IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.120. Dedication to Augustus and to one of his children

Description: Parts of two series of marble panels; a made up of nine fragments, b made up of three.
Text: Inscribed on one face within a sunk area (0.105). a. is distinguished from b. mainly by the wider spacing of the letters. In a., i. contains the first letter in the panel, ix. the last letters in the panel. In b., iii. is made of two adjoining panels.
Letters: Augustan - first century CE, 0.10.

Date: Between 12 BCE and 14 CE

Findspot: Cyrene: Agora: found between 1916-1941, they had formed part of the panelling apparently of two altars.
Original location: Findspot.
Last recorded location: a.ix has been placed in its supposed position in the panelling of the structure in front of the northern Portico (2008).The majority of the other pieces lie now in the Agora square, a.iii and b.iii are in late buildings to the East.

Interpretive

a
(It is possible to reconstruct a text from these fragments on the following lines:)
Α[ὐ]το[κρ]άτορι [Κ]α[ίσαρι θεῶ υἱ]ῷ θ[εῷ Σεβα]στῷ ἀ[ρχιε]ρεῖ ( vac. 1) [τὸ]ν βωμὸν [οἱ Κυραναῖοι ἱδρύσαν]το
b
[---] Καίσαρος Σε[βασ]τῶ παιδ[ὶ ---?τὸν βωμὸν οἱ Κυραναῖοι] ἱδρύσαντο

Diplomatic

a
(It is possible to reconstruct a text from these fragments on the following lines:)
Α[.]ΤΟ[..]ΑΤΟΡΙ[.]Α[..........]ΩΘ[......]ΣΤΩΑ[....]ΡΕΙ  [..]ΝΒΩΜΟΝ[..................]ΤΟ
b
[---]ΚΑΙΣΑΡΟΣΣΕ[...]ΤΩΠΑΙΔ[.---?...................]ΙΔΡΥΣΑΝΤΟ

English translation

Translation by: Editors

(a): For Emperor Caesar, son of a god, deified Augustus, high priest (i.e. pontifex maximus), the Cyrenaeans set up the altar.

(a): [For ? ], child of Caesar Augustus [ . . . the Cyrenaeans] set up [the altar].

Commentary

(a): If the title ἀρχιερεύς is rightly restored the date must be later than 6 March 12 BCE We can find no other explanation the letters in fragment iv, ΩΘ than by suggesting that Augustus was himself called θεὸς, as happened during his lifetime in a number of places in the East of the empire.

(b) was clearly from an altar set up to one of the adoptive sons of Augustus but is too fragmentary for serious reconstruction. Since only one child is involved the reference is likely to be either Gaius Caesar from his adoption in BCE to CE 4, e. g. Γαίῳ Καισαρι Αὐτοκράτορος] Καίσαρος Σεβάστῳ παιδί, or Tiberius (CE 4-14) who is described as θεοῦ Σεβαστοῦ παῖδα in IGRR IV.72 (PHI 75225, at Eresos). The existence of other dedications to Tiberius made in Cyrene between CE 4 and 14 (C.118, C.225, C.226, ?C.111) strongly suggests that he was the subject here, but Julia also cannot be excluded - she is called παῖς at Mitylene in IGRR IV.64 (PHI): Ἰουλίαν, παῖδα Αὐτοκράτορος Καίσαρος θέω Σεβάστω.

Bibliography:
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

   Fig. 1. View (Department of Antiquities, G. 59)

   Fig. 2. View, left end (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 3. a,i (Reynolds VIII.84)

   Fig. 4. a, i (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 5. a,ii (Reynolds VIII.85)

   Fig. 6. a,ii (Reynolds, II.27.2)

   Fig. 7. a,ii (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 8. a,? (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 9. a,? (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 10. a,iii (Reynolds, II.27.1)

   Fig. 11. a, iii (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 12. a, iii (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 13. a,iv (Reynolds VIII.83)

   Fig. 14. a, iv (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 15. a,v (Reynolds VIII.82)

   Fig. 16. a,v (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 17. a,v (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 18. a,v (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 19. a,vi (Reynolds, II.29.2)

   Fig. 20. a,vi (Reynolds, VIII.87)

   Fig. 21. a, vi (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 22. a,vii (Reynolds VIII.86)

   Fig. 23. a,vii (Reynolds, II.26)

   Fig. 24. a, vii (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 25. a, vii (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 26. a,ix (Reynolds VIII.90)

   Fig. 27. a,ix (Reynolds VIII.89)

   Fig. 28. a, ix (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 29. b,i (Reynolds VIII.92)

   Fig. 30. b,i (Reynolds, II.28.2)

   Fig. 31. b, i (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 32. b,ii (Reynolds, VIII.88)

   Fig. 33. b,ii (Reynolds, II.29.1)

   Fig. 34. b, ii (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 35. b,iii (Reynolds, II.28.1)

   Fig. 36. b, iii (2008, H.Walda)