Vatican Museums

The epitaph, written by the sons Metródoros and Áttalos in memory (mnéia) of their father Marcos Aurelios Makedòn, commemorates a soldier no longer in service and honourably discharged (honèsta mìssio) from an unknown corps of the Roman army. From the language used (note the Greek beteranòs transliterated from the Latin veterànus) and the three proper names that identify the deceased, in particular the Latin family name Aurèlius (inherited by the children who omit their first proper names: praenòmen) we are able to deduce that it originated from Greece or from one of the eastern provinces. It is not certain whether the children can be identified with two of the same name who in 210 were enrolled in the corps responsible for the safety of the city against fires (vigiles).