EOIGENA - The story of a Hapax

Antonio Quartuccio

• Editore: Youcanprint
• Anno: 2021
• ISBN:
  9791220330589
• Argomento: Langues et linguistique
• Categoria: Langues anciennes

The author briefly summarizes the story of the adjective 'eoigena'. He describes the events that brought to light in the "Area Christianorum" of the ancient Stabiae a tombstone from the Hadrianic period containing this term, the studies that concluded that it is an absolute hapax, the proposals for a translation of it and, finally, the recognition that it is an original latin term.

THE STORY OF A HAPAX

At 10 am on August 15, 1875, the Bishop of Castellammare di Stabia, the Servant of God Francesco Saverio Petagna, presided over the ceremony of laying the foundation stone for the enlargement of the city's Cathedral.

From a report written the following day by the Sub-Prefect of the Stabiese district, Mr De Maria, it appears that the religious and civil authorities participated in the solemnity, as well as about five thousand people [1].

During the execution of the works, archaeological finds came to light; therefore the Director of Antiquities G. Fiorelli appointed Canon Primicerius of the Cathedral Matteo Maria Rispoli as inspector of the excavations [2].

The finds were arranged in two layers, the archaeologist G. Cosenza reported. At a depth of about seven meters, the remains of streets and house thresholds were discovered: they were the testimony of the ancient city buried by the ashes of Vesuvius during the eruption in 79 AD. But above this layer, about three meters below the ground level, in correspondence with the sacristy, the scene changed: plastered walls appeared, decorated with bands and multicolored birds, noble sepulchres, decorated with marble, and others more humble, simple blocks covered with roof tiles and imbrices. Furthermore, tombstones, pieces of marble, columns appeared, and even the entrance to an "OFFICINA CORIARUM", as it was written on the sign that had been preserved. Unfortunately the excavations had to be interrupted due to the presence of deadly exhalations coming from the subsoil [3].

The finds that came to light in the upper layer appeared so interesting that the illustrious archaeologist G.B. De Rossi wanted to examine them personally; at the end of the analysis he came to the conclusion that the aforesaid layer corresponded to the "Area Christianorum" of Stabia and to their "coemeterium". In the o...