Tabula Bantina
The Tabula Bantina is a bronze tablet and one of the major sources for ancient Oscan, an extinct Indo-European language closely related to Latin. It was discovered in 1790 near Banzi, in the Italian region of Basilicata. It now may be found in the Naples Archaeological Museum.
Another piece of this broken bronze tablet, Fragment Adamesteano, shows a hole that a nail went through that affixed the tablet to a wall. The patterns of writing around this hole on each side helped to determine that the Latin side was the original, and that the other side of the already inscribed tablet was then put to use for the Oscan inscription. It was discovered by Mario Torelli in 1967, and it appears to be the bottom part of the original piece. It now resides in the Venosa National Archaeological Museum.
Discovery
The tablet was found in 1790 on the hill Monte Montrone, in the territory of Oppido Lucano, among the finds from an ancient tomb. It consists of a sheet of bronze in three larger pieces and some smaller fragments. It likely dates between 150 and 100 BCE and is inscribed on both sides.Contents
On one side of the tablet is inscribed a municipal law from the city of Bantia, written in Oscan with Latin characters and 33 lines long, as it is preserved, broken into six paragraphs. On the other side is written a Roman plebiscite in Latin. The Latin text may have been the original one, and the tablet later re-used for the Oscan inscription.Many details of the Oscan legal language suggest influence from Latin legal formulas.
The Oscan text probably dates from around 89 BC but whether it was written before or after the Social War is disputed.
From the Text
First paragraph
Lines 3-8.In Oscan:
In Latin:
In English:
Notes: Oscan carn- "part, piece" is related to Latin carn- "meat", from a Proto-Indo-European root *ker- meaning 'cut'--apparently the Latin word originally meant 'piece.'
Oscan tangin- "judgement, assent" is ultimately related to English 'think'.
The formula senateis tanginud near the beginning of this passage is probably a calque of the common Latin legal forumula de senatus sententia "by decision of the Senate."
Second paragraph
Lines 8–11In Oscan:
In Latin:
In English:
Notes: In line 11, the phrase suae pis contrud exeic fefacust "If anyone shall act counter to this" recurs in line 17 and in line 25, though with a different verb: pruhipust. This again seems to be a word for word borrowing of the Latin legal phrase si quis adversus ea fecerit.
Third Paragraph
In Oscan:In English:
Notes: The Oscan legal phrase perum dolom mallom seems to be a calque of the widespread Latin legal phrase sine dolo malo "without bad intent." Further, "sipus dolom mallom" seems to reflect another common Latin legal phrase, sciens dolo malo "knowingly with bad intent."
The formula suae pis contrud exeic fefacust ionc suae pis herest meddis moltaum licitud ‘If anyone acts contrary to this, if any magistrate shall wish to fine him, it is allowed’ is essentially a word for word translation of the third century Latin legal phrase sei quis aruorsu hac faxit... seiue macsteratus uolet moltare, cetod. ‘If anyone acts contrary to this... if a magistrate wants to impose a fine, it is allowed.’
Fourth Paragraph
In Oscan:In English:
Fifth Paragraph
In Oscan:In English:
Sixth Paragraph
The sixth paragraph is more fragmentary that the first five.In Oscan:
In English:
Fragment Adamesteano
Transcription:]N II EH EX AC LIGUD ALLAM
]HIPUST PANTES CENSAS FUST
]S ACENEI POIZEIPID SPENTUD Q
]S IN EISIUSS DEIV ANS DEAVAT
]ENEIS PERUM DOLUM MALOM
Notes: The exact meaning of this fragment is not completely clear, but it seems to refer to a fine of 1200 pounds in silver, to the census and to an oath.
Note first full phrase and the final phrase, perum dolum malum/d discussed above.
The phrase ex ac ligud seems to be a borrowing of the very common Latin legal phrase ex hac lege "in accordance with this law."