Romaic Sarcophagus

Η ιστορία του μνημείου

The Roman Sarcophagus, which is currently located in front of the Ermioni Sub-Port Authority building, is an important archaeological artifact of late antiquity, specifically the Roman Period (3rd–4th century AD). It is a large marble sarcophagus lid that came to light during the construction of the OTE building in Ermioni, behind the then rural clinic of the city. This covered monument has a special morphology and appears to have been carved from Asia Minor, probably as a marketable product for funerary use, but was never fully completed before being used. The sculpted lid of the sarcophagus bears representations of two figures – a man and a woman – who symbolize the couple of the dead. However, the facial features have not been completed, because in antiquity they used to add the portrait details at the end of the sculptural processing. The lack of these features suggests that the work was never completed before being transferred or exhibited.
The dating of the monument to the 3rd or 4th century AD places it in the period in which the Roman Empire now acquired full cultural influence in the Greek territory and in particular in the area of ​​Ermionis. The fact that this sarcophagus was found within the fabric of the city shows that funerary practices had been integrated into the public space and the daily life of the local society, according to common Roman funerary traditions.
Today, this monument lies abandoned outside the Ermioni Sub-Port Authority, without being adequately protected as an archaeological find. Despite efforts to highlight it and move or integrate it into a municipal space with appropriate signage and care, it remains in plain sight to this day, nevertheless constituting a valuable witness to the history of the area.
The existence of this Roman sarcophagus in the heart of Ermioni is inextricably linked to the historical diachrony of the city, which was inhabited from antiquity to the late Roman times and maintained strong commercial, economic and cultural relations with the wider Mediterranean. Through this archaeological element we can understand both the burial habits of the inhabitants and the strong presence of Roman influences in the local society of Ermioni.

SOURCES

MUNICIPALITY OF ERMIONIDA – OFFICIAL WEBSITE
“The Sarcophagus of Hermione”
ERMIONI INFO – HISTORY OF HERMIONE
WIKIPEDIA – ERMIONI (ANCIENT HERMIONE)