Epitaph of Abercius (Ἐπιτάφιον τοῦ Ἀβερκίου)

Life The "Epitaph of Abercius" is a funerary inscription commissioned by Abercius, a citizen of Hieropolis in Phrygia Salutaris who died at age 72 [1]. This late 2nd-century CE Christian epitaph is traditionally, though debatably, linked to Avircius Marcellus, a bishop of Hieropolis [1][2]. The text presents Abercius as a traveler who visited Christian communities in Rome, Syria, and Mesopotamia [1][2].

Works The sole work is the inscribed funerary poem itself, known as the "Epitaph of Abercius" or the "Abercius Inscription."

Significance The inscription is a historically crucial, public declaration of Christian faith from the Roman imperial period [1][2]. It provides early evidence for the geographical spread of Christian communities, their self-conception as a universal church, and their use of symbolic language, such as "the Fish" for Christ and references to the Eucharist [1][2]. Rediscovered in the late 19th century, a copy is housed in the Lateran Museum [1][2].

Sources 1. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University): https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/abercius/ 2. Encyclopædia Britannica (Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.): https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abercius