Studien zu den kaiserzeitlichen Grabinschriften aus Termessos (Pisidien)

Zur Höhe der Grabbußen

Abstract

Thousands of funerary inscriptions from imperial Asia Minor mention fines to be paid by those who ignored the stipulations the tomb builder had made for the use of their tomb. The sums to be paid vary between a few hundred and several ten thousand denarii. This contribution uses the exceptionally substantial material from Termessos in Pisidia to study the reasons behind this wide range of fines. A quantifying analysis of more than 500 examples reveals that, contrary to what has often been assumed, inflation had no impact on the fines imposed at Termessos. The crucial criterion was the social status of the tomb builder and his family. Members of the urban elite tended to set particularly high fines, whereas people of lower social status, such as slaves, imposed low ones.