The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 3Browne, Thomas, Sir
Religion
The Works of Sir Thomas Browne, Volume 3
Browne, Thomas, Sir
Christianity; Ethics; Religion and medicine
Out of one was brought unto me a Silver _Denarius_, with the Head of
_Diva Faustina_ on the Obverse side, on the Reverse the Figures of the
Emperor and Empress joining their Right Hands, with this Inscription,
_Concordia_; the same is to be seen in _Augustino_; I also received from
some Men and Women then present Coins of _Posthumus_, and _Tetricus_,
Two of the Thirty Tyrants in the Reign of _Gallienus_, which being of
much later Date, begat an Inference, that _Urne-Burial_ lasted longer,
at least in this Country, than is commonly supposed. Good Authors
conceive, that this Custom ended with the Reigns of the _Antonini_,
whereof the last was _Antoninus Heliogabalus_, yet these Coins extend
about Fourscore Years lower; and since the Head of _Tetricus_ is made
with a radiated Crown, it must be conceived to have been made after his
Death, and not before his Consecration, which as the Learned _Tristan_
Conjectures, was most probably in the Reign of the Emperor _Tacitus_,
and the Coin not made, or at least not issued Abroad, before the Time of
the Emperor _Probus_, for _Tacitus_ Reigned but Six Months and an Half,
his Brother _Florianus_ but Two Months, unto whom _Probus_ succeeding,
Reigned Five Years.
There were also found some pieces of Glass, and finer Vessels, which
might contain such Liquors as they often Buried in, or by, the _Urnes_;
divers Pieces of Brass, of several Figures; and in one _Urne_ was found
a Nail Two Inches long; whither to declare the Trade or Occupation of
the Person, is uncertain. But upon the Monuments of _Smiths_ in
_Gruter_, we meet with the Figures of _Hammers_, _Pincers_, and the
like; and we find the Figure of a _Cobler's_ Awl on the Tomb of one of
that Trade, which was in the Custody of _Berini_, as _Argulus_ hath set
it down in his Notes upon ONUPHRIUS, _Of the Antiquities of_ VERONA.
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