epitaphium

Epitaphium is a historical term used in Latin to denote an inscription on a tomb or grave marker, or the text of such an inscription. The word derives from the Greek epitaphion, and the Latin form epitaphium appears in scholarly texts on inscriptions.

In epigraphy, epitaphium can refer to the inscription itself or to a body of inscriptions from a particular site. Epitaphia are commonly found on stone grave markers, sarcophagi, and cenotaphs from ancient Rome and Greece, as well as later medieval Europe. They often combine biographical information, dates, genealogical notes, or religious or commemorative invocations, sometimes composed in verse.

Scholars analyze epitaphia to understand linguistic features, rhetorical forms, social status, and cultural practices surrounding death. The term epitaphium is primarily encountered in historical or philological discussions; in modern English usage, epitaph remains the standard term for the brief commemorative inscription on a tomb.

Cognate terms exist in related languages, and the concept is central to epigraphy and the study of inscribed monuments.

See also: Epitaph, Epigraphy, Inscriptions.