Curse Tablets

The Romans Case StudyChapter 5

Curse tablet found in London

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.

Holes for the nailsand origin of theterm defixiones ‘to nail down’

Even when a cursetablet is unrolled,deciphering it is a daunting taskand a reminder that these itemswere not meant to be read

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/rib/ribiv/jp1.htm#Images(Copyright: Bath Archaeological Trust). Labels by A. Graham.

C2a C2b

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]uleritDocilianus [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%20tablets%20final.pptx

NOTE: The writing on the text is backwards in capital letters (scripta monumentalis) > nail hole below <

Curse tablet recording the 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)

C3

Minerv[a]e de[ae] Suli donavifurem quicaracallammeam invo--lavit si ser[v]ussi liber si ba--ro si mulierhoc donum nonredemat nessisangu[i]n[e] suo

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.

NB: vulgar spelling of ‘Minervae’(‘ae’ and ‘i’ endings mean ‘to’ in Latin, and are known as the dative case)

‘involavit’ spans two lines

NB: vulgar spelling of ‘serus’ for servus

‘baro’ must be a Celtic word

NB: vulgar spelling of ‘nessi’ for nisi

Source: www.romanbaths.co.uk/docs/Curse%20tablets%20final.pptx

The Fountain of Anna Perenna in Rome

Lead pipe leading out of the fountain

Dedications to Anna Perenna