ancient latin translation II
February 21, 2010 9:33 PM   Subscribe

I have a lead medallion (about 150mm dia) which has the following inscription : side #1 ESAVO MC SM [] SORDCMPUAESE {picture of a pikeman} SV side#2 PCM POMEVSAVSEBVCIM * 1309 * {picture of a king} ED The A/R and U/V are a bit interchangable and the last M has three loops. Please find some scans here If anyone could translate or tell me more about it I would be very grateful. All the best Dren
posted by Dren to Writing & Language (7 answers total)
 
Here's the old thread.

Where did you get the medal?
posted by Kattullus at 9:58 PM on February 21, 2010


150mm?
posted by aqsakal at 12:49 AM on February 22, 2010


For starters, it's not Ancient Latin; if it's Latin at all, it's some bastardized medieval form, but it doesn't really look like Latin. On the other hand, it doesn't really look like anything else either. It could be an illiterate person imitating inscriptions from another source (this happens a lot), in which case it wouldn't mean anything other than "Look! This lord is prestigious enough to have this fancy writing stuff on his medals!" But you really need to have someone knowledgeable in medieval letter forms look at it; let's hope such a person sees this thread.
posted by languagehat at 7:04 AM on February 22, 2010


Response by poster: I was given it by my Great Uncle many years ago, he said he found it in his garden in Abridge Essex when gardening.

It's maybe closer to 100mm than 150mm, say about 4" diameter

I thought that SORD meant vile, SAVO was savior, PUASES pure and POMEUS potatoes... etc that means the translation becomes "Save me from vile pure potatoes salt and vinegar only please 1306" I am not sure that's right though so any other suggestions greatly welcomed
posted by Dren at 5:17 AM on February 23, 2010


Potatoes didn't make it to Europe from the Americas until the 16th Century. You might be thinking of the latin word 'pomum' which means 'fruit.'
posted by Kattullus at 5:46 AM on February 23, 2010


Response by poster: Save me from vile pure fruit salt and vinegar only please"

Nah that's silly
posted by Dren at 10:41 PM on February 23, 2010


> I thought that SORD meant vile, SAVO was savior, PUASES pure and POMEUS potatoes...

No, none of that is right. As I say, it doesn't seem to be Latin.
posted by languagehat at 6:56 AM on February 24, 2010


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