DISC. - The term discus or missorium, and improperly bouclier ("shield"), is customarily used to designate a concave platter of silver or another precious material, of varying size, with relief scenes that are mythological, historical, symbolic or of genre. The word missorium belongs to the language of late Latinity and is found in an inventory of silverware discovered in Gaul, in Gregory of Tours

DISCO - D. of the Byzantine-Slavic type with the supports for the veil. Rome, Pontifical Russian College of St. Teresa of the Child Jesus.
(Ist. Enc. Catt.)

(Hist. Francor., IV, 2; VII, 4), in Isidore of Seville (Etymologiae, XX, 4, De vasis escariis: PL 82, 715), who indicates the use of this utensil: "Missorium vocatum a mensa, per derivationem quasi mensorium." This object, which in literary sources is variously named and is characteristic of the Roman imperial period, has come down to us in numerous examples from a chronological period extending approximately from the mid-4th century A.D. to the mid-6th. It was offered as a gift by emperors, consuls and high officials to their friends, on the occasion of festivals or other events, and generally served as a saucer. In the Christian world it has a predominantly votive character and becomes part of the treasures of basilicas. Worthy of particular mention are the d. of Valentinian I, found in the vicinity of Geneva, with the figure of the emperor among six soldiers; the d. of Theodosius, found in Estremadura, with the emperor seated between Valentinian II and the young Arcadius; the d. with the figure of Ardaburius Aspar, a barbarian who was consul under Theodosius, coming from the territory of Cosa (Etruria). A considerable quantity of silver plates has been found in Russia and on the island of Cyprus: worth noting is the one found in the catacomb of Kerch, from the first half of the 6th century, with the engraved representation of the triumph of an unidentified emperor, and the Cypriot series with episodes from the life of David, from the 6th century.

Bibliography7 works

BIBL.: E. Saglio, Disque, in Ch.-V. Daremberg - E. Saglio, Dictionn. des antiq. grecques et romaines, II, 1, p. 277 ff.; E. Pottier, Missorium, 2, in op. cit., III, p. 1941; Venturi, I, p. 546 ff.; O. M. Dalton, Byzantine art and archaeology, Oxford 1911, p. 563 ff.; H. Leclercq, Disque, in DACL, IV, 1, coll. 1173-91; id., David., in loc. cit., coll. 295-303; P. Ducati, L'arte in Roma, Rome 1938, p. 382 ff.

Luigi Maria Catteruccia

@incollection{ec4_disco, author = {Catteruccia, Luigi Maria}, title = {Disco}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {IV}, pages = {1744--1745}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1950}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/disco} }

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