Capitalis monumentalis

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Inscription in the Arch of Titus , created around 81, in the font Capitalis monumentalis
Inscription of the Trajan Column

The Capitalis monumentalis is a Roman monumental script from antiquity. It is also according to their primary writing material as a lapidary (lat. Lapis called "stone") and is a pure majuscule , focusing initially in the design of inscriptions has developed.

The proportions of the letters of the Capitalis monumentalis are based on a square. The letters A, O, Q and V correspond exactly to a square; the rest are derived from it in a certain ratio. The proportions correspond to those of the Capitalis quadrata with the difference that the letter lines of the Capitalis have a different style .

In palaeography and epigraphy , the two terms are differentiated only according to their writing material: Capitalis quadrata (also Capitalis elegans ) is used in books - earlier on papyrus or parchment -, Capitalis monumentalis or Scriptura monumentalis on stone, metal, etc. Also the second variant of Capitalis has accordingly different names: canonized capitalis ( Capitalis rustica ) in books, Scriptura actuaria in inscriptions.

The Capitalis Monumentalis only knows capital letters and neither word spacing nor hyphenation. Small hyphenation points are usually used to separate words .

Probably the best-known surviving example of this typeface, which was felt to be particularly worthy of imitation during the Renaissance , is the inscription on Trajan's Column from the 2nd century. Carol Twombly was inspired by the Capitalis Monumentalis for her Adobe Trajan font .

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