IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

B.8. Informal dedication

Description: Fragments of painted wall-plaster, found in small pieces fallen from the wall of a room, with B.5, B.5, B.6, B.7, B.8, B.9, B.10, B.11, B.12, B.13, B.14, B.15, B.16, B.17, B.18, B.19, B.20, B.21 B.22, B.23, B.24, B.25, B.26, B.27.
Text: TScratched on painted plaster to the right of B.7.
Letters: Quite neat Greek cursive. Second half of the second or third century CE.

Date: Second half of the second or third century CE

Findspot: Berenike: Sidi Khrebish, Building H At a date late in the life of the house the room must have been open to the public who scratched graffiti on its walls; it seems probable that it had in fact become an hotel.
Original location: Findspot.
Last recorded location: Benghazi Museum.

Interpretive

τὸ πρ[οσ]κύνημα Μ(άρκου) [Λ]ικινίου Πάριδ̣ος ἱεροφάντου

Diplomatic

ΤΟΠΡ[..]ΚΥΝΗΜΑΜ[.]ΙΚΙΝΙΟΥΠΑΡΙ.ΟΣΙΕΡΟΦΑΝΤΟΥ

English translation

Translation by: Editors

The obeisance of Marcus Licinius Paris, hierophant

Commentary

The nomen here may be Μ[α]ικινι̣ου; τοῦ was incorrectly inserted before. Paris (whether M. Licinius or Maecinius) appears to have Roman citizenship. These two examples of devotion (see also B.7) imply the presence of a shrine or image in the room, before which obeisance is made. Conceivably they refer to the Tyche scratched on the wall (see B.10), but Zeus Sarapis seems more probable (see B.9). The Latin graffiti B.4, B.5, B.6 appear to show the Campanian connection continuing late in the second century CE In this text, if Licinius is the correct nomen the writer cannot safely be connected with any area of origin; but Maecinius would provide a South Italian link again. His function as a hierophant was to teach sacred rites in a mystery cult, perhaps that of Zeus Sarapis.

Bibliography: Reynolds, 1974-1975, B.v, whence Robert, Bulletin Épigraphique, 1976.793; Reynolds, 1978, 6.v, whence SEG 28.1554.
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

None available (2020).