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An Inscription from Bavai and the Fifth-Century Christian Epigraphy of Britain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2010

Jeremy K. Knight
Jeremy K. Knight
Affiliation:
Caerphilly, anniebish@btinternet.com
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Abstract

The consular dated memorial of a military accountant (scrinarius) of a.d. 404 with a chi-rho monogram from Bavai (France, Nord), previously thought to be a forgery, is reconsidered. Geographically close to Britain and well-dated, it is relevant to the origins of post-Roman insular epigraphy and to the possibility of recognising specifically Christian tombstones in Roman Britain. The insular series derives from a late antique tradition introduced to Britain via the Christian Church at an uncertain date. There is little sign of continuity with claimed Romano-British Christian tombstones, but an early phase of the insular series can be recognised. Literacy and perhaps the ‘epigraphic habit’ survived in other media.

Type
Articles
Information
Britannia , Volume 41 , November 2010 , pp. 283 - 292
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2010. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

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