Salona AD 541: Sarcophagus of vaginarius (scabbard maker) Saturninus, fabrica Salonitana armorum and the plague of Justinian*

Sa？etak The article describes the inscription on the lid of the sarcophagus discovered in Vranjic during the development-led archaeological excavations carried out in 2007. The inscription mentions the married couple Saturninus and Justina who died in the summer of 541. Saturninus was a vaginarius, i.e. a maker of scabbards, which is an occupation rarely mentioned in epigraphic sources. Sixth century Salona saw the practice of producing inscriptions which mention the occupation of the deceased more often than in other periods, and this inscription fits the pattern. The inscription was dated absolutely by consular year, indictional year, date and day of the week, which makes it thus far the most precisely dated antique inscription in Dalmatia. The authors believe that the reference to a scabbard maker points to the continuing operation of the military factory in Salona (fabrica Salonitana armorum) during the 6th century, the existence of which was confirmed in the 4th and 5th centuries by Notitia Dignitatum and one other inscription. The stylistic features of this inscription were used to narrowly date another military inscription on the sarcophagus which could be linked to the Byzantine-Gothic War waged in the Salona area around 535. Since both occupants of the sarcophagus died around the same time, it is believed they could have been victims of violent death or some acute illness. During that time, between 541 and 543, the so-called Plague of Justinian was recorded on the Mediterranean, which killed around a quarter of the population. Salona was a port city and the plague, which had already spread across the Mediterranean from Egypt, could have reached it by ship, already by the summer of 541