German translation

Translation source: Lüderitz-Reynolds, 1983

(Jahr) . . ., 5.Phamenoth, zur Amtszeit der Archonten Arimmas des . . ., Dorion des Ptolemaios, Zelaios des Gnaeus, Ariston des Araxa- . . ., Serapion des Andromachos, Nikias des . . . . . . des Simon. Da Valerius Dionysius des Gaius . . . . . . stets ein edler und gutr Mann ist . . . und Gutes tut, . . .(?) wo immer es vermag, allgemein und privat, einem jeden der Bürger und darüber hinaus den Boden des Amphitheaters weissen und die Wande bemalen liess, beschlossen die Archonten und das Politeuma der Juden in Berenike, ihn enzutragen in das . . . der . . . , und dass er befreit sein soll von allen öffentlichen Diensten; desgleichen ihn zu bekränzen bei jeder Zusammenkunft und (an jedem) Neumond nit einem Kranz aus Olivenzweigen und Wollband, namentlich. Diesen Beschluss mögen die Archonten aufschreiben lassen auf eine Stele aus parischem Stein und aufstellen lassen am auffallendsten Platz des Amphitheaters.

Alle (Stimmsteine) weiss.

Decimus Valerius Dionysius des Gaius hat den Boden Weissen lassen und das Amphitheater, und (es) bemalen lassen auf eigene Kosten, als (freiwilligen) Beitrag für das Politeuma

English translation

Translation source: Williams, 1988

(Year) -3 . . . Phamenoth 5, in the archonship of Arimmas son of (name lost); Dorion son of Ptolemy; Zelaios (scil. son) of Gnaios; Ariston son of Arax[ . . .]; Sarapion (scil. son) of Andromachos; Nikias son of (name lost); (name lost): since Dekmos Oulaerios Dionysios son of Gaios . . . remains a fine and good man [in word and deed and inclination] and does good, whenever he can, both publicly and privately, to each of the citizens, and has plastered the floor of the amphitheatre and decorated the walls with paintings, the archons and the politeuma of the Jews in Berenice have decided to enrol him in the . . . of the . . . and exempt him from all liturgies (i.e. public duties in the Jewish community). Likewise (they have decided) to crown him 'by name' at each meeting and New Moon with a wreath of olive leaves and (a fillet of) wool. After inscribing this decree on a stele of Parian stone (i.e. marble) the archons are to place it in the most conspicuous part of the amphitheatre.

All (the voting pebbles) white (i.e. decided unanimously).

Dekmos Oualerios (i.e. Decimus Valerius) Dionysios (scil. son) of Gaios, has plastered the floor and the amphitheatre and painted it at his own expense as a contribution to the politeuma.

English translation

Translation source: Runesson, 2008

In the year . . . 3, on the 5th of Phamenoth, during the offices of Arimmas, son of . . ., Dorion, son of Ptolemaios; Zelaios, son of Gnaius, Ariston, son of Araxa . . ., Serapion, son of Andromachos, Nikias, son of . . ., N, son of Simon. Whereas Decimus Valerius Dionysius, son of Gaius . . ., who continues to be a noble and good man in word and deed and by nature, doing whatever good he can, both publicly and privately, to each of the citizens; and especially in that he plastered the floor of the amphitheatre (amphitheatron) and decorated its walls: therefore the rulers (archontes) and the community (politeuma) of the Jews in Berenice and its vicinity have resolved to record him in the . . . of the . . . and that (in the future) he be excused from all public works; and likewise that at each regualr assembly (synodos) and each new moon he also be crowned by name with an olive crown and a woolen band. When they have inscribed this vote on a stele of Parian stone the rulers (archontes) are to erect it in the most prominent place in the amphitheatre.

All stones white.

Decimus Valerius Dionysios, son of Gaius, plastered the floor and the amphitheatre (amphitheatron) and decorated it at his own expense as a gift to the community (politeuma).

Commentary

The document records a decree of the Jewish politeuma honouring a Roman citizen who is likely to be one of its members, for services to the citizens of Berenike.

Lines 1-5: The number of archons in the Berenike politeuma varied. There seem here to be seven, but nine appear in B.75 and 10 in B.45.

Lines 6, 22: The absence of a tribe for C. Valerius Dionysius suggested to Roux that he may have been a freedman; but the Roman tribal citation is too often omitted in Cyrenaica for such a conclusion.

Line 6: Dobias-Lalou (op.cit.) suggests a version of the Latin praepotens.

Lines 10, 20: Amphitheatre: also B.75, line 27. Robert, Gladiateurs, p.34 n.1 denied the possibility of a Jewish association with the civic amphitheatre and suggested that the building in which they placed their honorary decrees was their 'meeting-house', called an amphitheatre because of its shape; Roux inclined to agree because it appears that the Jews were under obligation as a group to maintain the amphitheatre, which if it were a civic building, implies closer relations between Jews and Greeks than would have been expected, and because the work executed by Dionysius - stuccoing the floor and painting the walls - is not obviously appropriate to an amphitheatre, in the true sense of the word. G. Caputo, however, (loc. cit.) has presented evidence for stucco on the floor of the theatre at Lepcis Magna and wall paintings in the amphitheatre at Ptolemais. E. Gabba (loc. cit.) added the argument that the word amphitheatre was too new in the Augustan period to have acquired the metaphorical sense proposed; the synagogue is apparently described by that name in line 7, as well as B.45. There is evidence for Jews in places of public entertainment at Miletus and at Aphrodisias. It may also be relevant that the context against which Dionysios' work is set appears to be one of benevolence to the whole citizen body of Berenike.

Line 19: For Parian marble in Cyrenaica see also B.45, B.75, C.737, with Robert, Hellenica XI-XII, p.119.

Images

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