Thuburnica
Numerous people stayed in Ostia only briefly, leaving quickly after disembarking, or staying in a hotel, waiting for favourable sailing weather. One of them is documented by an inscription from Henchir Sidi Ali Bel Kassem in Tunisia, ancient Thuburnica (near Simitthus - Chemtou). He had visited the Imperial court in Rome, and after completing his mission was preparing to embark in Ostia and start the return trip by sea. However, he died in the harbour, 32 years old:
[---] PLVRES GRATVITAS A[equ]E
SVSCEPERAT SEQVENTI LEGA
TIONE AEQ[ue] ITALICA ET GRATVI
TA SVSCEPTA POST EXPL(i)C(i)TIO
NEM REDIENS COL(onia) OSTIIS DE
FVNCTVS EST P(ius) VIX(it) AN(nos)
XXXII M(enses) III D(ies) XIAE 1912, 30; EDCS-10300920.
A Roman bridge in Thuburnica, still in use. Photo: Wikimedia, Astiosaurus.
Literature:
- W. Kroll, "Literaturbericht für das Jahr 1912", Glotta 6,4 (1915), 273-380: 366 (suggests expletionem instead of explicitionem).
- J.F. Rodríguez Niela, "Las legationes de las ciudades y su regulación en los estatutos municipales de Hispania", Gerión 28,1 (2010), 223-273: 256.
