German translation

Translation source: Lüderitz-Reynolds, 1983

Jahr 55, 25.Phaoph, bei der Versammlung des Laubhüttenfestes, zur Amtszeit der Archonten Kleandros des Stratonikos, Euphranor des Ariston, Sosigenes des Sosippos, Andromachos des Andromachos, Marcus Laelius Onasion des Apollonios, Philonides des Hagemon, Autokles des Zenon, Sonikos des Theodotos, Joseph des Straton: Da Marcus Tittius, Sohn des Sextus, (aus der tribus) Aemilia, ein edler und guter Mann, seit er das Amt des Präfekten über öffentliche Angelegeheiten antrat, deren Leitung gütig und recht ausübte und im Lebenswandel stets einen ruhigen Charakter an den Tag legt und sich nicht nur darin als nicht beschwerlich erwiesen hat, sondern auch der Bürger gegenüber, dies sich privat an ihn wenden, und da er ausserdem gegenüber den Juden aus unserem Politeuma allgemein und privat eine nützliche Leitung ausübt, und so nicht aufhört, sich seiner eigenen edlen Guute würdig zu verhalten - deswegen beschlossen die Archonten und das Politeuma der Jusen in Berenike, ihn zu loben und zu bekränzen, namentlich, bei jeder Zusammenkunft und (am jeden) Neumond mit einem Kranz aus Olivenzweigen und Wollband, und dass die Archonten des Beschluss aufshreiben lassen auf eine Stele aus parischen Stein und aufstellen lassen am auffallendsten Platz des Amphitheaters. Alle (Stimmsteine) weiss.

English translation

Translation source: Baldwin-Bowsky, 1987

In the fifty-fifth year, on the twenty-fifth day of Phaophi, during the Assembly of the Tabernacles, in the archonship of Cleander son of Stratonikos, Euphranor son of Ariston, Sosigenes son of Sosippos, Andromachos son of Andromachos, M. Laelius Onasion son of Apollonios, Philonodos son of Agemon, Autocles son of Zeno, Sonicos son of Theodotos, Josepos son of Straton: whereas M. Tittius Sex.f. Aem., a good and noble man, come to the province on affairs of government administration, provided for their administration in a humane and noble way, and displaying in the turmoil an even temper always managed to bring it about not only that he show himself not burdensome in these circumstances but also that, while providing an administration well-disposed toward the Jews of our community, too, both as a body and individually, he did not neglect doing things worthy of his personal virtue: therefore it seemed right to the archons and to the community of Jews in Berenice that he be praised and crowned by name at each sabbath and new moon with an olive crown and a woolen fillet; and that the archons inscribe the decree on a stele of Parian marble and place it in the most conspicuous spot of the amphitheater. All in favor.

English translation

Translation source: Williams, 1988

Year 55, Phaophi 25, at the assembly of the Feast of the Tabernacles (skenopegia), in the archonship of Kleandros (scil. son) of Stratonikos; Euphranor (scil. son) of Ariston; Sosigenes (scil. son) of Sosippos; Andromachos (scil. son) of Andromachos; Markos Lailios Onasion (scil. son) of Apollonios; Philonides (scil. son) of Hagemon; Autokles (scil. son) of Zenon; Sonikos (scil. son) of Theodotos; Iosepos (scil. son) of Straton: because Markos Tittios, son of Sextos, of the Aemilian tribe, a worthy and excellent man, since coming to the province to administer public affairs has directed their governance with benevolence and skill and in his behaviour consistently shown himself to be of an eirenic disposition and has behaved unoppressively both in these (public matters) and with regard to those of the citizens who have approached him privately, and because for the Jews of our politeuma both publicly and privately his administration has been useful and he has not ceased to perform deeds in keeping with his own essential nobility of character, therefore the archons and the politeuma of the Jews in Berenice have decided to laud him and crown him 'by name' at each gathering and each New Moon with a wreath of olive leaves and (a fillet of) wool. The archons are to inscribe the decree on a stele of Parian stone (i.e. marble) and to place it in the most conspicuous part of the amphitheatre. All (pebbles) white (i.e. decided unanimously)

English translation

Translation source: Runesson, 2008

In the year 55, on the 25th of Phaoph, during the assembly of the Feast of the Tabernacles, during the offices of Cleandros, son of Stratonicos, Euphranor, son of Ariston, Sosigenes, son of Sosippos, Andromachos, son of Andromachos, Marcus Laelius Onasion, son of Apollonios, Philonides, son of Hagemon, Autocles, son of Zenon, Sonicos, son of Theodotos and Iosepos, son of Straton. With regards to Marcus Tittius, son of Sextos, (from the tribe of) Aemilia, a noble and good man: whereas he has assumed the office of prefect over public affairs.he has exercised just and kind leadership, and has always displayed a peaceful demeanour in his daily affairs; whreas he has not been burdensome to the citizens who petition him privately; and whereas he has not himself ceased to act worthily with his own noble kindness; therefore it seemed well to the rulers (archontes) and to the community (politeuma) of the Jews in Berenice both to honour him and to crown him by name at each regular assembly (synodos) and each newmon with an olive crown and woollen band and that the rulers (archontes) should inscribe the vote on a stele of Parian stone and place it in the most prominent place in the amphitheatre. All (stones) white.

Commentary

Line 1 gives the date as year 55, Phaophi 25. Two eras are possible - the Cyrenaican/Berenican one that began after the death of Ptolemy Apion in 96 BCE, which would make this the year 41 BCE, or the Actian, making it CE 24; the presence of a man with Roman citizenship among the officials listed in the preamble (ll. 5-6) is probably a reason for preferring the later date; but see below on the function of the honorand. The day is c. 24 October.

Line 22 gives the city name in the form Βερενίκη.

The document records a decree of the Jewish community in Berenice, passed at the Feast of the Tabernacles, when nine named officials (ἄρχοντες) held office. The decree honours a Roman, present in the province on public business, for the excellence of his administration and for benevolence to the citizens of Berenice, his behaviour to the Jewish politeuma being an instance of this. Like B.45, this document provides information about the internal organisation of the Jewish group; but only points concerning its relation to the city as a whole will be noted here.

Since nine archons are listed as compared with ten in B.45, S. Applebaum has argued that the group was a little smaller than it became by Nero's reign. Its connections with its Greek neighbours are already apparent: already specifically Jewish names are rare and there are a number which are characteristic of Cyrenaean Greek usage (thus Apollonius, Ariston, Euphranor, Hagemon); while the formulae used in the decree and the honours conferred are essentially those of any Greek city of the time, the description of the favourable votes in line 28 appears to be lifted from local Greek practice (cf. its occurrence in a civic decree at Tauchira, IGCyr 669, and in a Greek village decree in the territory of Cyrene, M.245; outside Cyrenaica it seems to be rare, see LSJ, s.v.); further the grounds for the honours are services to the city of Berenice as a whole. As in B.45, the impression is of a group seeking a measure of integration with the Greeks.

There has been a controversy over the honorand, M. Tittius, Sexti f., and his position; see Thomassen, Laterculi 38.011. It is commonly argued that his nomen is misspelt for Titius, so that he can be identified conjecturally with a son or grandson of the Sex. Titius who was probably quaestor to Antony in 43 BCE (http://romanrepublic.ac.uk/person/2724) ; but the nomen Tittius is also attested, so that this suggestion should be treated with reserve. .His position is clearly one of authority, but it is noticeable that he is not given the title of one of the normal officials of the provincial government - proconsul, quaestor, legatus, proconsul; it is possible that the normal system had been interrupted (more likely in 41 BCE than in CE 24, no doubt), but the abnormality could perhaps be explained, on lines already adumbrated by S. Applebaum, if Tittius were a publicanus concerned with ager publicus (which is, in fact, attested in the hinterland of Berenice).

Line 26: For Parian marble in Cyrenaica see also B.76, B.45, C.737, with Robert, Hellenica XI-XII, p.119.

Line 27: For the amphitheatre in which the inscribed stele was to be erected, see on B.76.

Images

   Fig. 1. Face (Olybrius [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons)