ome expression marking
the happiness of the couple's married life.

The epithets applied to the deceased indicate strong affection, and
the eulogies are sometimes extravagant.

The occupation or position in life is stated, with the proper titles,
in many dated Christian epitaphs. But they are all, it is supposed,
later than the time of Constantine.

The same designations of the place of burial and of the tomb are found
in both Christian and Pagan epitaphs.

Acclamations or expressions of good wishes or prayers to or for the
deceased frequently occur in the inscriptions.

The letters also of these inscriptions are usually very irregular.
They are from half an inch to four inches in height, colored in the
incision with a pigment resembling Venetian red. The sense, too, of
the inscriptions is not always very obvious. An extreme simplicity of
language and sentiment is the prevailing characteristic of the earlier
inscriptions. But, on the other hand, exaggerated examples of the
opposite style are occasionally met with.

Another peculiarity in these Christian inscriptions is the disuse of
the three names usually assumed by the Romans. M. de Rossi has given
twenty inscriptions with the names complete, prior to Constantine. Of
these, no fewer than seventeen have praenomina, whereas after
Constantine praenomina may be said entirely to disappear.

The year is usually indicated by the names of the consuls. The
abbreviation COS for "consulibus" was in use up to the middle of the
third century, when COSS, CONS, and CONSS began to be adopted; COS is
very seldom found during the fourth century, and almost never in the
fifth or sixth; COSS fell into disuse about the first quarter of the
fifth century, and after that CONS was used; in the time of Diocletian
with S for one consul and SS for two. At the same time CC. SS. CS were
introduced, but they were very rarely used in the fifth, and there is
scarcely an example of them in the sixth. From about the middle of the
fourth century CONS began to be placed before instead of after the
names, and this usage became the prevalent custom in the fifth and
sixth.

At the date of the discovery of the Roman catacombs, the whole body of
known Christian inscriptions collected from all parts of Italy fell
far short of a thousand in number. Of these, too, not a single one was
of subterranean origin, and not dated earlier than A.D. 553. At
present the Christian inscriptions of Rome on catacomb