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Monumentum

Graffito from the Mitreo del Cassegiato di Diana

This graffito seems to be an account of offerings made by Mithras worshippers in the Cassegiato di Diana.
 
The New Mithraeum
18 Sep 2023
Updated on Dec 2025

TNMM 612

Graffito scratched in the cult-niche. The reading is not certain:

IIE M
ULASM*V
BABENUSSMΛΧS
BECTONBINU XII
PROCLUSBINU *II
ERMESDUX *III
FORTUNIUADA NDA
MAXIMUSBINU *II

The first part apparently contains a number of proper names, the greater part of which are not Roman. The second part is inexplicable unless one accepts that BINU can be identified with vinum, in which case the numbers may indicate measures or cost (cf. Dura-Europos Nos. 64; 65).

A graffito was engraved on the front of the base supporting the cult niche, just above the male herm 126a, 3rd century CE. Currently preserved in situ. […] It seems plausible to follow G. Calza suggestion and to interpret this graffito as a report of the offerings made by some devotees to the god.

CIL XIV 5293

[-] Alcumus [!] [-] ǀ Ulas [---] [[denarios]] V ǀ Babenus SMAXS ǀ Becton binu[m] [[denarios]] II ǀ Proclus [!] binu[m] [[denarios]] II ǀ Ermes [!] binu[m] [[denarios]] III ǀ Fortuniu[s] ada[nda] ǀ Maximus binu[m] [[denarios]] III.
...Alcimus...Ylas five denarii of ..., Babenus ..., Becton two denarii of wine, Proculus two denarii of wine, Hermes three denarii of wine, Fortunius food, Maximus three denarii of wine.

References

CIL XIV 5293; Calza 1915 (p. 380); Becatti 1954 (pp. 14-5); CIMRM 218; Marchesini 2013 (pp. 127-30); EDR110025 (R. Marchesini).

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