CUA10

Model of Tomb of Scipio

General Description: This is a model of the tomb of Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus, a Roman consul in 298BC who led the Roman army to victory against the Etruscans near Volaterrae. He was a member of the noble Roman family of Scipiones and father of Lucius Cornelius Scipio, a commander in the First Punic War. The earliest Roman sarcophagus it is now preserved in the Vatican Museum in Rome. It was removed there after the final excavation of the sepulchre of the Scipione family on the Via Appia Antica in 1780. The sarcophagus is made from Peperino, a type of volcanic rock, and is inscribed with the epitaph: CORNELIVS·LVCIVS·SCIPIO·BARBATVS·GNAIVOD·PATRE PROGNATVS·FORTIS·VIR·SAPIENSQVE—QVOIVS·FORMA·VIRTVTEI·PARISVMA FVIT—CONSOL CENSOR·AIDILIS·QVEI·FVIT·APVD·VOS—TAVRASIA·CISAVNA SAMNIO·CEPIT—SVBIGIT·OMNE·LOVCANA·OPSIDESQVE·ABDOVCIT "Cornelius Lucius Scipio Barbatus, sprung from Gnaeus his father, a man strong and wise, whose appearance was most in keeping with his virtue, who was consul, censor and aedile among you - He captured Taurasia, Cisauna, Samnium - he subdued all Lucania and led off hostages." (, )

model: artificial stone

Named Collection: Cottonian Collection