| San Pietro Avellana (IS), Molise |
 | This town of 662 in the uplands of Molise (960 meters above sea level) was almost completely destroyed in the waning days of World War II, during fighting between the retreating German army and advancing Canadian paratroopers. Today it is a member of the Associazione Nazionale Citta' del Tartufo ("National Association of Cities of the Truffle") and accordingly plays host to a biannual Truffle Festival. So it was that I found myself visiting on the dreary First of November, 2005, to help Mario Borraro sell his pecorino among the tables full of truffles, truffle oil, truffle pastries, truffle pasta and other delights. During lulls in the activity I wandered all around the town, visiting the public fountain, the church and its largo, and the local museum. Thanks to Mark DiVecchio for some friendly clarifications; see also his site on the town. |
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AMICUS GIANCOLA LEO= NARDUS ANT MARIANI & PASCHALIS DE SANZA ADMINISTRATORES PETRI DE AVELLANA CIUIBUS FONTEM EREXERUNT KAL JULII MDCCLXXXVIII |
With public money, Amico Giancola, Leonardo Antontio Mariani and Pasquale DeSanza, the administrators, erected (this) fountain for the citizens of Pietro de Avellana, the Kalends of July (July 1), 1788. |
NON POTABILE | Don't drink the water. |
| The Church of S.S. Peter and Paul | ||||
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The undated picture at far left comes from the museum archives, and shows the church (on a much sunnier day) in its pre-restoration state -- note the several pieces of ancient spolia around the base of the tower, now relocated. The center picture was taken standing in front of the fountain and looking right. The right picture shows the tower restored, bereft of fragmenta (not to mention its former character, to my mind). | |||
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D.O.M. PROCUL ESTE PROFANI DEVOTA AC PIA CONFRATERNITATE xxx SACRAMENTI ET ROSARI SACELLUM HOC RESTAURATUM DIE V KAL SEPT 1x3x |
To God the Best and Greatest Begone from here ye uninitiated (unbaptized)! By the devoted and pious confraternity of the Sacrament and Rosary this chapel was restored on the 5th day before the Kalends of September (August 29) ??? |
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| Ancient Inscriptions |   Latin tombstone among architectural fragments by a wall of the church. |
M STAFIO M F PROBO PARENTES F PIENTISIMO ET SUELLIE MATRI F |
D(is) M(anibus) M(arco) Stafio M(arci) F(ilio) Probo parentes f(ilio) pientis(s)imo et Suelli{a}e matri f(ecerunt) |
To the shades of the departed. To Marcus Stafius Probus, son of Marcus, his parents to their most pious son and to his mother Suellia |
 (= CIL IX 2804) (Photograph from museum archives; attested on church wall Sept. 2005; I did not see it on 1 Nov 2005; presumably in the new museum) |
M F VOL SEVERO Q BIS II VIR I D II VIR I D QUINQ LVCCEIA M F SEVERA PATRI PIENTISSIMO F |
M(arco) Lucceio M(arci) f(ilio) Vol(tinia tribu) Severo q(uaestori) bis II vir i(ure) d(icundo) II vir i(ure) d(icundo) quinq(uennali) Lucceia M(arci) f(ilia) Severa patri pientissimo f(ecit) |
To Marcus Lucceius Severus, son of Marcus, of the Voltinia voting-tribe, twice quaestor, legal magistrate, quinquennial magistrate, Lucceia Severa the daughter of Marcus had this made for her most pious father. |
 (Photograph from museum archives; attested on church wall Sept. 2005; I did not see it on 1 Nov 2005; presumably in the new museum) |
[--- A]VGVSTALIS |
---]llius G(aiae) L(ibertus) Protio [--- A]ugustalis |
...llius Protio, freedman of "Gaia" Augustalis |
| Acellius, Pullius, and Suellius are cognomina known from Aufidena; a Suellia is attested in the tombstone of Stafius Probus above. However we read his name, our ...llius Protio was a former slave who had been freed by a woman; since women did not have praenomina, the generic feminine element Gaia was used instead, abbreviated in inscriptions as a backwards 'C.' Protio became an Augustalis, one of the priests of the divine genus of the reigning emperor, a popular post for freedmen. | |||
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This page and its contents, including photographs and text, unless otherwise noted, are copyrighted by Dan Diffendale, 2005-2011. Comments and questions may be addressed to dpd_@_ sas.upenn.edu This page last updated January 3, 2011. |