IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.163. Dossier of imperial rescripts of Hadrian and Antoninus

Description: Eight fragments of a white marble stele. The principal fragment measures w: 0.48 x h: 0.89 x d: 0.26; Goodchild reckoned that the complete stele must have been at least w: 0.72 x h: 1.42 (, 139.
Text: Inscribed on the face. From 1. 6 onwards the line length is variable, since the letters are sometimes squeezed up against each other and sometimes strung out. It apparently oscillates between sixty five and eighty letters.
Letters: Second century CE; line 1, 0.03; lines 2-5, 0.015; lines 6 ff, 0.0075. ; lunate sigma, epsilon, omega.

Date: 134-135 CE153-4 CE

Findspot: Cyrene, main fragment found in the re-used in the Byzantine paving of the East Church: Goodchild found seven additional pieces of the stele, all re-used in late buildings, the largest of them re-cut to serve as a column-base in the sixth-century church on the south side of the street. Clearly the stone was broken up and its elements dispersed by builders in the early Byzantine period.
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum: Casa Parisi, no.1640 (Inv. no. 1640)

Interpretive

1
( vac. 3) θεόϲ ( vac. 3) Τύχ[ᾳ ( vac. 3)] Ἀγαθ̣[ᾷ ( vac. 3)]
Αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖϲαρ θεοῦ Τρα[ιανοῦ] Παρθικο[ῦ υἱόϲ, θεοῦ]
Νέρουα υἱωνόϲ, Τραιανὸϲ Ἀδριαν̣[ὸϲ Ϲεβα]ϲτόϲ, ἀρχιε[ρεὺϲ μέγιϲτοϲ],
δημαρχικῆϲ ἐξουϲίαϲ τὸ ιθ´, ὕπατ̣[οϲ τὸ γ´ ], πατὴρ πατρ̣[ίδοϲ]
5 ( vac. 3) Κυρηναίοιϲ ( vac. 3) χαίρ[ειν ( vac. 3)]
ὁ ἄρχων τοῦ Πανελληνίου ἐφθ̣άκει ἐπιϲτεῖλαί μοι π̣[ερὶ τῆϲ ἀ]ξιώϲεωϲ ὑμῶ[ν ϲπουδάζων? c. 13]
τὰ δόξαντά μοι ἀντέ̣γραψα καὶ ὑμεῖν ἔπεμψα τὴν προκ̣[ειμένη?]ν ἀπόκ̣[ριϲιν? c. 17 Ϲαλούιοϲ]
Κᾶροϲ ὁ κράτιϲτοϲ ἀνθύπατοϲ ( vac. 7) εὐτυχεῖ[τε ( vac. ) c. 30 - 40]
δέχεϲθαι δεῖ οὐ μέντοι δίκαια ἀξιοῦϲιν τῶν αὐτῶ̣[ν? c. 40] γέ-
10νοϲ Ἀχαιὸν καὶ ἀκρειβῶϲ Δώριον αὐτοὶ δὲ ἰθ̣α̣γενε̣[ῖϲ c. 36]ον δὲ
προϲεκτήϲαντο τὴν προϲαγορίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐπικρα[τc. 35 τὴ]ν πό-
λιν Κυρηναίων δὴ δύο´ ϲυνέδρουϲ πεμπόντω[ν c. 40] ( vac. )
( vac. 20) Κεφάλαια ἐξ ἐπιϲτολῆ̣ϲ θεοῦ Ἁδριανοῦ
προϲκειμένου δὲ Ἐπιτέλουϲ ἑνὶ ὅτι ἄρα ἐπεθεϲ[---]
15 ϲυμφ̣έρειν τῇ πόλει προυποϲυλλέγειν αὐτὸν ἐπι[---]
ἀνάμνηϲιν τῆϲ παλαιᾶϲ ὑμῶν εὐγενείαϲ διεϲ̣[---]-
-θωθή̣ϲεϲθαι δοκεῖ ἐπέδωκέ μοι ( vac. 1) ((leaf)) ( vac. 1) νῦν [---]
πολυανθρωποτάτην καὶ καλλίϲτην πόλιν γένοϲ [---]
μητρόπολιϲ καὶ τὰ εἰϲ τοὺϲ Ἕλληναϲ ἔργα αι̣[c. 35 - 45 γέ-]
20γραφα ὅτι καλὰ καὶ πρέποντα αὐτοῖϲ ἐϲτιν [---]
εἶναι δίκαιον τὸ πρὸϲ τὴν μητρόπολιν ε̣υ̣[c. 35 - 45 κα-]
θεϲτῶταϲ τὴν ἐπικουρίαν παρὰ τῶν Ἑλλή̣[νων? ---]
ὡϲ μὲν βούλομαι πλῆθοϲ ἀνδρῶν παρὰ [---]
πᾶν [γ]έ̣νοϲ καὶ πολὺ δὴ μᾶλλον τὴν Κυρη[ναίων πόλιν ---] ( vac. 1 line)
25 ( vac. 20) Κεφάλαιον ἐκ δ̣[ιατάγματος θεοῦ Ἁδριανοῦ ( vac. 3)]
βουλοίμην δ’ἂν ὑμᾶϲ μὴ τῷ φόβῳ τῶν Ε[c. 37]ω̣ϲ̣ εἴξαν-
ταϲ καὶ ἀναμνηϲθένταϲ ὅτι αἰϲχρόν ἐϲτι [c. 20πόλιν διὰ] χ̣ρηϲμοὺϲ τοῦ
Ἀπόλλωνοϲ ᾠκιϲμένην ἀναξίωϲ καὶ τ̣[c. 28] τῆϲ παλαιᾶϲ δια-
κειμένην ϲυνελθεῖν καὶ ϲυναυξῆϲαι τ[ὴν ὑμετέραν πόλιν καὶ οὐ μόνον ο]ἰ̣κήτοραϲ ἀλλὰ
30 καὶ οἰκιϲτὰϲ γενέϲθαι τῆϲ πατρίδοϲ ( vac. 1)[ ( vac. 3)] ( vac. 3)
πυνθάνομαι τὸ γυμνάϲιον ὑμῶν κα[c. 35 μα]νθ̣άνων πολ-
λοὺϲ ἤδη παῖδαϲ τρεφομένουϲ καὶ αὐξ[ανομένουϲ c. 20]ν μὴ ἐν τῷ κοι-
νῷ γυμναϲίῳ ϲυναναφύρωνται τοῖϲ α[c. 30 ἐ]φηβικὴν ἰδίᾳ
εἰϲ ἣν φοιτῶντεϲ καὶ τὰϲ διατριβὰϲ ποι[ούμενοι c. 14 δωρεᾶϲ] λήμψονται τ̣ὰ̣ϲ
35 παρ’ἐμοῦ διδομέναϲ ( vac. 3) [ ( vac. 3)] ( vac. 3)
ὃ μάλιϲτα ἀνανκαῖον ἦν ὡϲ ἠξιώϲατ[ε ὑμεῖϲ αὐτοὶ? c. 13 νομοθε?]ϲ̣ίαν ἐποιη[ϲ]ά̣- ( vac. 1)
μην, ἔϲτιν δ’οὐδὲν νόμῳ πρὸ ὑμ̣[c. 44]ω̣ν ἀφ’οἵων ὑμεῖϲ
κατοικιζομένην ( vac. 1) τίνεϲ δ’ἂν νό[μc. 45 Λ]ακωνικῶν
καὶ τύχῃ τινὶ ἀγαθῇ τῆϲ Κυρήνηϲ̣ [c. 42 ἐ]ν τοῖϲ Λακεδαι-
40μ̣ονίοιϲ ἐπηνορθωκὼϲ τοὺϲ [c. 44] ( vac. 3)
[..]Τ̣Η̣Ϲ̣Ε̣Ν̣Ϲ̣[.]Ν̣Χ̣Ω̣Ρ̣Α̣[c. 4]Ν[c. 54] τ̣έϲϲαρα ( vac. )
Δωριέων γὰρ ἀνθρώπω[ν c. 56 Λα]κ̣ωνικὴ
ϲωφροϲύνη καὶ ἄϲκη̣[ϲιϲ ---]
Ὁ̣[ρ]ῶ γὰρ καὶ διὰ τὸ γε̣ν̣[---]-
45-ατω τῶν Ε̣Κ̣Ϲ̣Ϲ̣Ο̣Υ̣[---]-
-μην ὑμ̣[---]
καὶ τη[---]
Ν̣ΟΙ̣[---]
[.]Κ[c. 8 - 9]ον π̣ῶϲ ἦν τ[---]
50[c. 8 - 9]ϲύνη τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν̣ [---]
[c. 7 - 8]ϲ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ̣ [---]
[c. 6 - 7] ὑμεῖν μὴ ἀποδέχ̣[εϲθαι? ---]
[c. 5 - 6]αζε ϲπουδῇ [---]
[c. 5 - 6]ΥΔΙΟΝΙΛ̣Ο̣[---]
55 [κατοι]κί̣ϲ̣αν[τεϲ? ---]
[c. 5 - 6]Ο̣[---] []
κἀγὼ πάνυ ἡδέωϲ ἀνεθέμ̣[ην ---]
καὶ τῶν δι’ὑμᾶϲ ὑπαρξάν[των ---]
65 ὅϲοι ἄν ἐκ τῆϲ ὑμετέραϲ πό[λεωϲ ---]-
-ται παρ’ὑμεῖν ἐργάϲονται Λ̣[---]
τῷ ἀνθυπάτῳ ὅϲοι ΑΝΑΛΟ[---]
τεθ̣νάναι δεϲμοῦ πρόϲτει̣[---]
( vac. 3) Κεφάλαια ἐπιϲ[τολῶν τοῦ] κυρίου Ἀντωνείν[ου ( vac. 3)]
70Βερνεικεῖϲ ἠξίουν καὶ ἀγορὰ̣[ν δικῶν? αὐτοῦ ἀχθ]ῆ̣ν̣α̣ι̣ προϲτεθῆναι μὲν οὖν ταῖϲ̣ [ἀγοραί-]
οιϲ πάνυ ἐργῶδεϲ εἶναί μοι ἔ̣[δοξεν ὁ γὰρ ἀ]νθύπατοϲ ὥϲπερ ἴϲτε καὶ ὑμεῖϲ ἐπιμε̣[λούμε-]
νοϲ ὁμοῦ τῆϲ τε Κρήτηϲ καὶ τῆϲ Κυρήνηϲ οὐκ ἔϲτιν ἱκανὸϲ πλείω χρόνον διάγειν ἐν ὑ-
μεῖν ἢ νῦν ποιεῖ ( vac. 1) ἀξιούντω̣[ν οὖν τῶν] Β̣ερνεικέων παρὰ μέροϲ ἄγεϲθαι τὴν ἀγο̣[ρὰν?]
ἐν ἑκάϲτῃ πόλει ἀπεκρινά̣[μην ὅτι αἱ ν?]ῦ̣ν τὴν ἀγοραίαν ἔχουϲαι πόλειϲ ἄδηλόν ἐϲτιν [ὡϲ]
75 δέξονται τὸ μὴ κατ’ἐνιαυτ̣[ὸν ἔχειν ὥ]ϲπερ εἶχον ( vac. 1) ἀφαιρεθῆναι δὲ τοὺϲ ἔχονταϲ ὑπὲρ τ̣[οῦ]
δοθῆναι τοῖϲ οὐκ ἔχουϲιν [ἀδικῆϲ?]α̣ί μοι δοκεῖ πλὴν εἰ μὴ ἄρα ὑμεῖν βουλομένοιϲ εἴην̣ τ̣[ὸ]
τοιαύτην κοινωνίαν κ̣α[ταϲτῆϲαι] ( vac. )
Αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖϲαρ θεοῦ Ἁ[δριανοῦ υἱ]όϲ, θεοῦ Τραιανοῦ Παρθικοῦ υἱωνόϲ, θεοῦ Νέρουα ἔγγ[ο-]
νοϲ, Τίτοϲ Αἴλιοϲ Ἁδριαν[ὸϲ Ἀντωνε]ῖνοϲ Ϲεβαϲτόϲ, ἀρχιερεὺϲ μέγιϲτοϲ δημαρχικῆϲ ἐξου-
80ϲίαϲ τὸ ιζ´, Αὐτοκράτω[ρ τὸ β´ ], [ὕπα]τοϲ τὸ δ´, πατὴρ πατρίδοϲ, Πτολεμαιεῦϲι Βαρκαίοι[ϲι ( vac. )]
χαίρειν ( vac. 3) θ[αυμάζ]ω ὅτι μηδέποτε ἐν τῷ ἔμπροϲθεν χρόνῳ διαπέμψαν[τεϲ ἀλλὰ]
ϲυνθύϲαντεϲ εἰϲ τὸν τῶ̣[ν Κυρην]α̣ίων ἀγῶνα νῦν πρῶτον ἀπεϲτείλατε, οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοεῖ[τε ὅτι]
τὸ τὰ τοιαῦτα καινοτομ̣[εῖν αἰτί?]αν παρέχει ταῖϲ πόλεϲι φιλονεικίαϲ ( vac. 1) ἐγένετο τοίνυ[ν ἡ] [ϲυν-]
θυϲία ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνουϲ [c. 7]ενα ἐπρέϲβευεν Οὐαλέριοϲ Παυϲανίαϲ ᾧ τὸ ἐφόδι[ον δοθή-]
85τω εἰ μὴ προῖκα ὑπέ̣ϲ̣[χηται εὐτυ]χεῖτε ( vac. 3)
2
------
[---]α̣ πρὸϲ
[---] ( vac. )
[---]ϲ̣ε εἰϲ τὸ
[---]δεύονται
5[---ι]ϲταμαι
[---]λ̣ιπου-
[---]- ( vac. )
[---]Ν
[---]Ϲ̣
10------

Diplomatic

1
      ΘΕΟϹ      ΤΥΧ[....]ΑΓΑ.[....]
ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΚΑΙϹΑΡΘΕΟΥΤΡΑ[.....]ΠΑΡΘΙΚΟ[..........]
ΝΕΡΟΥΑΥΙΩΝΟϹΤΡΑΙΑΝΟϹΑΔΡΙΑ.[......]ϹΤΟϹΑΡΧΙΕ[............]
ΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗϹΕΞΟΥϹΙΑϹΤΟΙΘΥΠΑ.[.....]ΠΑΤΗΡΠΑΤ.[....]
5      ΚΥΡΗΝΑΙΟΙϹ      ΧΑΙΡ[......]
ΟΑΡΧΩΝΤΟΥΠΑΝΕΛΛΗΝΙΟΥΕΦ.ΑΚΕΙΕΠΙϹΤΕΙΛΑΙΜΟΙ.[.......]ΞΙΩϹΕΩϹΥΜΩ[..........·············]
ΤΑΔΟΞΑΝΤΑΜΟΙΑΝΤ.ΓΡΑΨΑΚΑΙΥΜΕΙΝΕΠΕΜΨΑΤΗΝΠΡΟ.[......]ΝΑΠΟ.[.....·················........]
ΚΑΡΟϹΟΚΡΑΤΙϹΤΟϹΑΝΘΥΠΑΤΟϹ              ΕΥΤΥΧΕΙ[.....c. 30 - 40]
ΔΕΧΕϹΘΑΙΔΕΙΟΥΜΕΝΤΟΙΔΙΚΑΙΑΑΞΙΟΥϹΙΝΤΩΝΑΥΤ.[.········································]ΓΕ
10ΝΟϹΑΧΑΙΟΝΚΑΙΑΚΡΕΙΒΩϹΔΩΡΙΟΝΑΥΤΟΙΔΕΙ..ΓΕΝ.[..····································]ΟΝΔΕ
ΠΡΟϹΕΚΤΗϹΑΝΤΟΤΗΝΠΡΟϹΑΓΟΡΙΑΝΑΠΟΤΟΥΕΠΙΚΡΑ[.···································..]ΝΠΟ
ΛΙΝΚΥΡΗΝΑΙΩΝΔΗΔΥΟϹΥΝΕΔΡΟΥϹΠΕΜΠΟΝΤΩ[.········································]      
                                        ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΑΕΞΕΠΙϹΤΟΛ.ϹΘΕΟΥΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΥ
ΠΡΟϹΚΕΙΜΕΝΟΥΔΕΕΠΙΤΕΛΟΥϹΕΝΙΟΤΙΑΡΑΕΠΕΘΕϹ[---]
15ϹΥΜ.ΕΡΕΙΝΤΗΠΟΛΕΙΠΡΟΥΠΟϹΥΛΛΕΓΕΙΝΑΥΤΟΝΕΠΙ[---]
ΑΝΑΜΝΗϹΙΝΤΗϹΠΑΛΑΙΑϹΥΜΩΝΕΥΓΕΝΕΙΑϹΔΙΕ.[---]
ΘΩΘ.ϹΕϹΘΑΙΔΟΚΕΙΕΠΕΔΩΚΕΜΟΙ     ΝΥΝ[---]
ΠΟΛΥΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΤΑΤΗΝΚΑΙΚΑΛΛΙϹΤΗΝΠΟΛΙΝΓΕΝΟϹ[---]
ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΙϹΚΑΙΤΑΕΙϹΤΟΥϹΕΛΛΗΝΑϹΕΡΓΑΑ.[c. 35 - 45..-]
20ΓΡΑΦΑΟΤΙΚΑΛΑΚΑΙΠΡΕΠΟΝΤΑΑΥΤΟΙϹΕϹΤΙΝ[---]
ΕΙΝΑΙΔΙΚΑΙΟΝΤΟΠΡΟϹΤΗΝΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛΙΝ..[c. 35 - 45..-]
ΘΕϹΤΩΤΑϹΤΗΝΕΠΙΚΟΥΡΙΑΝΠΑΡΑΤΩΝΕΛΛ.[...---]
ΩϹΜΕΝΒΟΥΛΟΜΑΙΠΛΗΘΟϹΑΝΔΡΩΝΠΑΡΑ[---]
ΠΑΝ[.].ΝΟϹΚΑΙΠΟΛΥΔΗΜΑΛΛΟΝΤΗΝΚΥΡΗ[..........---]     vacat
25                                        ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΟΝΕΚ.[.........................]
ΒΟΥΛΟΙΜΗΝΔΑΝΥΜΑϹΜΗΤΩΦΟΒΩΤΩΝΕ[·····································]..ΕΙΞΑΝ
ΤΑϹΚΑΙΑΝΑΜΝΗϹΘΕΝΤΑϹΟΤΙΑΙϹΧΡΟΝΕϹΤΙ[····················........].ΡΗϹΜΟΥϹΤΟΥ
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΟϹΩΚΙϹΜΕΝΗΝΑΝΑΞΙΩϹΚΑΙ.[····························]ΤΗϹΠΑΛΑΙΑϹΔΙΑ
ΚΕΙΜΕΝΗΝϹΥΝΕΛΘΕΙΝΚΑΙϹΥΝΑΥΞΗϹΑΙΤ[..........................].ΚΗΤΟΡΑϹΑΛΛΑ
30ΚΑΙΟΙΚΙϹΤΑϹΓΕΝΕϹΘΑΙΤΗϹΠΑΤΡΙΔΟϹ  [...]      
ΠΥΝΘΑΝΟΜΑΙΤΟΓΥΜΝΑϹΙΟΝΥΜΩΝΚΑ[···································..]Ν.ΑΝΩΝΠΟΛ
ΛΟΥϹΗΔΗΠΑΙΔΑϹΤΡΕΦΟΜΕΝΟΥϹΚΑΙΑΥΞ[.........····················]ΝΜΗΕΝΤΩΚΟΙ
ΝΩΓΥΜΝΑϹΙΩϹΥΝΑΝΑΦΥΡΩΝΤΑΙΤΟΙϹΑ[······························.]ΦΗΒΙΚΗΝΙΔΙΑ
ΕΙϹΗΝΦΟΙΤΩΝΤΕϹΚΑΙΤΑϹΔΙΑΤΡΙΒΑϹΠΟΙ[.......··············......]ΛΗΜΨΟΝΤΑΙ..Ϲ
35ΠΑΡΕΜΟΥΔΙΔΟΜΕΝΑϹ      [...]      
ΟΜΑΛΙϹΤΑΑΝΑΝΚΑΙΟΝΗΝΩϹΗΞΙΩϹΑΤ[...........·············......].ΙΑΝΕΠΟΙΗ[.].-   
ΜΗΝΕϹΤΙΝΔΟΥΔΕΝΝΟΜΩΠΡΟΥ.[············································].ΝΑΦΟΙΩΝΥΜΕΙϹ
ΚΑΤΟΙΚΙΖΟΜΕΝΗΝ  ΤΙΝΕϹΔΑΝΝΟ[.·············································.]ΑΚΩΝΙΚΩΝ
ΚΑΙΤΥΧΗΤΙΝΙΑΓΑΘΗΤΗϹΚΥΡΗΝΗ.[··········································.]ΝΤΟΙϹΛΑΚΕΔΑΙ
40.ΟΝΙΟΙϹΕΠΗΝΟΡΘΩΚΩϹΤΟΥϹ[············································]      
[··]......[·].....[····]Ν[······················································].ΕϹϹΑΡΑ      
ΔΩΡΙΕΩΝΓΑΡΑΝΘΡΩΠΩ[.························································..].ΩΝΙΚΗ
ϹΩΦΡΟϹΥΝΗΚΑΙΑϹΚ.[...---]
.[.]ΩΓΑΡΚΑΙΔΙΑΤΟΓ..[---]
45ΑΤΩΤΩΝ......[---]
ΜΗΝΥ.[---]
ΚΑΙΤΗ[---]
.Ο.[---]
[·]Κ[c. 8 - 9]ΟΝ.ΩϹΗΝΤ[---]
50[c. 8 - 9]ϹΥΝΗΤΟΥΘΕΟΥΤΩ.[---]
[c. 7 - 8]ϹΜΟΝΟΝΑΛΛΑΚΑΙΤΟ.[---]
[c. 6 - 7]ΥΜΕΙΝΜΗΑΠΟΔΕ.[.....---]
[c. 5 - 6]ΑΖΕϹΠΟΥΔΗ[---]
[c. 5 - 6]ΥΔΙΟΝΙ..[---]
55[.....]Κ..ΑΝ[...---]
[c. 5 - 6].[---]
ΚΑΓΩΠΑΝΥΗΔΕΩϹΑΝΕΘΕ.[..---]
ΚΑΙΤΩΝΔΙΥΜΑϹΥΠΑΡΞΑΝ[...---]
65ΟϹΟΙΑΝΕΚΤΗϹΥΜΕΤΕΡΑϹΠΟ[....---]
ΤΑΙΠΑΡΥΜΕΙΝΕΡΓΑϹΟΝΤΑΙ.[---]
ΤΩΑΝΘΥΠΑΤΩΟϹΟΙΑΝΑΛΟ[---]
ΤΕ.ΝΑΝΑΙΔΕϹΜΟΥΠΡΟϹΤΕ.[---]
      ΚΕΦΑΛΑΙΑΕΠΙϹ[........]ΚΥΡΙΟΥΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝ[.....]
70ΒΕΡΝΕΙΚΕΙϹΗΞΙΟΥΝΚΑΙΑΓΟΡ.[..............]....ΠΡΟϹΤΕΘΗΝΑΙΜΕΝΟΥΝΤΑΙ.[......-]
ΟΙϹΠΑΝΥΕΡΓΩΔΕϹΕΙΝΑΙΜΟΙ.[..........]ΝΘΥΠΑΤΟϹΩϹΠΕΡΙϹΤΕΚΑΙΥΜΕΙϹΕΠΙΜ.[.....-]
ΝΟϹΟΜΟΥΤΗϹΤΕΚΡΗΤΗϹΚΑΙΤΗϹΚΥΡΗΝΗϹΟΥΚΕϹΤΙΝΙΚΑΝΟϹΠΛΕΙΩΧΡΟΝΟΝΔΙΑΓΕΙΝΕΝΥ
ΜΕΙΝΗΝΥΝΠΟΙΕΙ  ΑΞΙΟΥΝΤ.[.......].ΕΡΝΕΙΚΕΩΝΠΑΡΑΜΕΡΟϹΑΓΕϹΘΑΙΤΗΝΑΓ.[...]
ΕΝΕΚΑϹΤΗΠΟΛΕΙΑΠΕΚΡΙΝ.[.........].ΝΤΗΝΑΓΟΡΑΙΑΝΕΧΟΥϹΑΙΠΟΛΕΙϹΑΔΗΛΟΝΕϹΤΙΝ[..]
75ΔΕΞΟΝΤΑΙΤΟΜΗΚΑΤΕΝΙΑΥ.[........]ϹΠΕΡΕΙΧΟΝ  ΑΦΑΙΡΕΘΗΝΑΙΔΕΤΟΥϹΕΧΟΝΤΑϹΥΠΕΡ.[..]
ΔΟΘΗΝΑΙΤΟΙϹΟΥΚΕΧΟΥϹΙΝ[......].ΙΜΟΙΔΟΚΕΙΠΛΗΝΕΙΜΗΑΡΑΥΜΕΙΝΒΟΥΛΟΜΕΝΟΙϹΕΙΗ..[.]
ΤΟΙΑΥΤΗΝΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑΝ.Α[........]      
ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΚΑΙϹΑΡΘΕΟΥΑ[.........]ΟϹΘΕΟΥΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΥΠΑΡΘΙΚΟΥΥΙΩΝΟϹΘΕΟΥΝΕΡΟΥΑΕΓΓ[.-]
ΝΟϹΤΙΤΟϹΑΙΛΙΟϹΑΔΡΙΑΝ[........]ΙΝΟϹϹΕΒΑϹΤΟϹΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΥϹΜΕΓΙϹΤΟϹΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗϹΕΞΟΥ
80ϹΙΑϹΤΟΙΖΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩ[.......]ΤΟϹΤΟΔΠΑΤΗΡΠΑΤΡΙΔΟϹΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΕΥϹΙΒΑΡΚΑΙΟΙ[.....]
ΧΑΙΡΕΙΝ      Θ[.....]ΩΟΤΙΜΗΔΕΠΟΤΕΕΝΤΩΕΜΠΡΟϹΘΕΝΧΡΟΝΩΔΙΑΠΕΜΨΑΝ[.......]
ϹΥΝΘΥϹΑΝΤΕϹΕΙϹΤΟΝΤ.[......].ΙΩΝΑΓΩΝΑΝΥΝΠΡΩΤΟΝΑΠΕϹΤΕΙΛΑΤΕΟΥΓΑΡΑΓΝΟΕΙ[.....]
ΤΟΤΑΤΟΙΑΥΤΑΚΑΙΝΟΤΟ.[.......]ΑΝΠΑΡΕΧΕΙΤΑΙϹΠΟΛΕϹΙΦΙΛΟΝΕΙΚΙΑϹ  ΕΓΕΝΕΤΟΤΟΙΝΥ[..][...-]
ΘΥϹΙΑΥΠΕΡΤΟΥΕΘΝΟΥϹ[·······]ΕΝΑΕΠΡΕϹΒΕΥΕΝΟΥΑΛΕΡΙΟϹΠΑΥϹΑΝΙΑϹΩΤΟΕΦΟΔΙ[......-]
85ΤΩΕΙΜΗΠΡΟΙΚΑΥΠ..[.........]ΧΕΙΤΕ      
2
------
[---].ΠΡΟϹ
[---]      
[---].ΕΕΙϹΤΟ
[---]ΔΕΥΟΝΤΑΙ
5[---.]ϹΤΑΜΑΙ
[---].ΙΠΟΥ
[---]      
[---]Ν
[---].
10------

6: ἐφθ̣άκει : ἐφελκει Fraser, 1950; ἐφολκεῖ oliver1951a ; περὶ Oliver, 1951; Ι Fraser, 1950; προτιμῶν oliver1951a;
7: προκ̣[ειμένη?]ν : προ Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser in notes,ΠΡO(()) ?ΠΡΟΜ
9: αὐτῶ̣[ν?] : αυτ Fraser, 1950; αὐτοφυῶν oliver1951a
10: Δῶρον Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, Δώριον; Δώριον oliver1951a ; ἰθ̣α̣γενε̣[ῖϲ] : ἰθαγενεῖϲ Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes,ἰθαγενε[ῖϲ]
11: ἐπικρα[τ] : Ἐπικρυ [ . . . Fraser, 1950; ἐπικρυ [ . . . a form or derivative of ἐπικρύπτεϲθαι Oliver, 1951 ; Fraser, in notes,ἐπικρα[---]
13: ἐπιϲτολῆ̣ϲ : ἐπιϲτολῆϲ Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, ἐπιϲτολῆ̣[ϲ]
14: Ἐπιτέλουϲ Fraser, 1950; ἐπὶ τέλουϲ Oliver, 1951 ; ἐπεθεϲ[---] : ἐπέθεϲαν Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, ἐπέθεϲα[ν]
15: προυποϲυλλέγειν : ϲυλλέγειν Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, ϲυλλ ( vac. 1) έγειν; ϲυμφέρειν Oliver, 1951
16: διεϲ̣ : διε Fraser, 1950
17: θωθή̣ϲεϲθαι : θωθ[ή]ϲεϲθαι Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, θωθήϲεϲθαι; θω θήϲεϲθαι oliver1951a perhaps [ἐπ’ἀγα]
θῷ
etc.

19: ἄρα πλείϲτουϲ Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, καὶ τὰ εἰϲ τοὺϲ ; εργλα Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, ἔργα
21: Fraser, in notes, ε̣υ̣, omitted by other editors.
22: ἐπικουρίαν : ἐπικουρίαν Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, ἐπικ̣ουρίαν ; Ἑλλή̣[νων?] : θ Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, Ἑλλη[---], perhaps Ἑλλα[---] from a squeeze.
23: βούλοιμι Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, βούλομαι ; παρ Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, παρά
24: γένοϲ Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, γένοϲ ; πολὺ δὴ μᾶλλον : πολυδύναμον Fraser, 1950 ; Κυρη[ναίων] : Κυρήνην Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, Κυρή[νην]
25: ἐκ Fraser, 1950
26: παϲῶν Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, ὑμᾶϲ μ̣ή
28: καὶ τ̣[---] : και Fraser, 1950; κατεϲτραμμένην Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, κατά̣
32: αὐξ[ανομένουϲ] : αυ Fraser, 1950; αὐ
36: ην Fraser, 1950; μήν frasernotes ; πρου Fraser, 1950
39: Κυρήνηϲ̣ : Κυρήνηϲ Fraser, 1950
40: μ̣ονίοιϲ : μονίοιϲ Fraser, 1950
41: ηον Fraser, 1950
44: γε̣ν̣ : γρ Fraser, 1950 ; Fraser, in notes, ΓΙ̣Ν̣[---]
46: τῶνου Fraser, 1950
47: μην τ Fraser, 1950
49: ο Fraser, 1950
81: [ἀλλὰ] : [και] Oliver, 1979 ; [Κυρην]αίων : [Καπετω]λιων Oliver, 1979 ; [ . . . ]ενα : [ἀνὰ τὸν ἀ]γῶνα

English translation

Translation source: Oliver, 1989

(Line 1-12) God. Good Fortune. Imperator Caesar Trajan Hadrian Augustus son of deified Trajan, Victor in Parthia, grandson of [deified] Nerva, pontifex [maximus], tribunician power for the nineteenth time (134/5 CE), consul [thrice], pater patriae, to the Cyrenaeans greetings. The archon of the Panhellenion has already [had occasion] to write to me [concerning] your claim [ . . . ] I wrote back what I thought and for you I sent (a text of) the reply pertaining thereto, [which my friend ?Salvius] Carus the clarissimus proconsul [will give you]. Farewell. [The Barkans? say that] one ought to accept [delegates also from them]. Their vindications, however, are not justified. [They aspire to] the same [rights as do the Cyrenaeans, whose] ancestry [away back was] pure Greek and specifically Dorian. They themselves [long ago were] aborigines [and not Hellenes for the most part. Rather] they acquired the classification from [ . . . ] city. With the Cyrenaeans sending two delegates [ . . .

English translation

Translation by: Charlotte Roueché

(Lines 13-24) . . .

(ll.25-68)

English translation

Translation source: Reynolds, 1978a

(Lines 69-77): Chief points from letters of our lord Antoninus: The Bereniceans requested that an assize should be held in their city; but it seemed to me difficult to add to the number of court-days, for, as you know yourselves, the proconsul, having charge of Crete at the same time as of Cyrene, is unable to spend more time with you than he already does. Since the Bereniceans request that the assize should be held in each city in turn, I replied that it is not clear how the cities which already have an assize will take it if they do not have it annually as in the past; for those who have it to be deprived of it in order to give it to those who do not seems to me to inflict injustice, unless the establishment of such a rotation were made with your consent.

(Lines 78-85): The Emperor Caesar T. Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus, son of deified Hadrianus, grandson of deified Trajanus Parthicus, greatgrandson of deified Nerva, pontifex maximus, in the seventeenth year of his tribunician power (153/4 CE), hailed Imperator twice, consul for the fourth time, father of his country, greets the people of Ptolemais Barka.

I am surprised that after sending no earlier protest, but joining in the sacrifice for the games held by the Cyrenaeans, you have now for the first time despatched an ambassador; for you are not ignorant that this kind of innovation is a source of strife between cities; therefore common(?) sacrifice was established(?) for the whole province. Valerius Pausanias carried out the function of ambassador; travelling expenses should be paid to him unless he promised to pay them himself. Farewell.

English translation

Translation source: Oliver, 1979

(Lines 78-85): Imperator Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrian [Anton ]inus Augustus, [son] of divus [Hadrian], grandson of divus Trajan Parthicus, greatgrandson of divus Nerva, pontifex maximus, tribunician power for the seventeenth time, imperator [twice, consul] four times, pater patriae, to the Ptolemais-Barcans, greetings.

[I marvel] that you, who in all the time gone by have never sent a delegation or shared in the sacrifice, have now for the first time sent representation to the contest of the [Capitolia]. For you are not unaware that the making of such innovations brings upon the cities the [charge] of contentiousness. Well, [the joint] sacrifice in behalf of the region's population did take place [during the] contest. As ambassador Valerius Pausanias served, to whom let the travel money be paid unless he promised to go at his own expense. Farewell.

Commentary

The original location of the monument remains a matter of conjecture. Its weight alone would suggest an original location not very far from the Valley Street where its pieces were found. Moreover it is not the only stone found re-used in this area which is concerned with the koinon. there is also a later inscription referring specifically to provincial affairs. Goodchild inclined to think that in the fifth century CE there were provincial meetings focussed on the area of the Market Theatre, which in fact stands beside the Valley Street; but as far as I am aware he did not seriously consider where they may have taken place earlier. It seems worth suggesting that it was in the Caesareum, less than 200 yards away, from which stones were demonstrably brought for re-use in the later phases of the Valley Street buildings; it had been devoted to the cult of Rome (and no doubt the imperial house) at least from the time of Augustus (For the dedication of the Caesareum to Rome (presumably with Augustus) see C.2); while its porticoes, great courtyard, basilica, temple and adjacent theatre were eminently suitable for the purposes of a provincial assembly. Only when the Caesareum was converted into a fort in the later third century was something else required .

Goodchild made a careful study of the pieces he found and drew a reconstruction of the whole stele (reproduced in Reynolds, op.cit. Pl. II) in which he located exactly all but one; this loose piece belonged, without doubt, in the area between lines 48 and 63 where too little of the text survives for any precision in interpretation.

P. M. Fraser (op. cit above published from a photograph a considerable but incomplete inscription comprising documents sent to the city of Cyrene by Hadrian (and possibly others during his reign). It seemed natural to relate them to the material and moral damage caused by the Jewish Revolt of CE 115-17, although Fraser thought that they had been inscribed much later. Subsequent discussion was concentrated mainly on the opening sections, concerned with representation in the Panhellenion .

The fuller version was published by Reynolds, op.cit, above) in 1978. The documents that it contains turned out to be more numerous than originally appeared and although diverse in content are linked by the point that all demonstrate the superiority of Cyrene over the other cities of the province. She is a metropolis, the venue of the governors' assize courts, the site of the provincial imperial cult; and when her position was challenged both Hadrian and Pius maintained it, even, perhaps, enhanced it. Clearly the inscription was cut to demonstrate this — and points stressed in earlier discussions, such as the problems of Cyrene after the Jewish Revolt, the importance of the Gymnasium, the membership of Cyrenaican cities in the Panhellenion, are incidental to the main purpose of the inscribing authority. In view of this it is extremely unlikely that the stele was ever erected in any gymnasium. It needed to be in an area frequented on those occasions when the citizens of other Cyrenaican cities assembled at Cyrene for meetings of the provincial koinon.

The first document, lines 1-78, is a letter of Hadrian to the people of Cyrene dated to CE 134/5, about two years after the foundation of the Panhellenion and, as Oliver (op.cit.) points out, at a stage when consideration of applications for membership must have taken up much of the time of its officers. Hadrian writes briefly to the Cyrenaeans on a subject on which he has been consulted by the
 archon of the Panhellenion, and apparently also, though later, by the Cyrenaeans themselves, though
 a Cyrenaean approach to the archon is probably implied as well. He has made a decision, incorporated in a rescript to the archon, sends an additional document to the Cyrenaeans and also refers to some action of the proconsul Salvius Carus.

The second document is a copy of a letter from Antoninus Pius to Ptolemais dated by his titles to 153/4. Again the general lines are absolutely clear. The Ptolemaeans, through their ambassador Valerius Pausanias, had asked for permission to hold an ἀγών in their city; Pius replied, apparently sarcastically, that they had hitherto been wisely satisfied to participate in the common sacrifice and ἀγών held at Cyrene, and were well aware that innovations of this sort carried the stigma of inter-city rivalry. The common sacrifice had been established for the whole province.

The dossier as it now stands — for all the gaps in the first document — is the major piece of evidence for the history of Cyrenaica in the mid-second century. All three cities which figure in it had, undoubtedly, suffered in the Jewish Revolt; but by 153/4 were, as we now see, struggling for status in the same way as the rich cities of Asia. Berenice and Ptolemais must have been wealthy enough to make their pleas for privilege plausible. They presumably calculated also on a reduction in the resources of Cyrene, but the emperors backed Cyrene, the traditional capital, and she was vigorous enough to hit back at her rivals in the publication of these documents.

It is also interesting for the light that it throws on provincial life and administration in a number of ways ; and not least because it includes two of the rare surviving instances of imperial decisions unfavourable to the applicants; cf. F. Millar, The Emperor in the Roman World (1977), 431 f., 436, 438 f., pointing out that the record provided by inscriptions is heavily biassed. Unfavourable decisions are likely to have been inscribed only when it suited a rival to publicize them, as here and in the instances that Millar cites from Coronea in Boeotia, IG vn. 2870, no. 1, and Aphrodisias (IAph2007, 8.31, 8.33).

Bibliography: Fraser, 1950, 77-90, whence Robert, Bulletin Épigraphique, 1950.243, AE 1951.122; Oliver, 1951, 32f, on which C.B. Welles, American Journal of Archaeology 56, 76; Larsen, 1952, 7f, whence Robert, Bulletin Épigraphique, 1953.253, AE 1953.120, Oliver, 1970, no. 7, pp. 96-99; republished Reynolds, 1978a, 113-5, whence Robert, Bulletin Épigraphique, 1979.655, Oliver, 1979 , whence Robert, Bulletin Épigraphique, 1980.573, SEG 28.1566, AE 1979.636, Oliver, 1989, 120-124; Williams, 1982 whence Robert, Bulletin Épigraphique, 1983.480; Jones, 1988, whence Dobias-Lalou, Bulletin Épigraphique, 1999.614, AE 1998.1500; see also discussion by Boatwright, 2000, 181-3, Laronde, 2004, and, with bibliography, A. Blanco Pérez in Berthelot, 2018.
Text constituted from: Publications; transcription (Reynolds); notes from Fraser given to Reynolds.

Images

   Fig. 1. 1, upper left corner (Joyce Reynolds, VIII.36)

   Fig. 2. Text 2 (all); Text 1, right ends of ines 1-7, 26-42, 9-14 (Joyce Reynolds, VIII.35)

   Fig. 3. 1. Lines 1-7, right end fragment (Joyce Reynolds, II.96)

   Fig. 4. 1, Lines 14-30 (Joyce Reynolds, VIII.41)

   Fig. 5. 1. Lines 26-42, right end fragment (Joyce Reynolds, II.93)

   Fig. 6. 1. Lines 26-42, right end fragment (Joyce Reynolds, II.95)

   Fig. 7. 1. Lines 26-42, right end fragment (Joyce Reynolds, II.97)

   Fig. 8. 1, Lines 32-47 (Joyce Reynolds, VIII.38)

   Fig. 9. 1, Lines 49-65 (Joyce Reynolds, VIII.39)

   Fig. 10. 1, Lines 65-85 (Joyce Reynolds, VIII.37)

   Fig. 11. 1. Lines 69-85 (Joyce Reynolds, III.85)

   Fig. 12. 1. Lines 69-85 (Joyce Reynolds, VIII.40)