Roman Sepulchral Inscriptions / Their Relation to Archæology, Language, and Religion

A study treats Roman funerary inscriptions as historical evidence that illuminates social customs, language evolution, and religious feeling. It surveys epitaphs from Italy and the provinces — including Gaul, Spain, Africa, and Britain — and compares Greek and Roman epigraphic habits. The work examines burial practices (extramural tombs, cremation and the ustrinum), typical formulae noting age, rank, trade, and causes of death, and the rites and appurtenances associated with commemoration. It also considers epitaphic style, expressions of familial and conjugal feeling, burial clubs, attitudes toward immortality and skepticism, legal issues about interment, tomb‑violence, and the problem of modern forgeries.