Corpus Agrimensorum, Extracts from UEA

FAUSTUS and VALERIUS

(ed. LACHMANN p. 307-308)

Faustus and Valerius describe their experience of surveying in north Africa. The passage is notable for its insistence upon symbols (even those buried in the ground) as the true essence of the system.

Per Gallias et per Africam. Dum per Africam assigneramus, circa Chartaginem in aliquibus locis terminos rariores constituimus, ut inter se habeant pedes IICCCC. In limitibus vero, ubi rariores terminos constituimus, monticellos plantavimus de terra, quos botontinos appellavimus. Et intra ipsis carbones et cinus et testa tusa cooperuimus.	Across the Gauls and across Africa. When we assigned (land) across Africa, around Carthage, in certain places we set up termini further apart, at 2,400 feet. But on the limites themselves, where we had set up these widely spaced termini, we planted small mounds of earth, which we called botontini. And the inside of these we covered entirely with charcoal, cinders and crushed potsherds.
Trifinium quam maxime quando constituimus cum signis, id est cinus aut carbines et calce ibidem construximus, et super duximus, et super toxam monticellum constituimus,	The meeting point of three (property) boundaries we set up as quickly as possible with signs, i.e. we put together cinders, charcoal and lime in the same place, and straightaway we set up a small mound above the point.
in Chartagine et in provintia s(ua), quam maxime olivastellum et cotoneum et sabucum in finem constituimus, et circa sabucum monticellos constituimus, sicut superius scripsimus, cum signis et sigillis quam maxime.	At Carthage and in its province we set up a small oleaster, a quince and an elder on as many boundaries as possible, and around the elder we set up small mounds, as described above, with as many signs and marks as possible.
Fines ut sint breves in provintiis et per montibus saxuosis limites de lapides constituimus. Et in aliquibus locis murum de lapides fecimus constringere, ex calce et harena fundamenta quam maxime.	So that boundaries would be established quickly in the provinces and in stony hills, we set up limites with stones, and in some places we caused stone walls to be piled up, with foundations of as much lime and sand as possible
In alios fines nihil posuimus, sed ex opera fossas fecimus mitti in alto. Alios fines, quos sursum monte diteximus, in XII pedes latitiam constituimus propter ripae ruinam.	On other boundaries we put nothing, but we caused deep ditches to be dug. To other boundaries, which we traced over a hill, we gave a width of 12 feet, because of the destruction of the slopes (?erosion).

Ancient Landscapes, Information Systems and Computers

Translation by John Peterson with help from the French translation of Peyras, J. 1983. Paysages agraires et centuriations dans le bassin de l'Oued Tine (Tunisie du nord). Antiquités africaines 19, 209-253 (p 218, note 34).

Corrections would be very welcome.

Last updated on 13 August 2009 by John Peterson

(e-mail j.peterson@uea.ac.uk)