A new fragmentary verse inscription from Dacia

Abstract

Up to now, Roman inscriptions were not recorded from Dés (Dej, Romania), although the Roman municipium Samum was in the neighbourhood. However, there is a stone block built into the outer fence of the medieval church of Dés, decorated with a medieval mason’s shield. Actually it is a reworked Roman sarcophagus, and the remains of a verse inscription are clearly visible, turned in 90° clockwise: initials of 10 hexameters or 5 distichs. Some post-medieval incisions can be detected, which gave the stone a false reputation of being a Hungarian runiform inscription.