Monty Python and the Toutonenstein

[Sequens]

I find this relic very interesting and also a bit mysterious. I wonder if any of you are familiar with it or have heard any recent theories on what it was, or actually what it was intended to be. It was never finished. What it always brings to mind for me is a scene in the film 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail'. It is the one where they are reading an carved in inscription on a cave wall that trails off with the letters spelling Ahhhhhh. Like it was written as he was dying.

 

It was found on a hilltop area above a cohort castle at Miltenberg Germany along the furthest extent of the Limes. The hilltop contained a roman temple and the remains of an earlier Keltic ringwall. It is in the museum in the town with copies in Rome and Sallburg. I believe it was found at least partially buried in a ditch section of the ringwall in 1878. The inscription is unfinished and reads:

 

INTER

TOVTONOS

C

A

H

F (or I)

 

It is unusual, possibly unique, in its needle shape (and about 13 feet high if I remember right) and in the spelling of the word Toutonos. The most likely theory I have heard so far is that it is a border marker of some sort between the Romans and the 'Toutonos' whoever they are. Some think it is a variation of Teutons and meant perhaps the germans in general. I have also read it might have been a Keltic tribe, but that seems unlikely. That it is a fairly large work, and unfinished makes it possible that it was actually interupted by the Alemmani overrunning the area around 260 AD. I am not sure if the fort was recovered temporarily before being permanently abandoned when the Romans fell back to the Rhine in this part of Germany.

 

I hope I am not repeating something already posted !

 

[Melvadius]

My German isn't too hot but from a scan of the net it appears that there are several conflicting theories about what the abbreviations may stand for. There may well be more but I did find the following options:

 

C(ivitatemque) A(uderiensium) h(oc) i(ter)

 

Or

 

C(imbros) A(m- brones) H(arudes) an c(ivitatem) A( ) H( ) ?jf(initum)

 

Any takers for which is more likely?

[Sequens]

C(ivitatemque) A(uderiensium) h(oc) i(ter)

Or

C(imbros) A(m- brones) H(arudes) an c(ivitatem) A( ) H( ) ?jf(initum)

Any takers for which is more likely?

 

Wow. I have never seen an attempt to fill in the missing words. I do not understand the latin except the 3 names of tribes. The Cimbri and Ambrones along with the Teutons are mentioned together with an early invasion, but I haven't looked yet to see how the Harudes might fit in. Can you tell me what the other words translate to ?

 

btw. Did you see the odd symbol to the right of the lower portion of the inscription ? I have never seen that identified either. My photo above does enlarge to a clearer size in case that helps.

[Melvadius]

My Latin is extremely rusty so hopefully one of the others with better Latin will correct this if i am wrong.

 

From memory "hoc" can mean "this" while I think "iter" corresponds to "way" or "route". Combined with "civitatis" (usually "settlement of Roman citizens") will equate to something like "the settlement of X is this way".

 

"Finimitus" I think translates as adjacent or neighbouring, which may be where the interpretation as a boundary marker comes in if the abbreviations are tribal names.

 

The "?" mark in the second attempted interpretation of the Latin simply is an indication of uncertainty over precisely what letter was originally inscribed in the stone. This in turn confirms the reason for the ambiguity and divergance of opinions on what the abbreviations stand for.