© Museu de Guissona
Omeka ID 537
Iesso
Roman world

tombstone for Lesbia

MGECC-1583

Object type
tombstone
Production date
14 / 192
Fabric
epigraphic material
Museum
Museu de Guissona
Culture
Roman world
Discovery location
Iesso
Materials
stone, marble
Township
Guissona (Europa, Espanya, Catalunya, Lleida, Segarra)
Technique
cut, carving
Where is it?
Exposició permanent
Dimensions
490 x 380 x 40 mm
Description
Tombstone of the girl Lesbia who died at age 11, and dedicated by her mother Servilla Praepusa, two citizens of Iesso probably of Greek origin. The inscription would have formed part of an unknown funerary monument. It was found by chance when laying the foundations of a house in Tapioles Street in 1967. Translation: Servilla Praepusa to her eleven-year and ten-month-old daughter Lesbia: She has been buried here. Why did fate want to create such beautiful things, if they have to snatch away from us what they have made for our happiness? But because we must obey the law of fate, we shed tears for a duty that should not be ours. She had barely reached twice six years; she had not yet shed all the tears she carried within her and could therefore be cried for even more by her family. "Save yourself from being sad forever, my parents, and stop bothering my Manes even more." We have put this inscription, consolation of our pain. Who reads it, let him say aloud: let the earth be light upon you.