Some Latin Inscriptions. IV

Abstract

One of the greatest historical achievements of the last century was the gathering together of the Latin inscriptions scattered over the various countries of Europe and the Mediterranean. The scheme was originated by Kellermann of Copenhagen (1805–37), who spent the last nine years of his life collecting inscriptions in Italy. It was taken up by members of the French Academy and finally carried through by the Berlin Academy. Many scholars, French, German, and Italian, had prepared the way by publishing collections of inscriptions; and the plan of the two scholars Zumpt, uncle and nephew, who were entrusted with the early preparations did not embrace much more than the rearranging of the published inscriptions. In 1847 a comprehensive scheme—the compilation of a corpus of inscriptions whether already published or not—was submitted to the Berlin Academy by Theodor Mommsen. In 1853 final approval was given and in 1863 appeared the first volume of the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, consilio et auctoritate Academiae litterarum regiae Borussicae editum .