from its ancient associations: thus we have Masters in Chancery, Masters in the Exchequer, Master of the Rolls; and amid the Romans we have, independent of the titles given in the dictionary to which we have alluded, a magister palatii, balneorum, gladiatorum, census. The emperors in addition to these offices, which are described in the work we have alluded to, made use of a magister cognitionum sacrarum, dispositionum, admissionum. The republic also had its magister pagorum, decuriarum, morum, curiæ, fani, larum, sacrorum, regis, juvenum; and the office of magister societatis was held by the father of Plancus, who was auctor maximarum societatum, plurimarum magister. In similar manner with the societates there were magistri collegiorum, heads of houses or presidents of colleges. There was the magister collegii Saliorum, collegii fabrum, aurificum, &c. Our tablets describe Artemidorus as magister collegii, and his office is called magisterium. In similar manner we have the magisterium equitum sacerdotum, morum, &c. These collegia were evidently similar in numerous instances to our merchants' guilds or city companies, and were either settled under the senatus consulta or monarchical decrees. Augustus, on discovering the danger resulting to him from many other bodies which met under the appellation of collegia, abolished all, saving the collegia fabrum, fictorum, &c. Three members of a college formed a congregation. Many of these colleges contained large numbers; some were restricted in complement, such as the collegium Esculapii et Hygiæ, to sixty men. The one spoken of in our tablets, collegium Jovis Cerneni, contained fifty-four. In Pliny's address to Trajan he consults the emperor as to a collegium fabrorum of one hundred and fifty. And due care is taken by him that no one should be received into this number but a faber, or abuse the purposes of the college to any other end. "Nec erat difficile custodire tam paucos." Trajan was, however, of a different opinion, and did not accede to to in the conveyance executed by Herennius, the petition of the Proconsul. Our author of which we have spoken above, A.D. 174; has with great diligence collected, at page 77, Nico, Nixor; Menophilus, Myroglos; both every possible existing body of this character common on marbles. There existed also in Rome. He has well inspected Muratori, during the reign of A. Severus, a Præses Gruter, &c., and has drawn into one mass Moesiæ, Menophilus, when the Goths invaded every possible institution to which the name that country. Valerius and Julius sufficiently "Collegium" could be given. These bodies, attest their Roman origin. Offas we shall when incorporated, held their property under notice hereafter as we proceed, which we the same tenure as the state. They had a shall now do, to indicate the connection common chest, could sue and be sued. Our between the spots where these precious relics modern incorporations are clearly traceable were found and the Roman authorities of that to this source. Some of these magistri were period. Abrudbanya is a small village in annual, others quinquennial, others perpetual. Transsylvania. The Romans there had asTheir sodales maintained a common worship, suredly one of their principal gold mines. sacrifices, seal, device, treasury, temple. They Four places in Dacia are famous for metalswere united in life, and in death they were Abrudbanya, Offenbanya, Körösbanya, Kisnot divided, possessing a common tomb. banya. The first alone appears to maintain Their co-mates received a public funeral. traces of its ancient character, and the mountThe sportula, or dole, was distributed at their aineers still find gold sand in the streams gates to the people. They had many festal about it, and various pieces of rock containdays, some of which evince the strong attach- ing gold are found. These are brought into ment of the Romans to beautiful nature, as Abrudbanya, then broken to pieces with a the Dies Violaris, when that flower began to hammer, the precious metal extracted, its bloom, the Dies Rosa, &c. As in our uni- quantity ascertained, and an equivalent given versities, ladies were allowed the privilege of for it. This takes places every Monday, on contributing to such institutions, and received which day the mountaineers bring it down to the appellation of "mater collegii." A Abrudbanya from all quarters. Dacia affords curious endowment of this character by Mar- at present but a very inconsiderable quantity cellina we recommend to the consideration of the precious metals, gold and silver; but of our readers at page 83. In further proof anciently, if we can credit Pliny, in the time of the genuineness of our tablets and in illus- of Nero her mines gave daily fifty pounds of tration of their contents we extract a similar gold, and Hannibal is also reported to have document in style and words, "Descriptio decreti cujusdam Ceretanorum," A.D. 113, now at Rome. It runs thus, "Descriptum et recognitum factum in Pronao ædis Martis ex commentario, quem jussit proferri Cyperius The history of Dacia may be very briefly Hostilianus per T. Rustium Lysiponum summed up for our present purposes. The scribam in quo scriptum erat id quod infra inhabitants maintained a gallant conflict scriptum est." This supplies our letters is, against Alexander the Great, as we learn or infra scriptum. The letters in italic furnish from Strabo and Curtius. At his death, they us clearly with powerful marks of the genuine dismissed Lysimachus, whom they had capcharacter of our tablets by the recurrence of tured, with the brief advice, that he should the words, or their synonymes, which we have hold in recollection his defeat for his instrucdistinguished by italics. Various other ancient tion and amendment. Over a long series of marbles might easily be cited in corrobora- years they were a terror to Rome. Cotyson, tion. These tablets exhibit a senatus consul- Boerebista, Dorpaneus, and lastly and best tum complete in all its parts, month, day, known, Decebalus, amid their kings, infused consuls, and emperor. The proper names considerable panic into the Roman armies. also furnish additional proof. That of Apol- Domitian bought a truce for twelve years of lonius is very remarkable, since we learn this later sovereign, but Trajan gave him from Julius Capitolinus that there was a stoic war for tribute. Decebalus was unable to of this name of Chalcedon, who attended M. withstand the forces of the empire, and Dacia A. Verus. The genitive" Artemidorus yielded to Trajan. The emperor, however, Apollonii (filius), Valerius Niconis, Offas did not neglect his conquest, and bestowed Menofili, Julius Julii," follows the Greek on it many local and civil benefits. The mode in sons of Greeks probably. Artemi- inhabitants soon lost their original character, dorus and Apollonius occur on various in- and Romenia probably furnishes a trace of scriptions in Gruter, and the first is also in their attachment to their civilizing conthe Anthology. An Artemidorus is referred querors. St. Bernard conferred on it the drawn daily from one mine three hundred pounds of siver. Abrudbanya attests by its magnitude what care the Romans had bestowed on this portion of their metallic empire. appellation of terra auri, and Trajan seems making great progress, may soon, however, to have been equally sensible of the metallic supply even these difficulties. Offas is unworth of his conquest, and in his vows to questionably our Saxon name of Offa; a king Jupiter Stator for the conquest of Dacia he of the East Angles of this name existed in does not forget to return thanks also to Jupi- 575 A.D., another turned monk in 709, a ter Inventor pro detectis Dacia thesauris. third was contemporary with Charlemagne Gellius tells us that the Forum Trajani was in 755; and among high Saxon descents, formed ex manubiis, or the money raised Offa, Affa, Yffe, is spoken of as in the direct from the booty taken from Dacia, N. A. 13, line from Woden. 14; and the column of Trajan attests also Nor is this mixture of names uncommon the rich value of the spoils from this people. in Roman monuments; we should be led to This country was the scene of many perse- expect it from the reason of the case, from cutions of the Christians, for Adrian and the long intimacy and connection of Britain Trajan sent them into it to be hewers of with Rome, and Herr Massman has constone, and drawers of water, and excavators firmed it by numerous instances. The coins in the mines. L. D. Aurelian, the emperor, constantly found throughout Dacia show that when he was unable to check the incursions great intercourse had subsisted between the of barbarians on this country, then a Roman Greeks and that country as well as the province, placed numerous inhabitants from Romans. Our author, however, does not it in Moesia, which obtained the name of touch eight lines of most singular character Dacia Ripensis, or Aureliana. Scythians, which occur together with Greek quotations Goths, Huns, and, lastly, the Hungari, fol- on the waxen tablets, but commends them lowed each other in rapid incursions into this to hands amply worthy of them,-to Böckh, unhappy country. Trajan had withered Franz, Lepsius, Grotefend, simply stating their force by numerous colonies drawn from that in his notion they are to be read from them; five may certainly be counted. The an- right to left; the characters are certainly very cient marbles around Abrudbanya give melancholy attestation to its ancient wealth; of these, we extract the following as a specimen: "PRO SALUTE DOM. NN. L. SEPT. SEVER. ET M. AUR. ANTONINI ET P. SEPT. GETAE. CAESS. AUGG. CULT (ores) IOVIS DEDIC. VIII. K. AUG. MUCIANO ET FABIANO COSS. COLL. AURAR."-p. 107. remarkable. The prayer, oracle and other inscription appear unconnected, and simply things jotted down at hazard on the tablets. A few words on Verus, whose name appears on the tablets, may not be deemed irrelevant. He was a mere voluptuary; he passed through life in the indulgence of every vice and appetite that could disgrace nature; a laughing-stock even to the effeminate Of this collegium aurariorum (or auraria- Syrian. But the unseen scourge of his rum), we have quæstor and master and sub- crimes and luxury was at hand, and with it master, to whom, perhaps, the Aurarian the deadly pestilence was approaching with mines were confided. We shall conclude rapid strides. It was probably moving by this article with a few observations on the the side of the emperors into Rome; earthgeography of our tablets. Where then, in quakes involving the fall of many a city, the first place, is Alburnum, which is stated inundations, repeated blasting of crops, the as the locality of the college in question? deadly locusts in fierce swarms, were its Our author frankly confesses that he had heralds. Antoninus betook himself to various never heard of such a spot in Dacia. The salutary and pious measures, but war being terms, too, of the writing are singular, "Actum menaced by the barbarians in numerous Alb. majori." Now, Abrudbanya, in its directions, the brothers set out to encounter latter portion, banya, implies a mine, in the it, but near Aquileia, Verus was seized with common language of Hungary; and nume- a sudden attack of apoplexy in a carriage rous mining districts, some of which we have with his brother. A vein was opened, he quoted above with this termination, banya, was carried to Altinum, remained mute for doubtless derived it from this circumstance; three days, and then died in the 39th or 40th* but though this would account for the termiof his age. year nation, we have no such word as Abrud in Marcus Antoninus set out alone for the war. Hungarian; and here alone our author fails * Herr Massman is not very consistent with in the attempt to identify Alburnum with himself in this statement, as our readers will perAbrudbanya, if indeed the bold conjecture of ceive by a reference to p. 18 as compared with p. Cerneni as identical with the Zernensian 139. Petavius, Rat. Temp., says "Sed in ipsâ procolony be not another instance. The diligent fectione Verus, apoplexia correptus inter Concordiam et Altinum, periit A.c. 171 si undecimum imperii collation of the language of these countries attigit, vel 169, si nonum haud excessit." The year with ancient tongues, which is at present of the death of Verus cannot be exactly determined. |