IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.175. Imperial dedication for Diocletian and Maximian

Description: Four fragments of a marble panel (a.w: 0.09 x h: 0.08 x d: 0.014, probably from the top; b. nnd c. together, w: 0.21 x h: 0.12 x d: 0.015; d. the lower right corner, w: 0.20 x h: 0.19 x d: 0.015.
Text: Inscribed on one face.
Letters: Third-fourth centuries: 0.035, carefully cut between guidelines; rhombus omicron, square sigma, cursive omega; a leaf at the end of line 1 and a palm branch incised in line 7.

Date: CE 286-293

Findspot: Cyrene: Valley Street, near the Temple of Commodus; found in 1957.
Original location: Unknown.
Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum (2008).

Interpretive

[---]Κ̣Η̣ ((leaf))
[ὑπὲρ ϲωτηρί]α̣ϲ καὶ ν[είκαϲ καὶ αἰωνίαϲ]
[διαμονᾶϲ τῶν] θ̣ε̣ίων Κ̣υ̣[ρίων Αὐτοκρατόρων Καιϲάρων c. 8]
[Μ(άρκου) Οὐαλερίου Δ]ιοκλητιανοῦ κ̣[αὶ Μ(άρκου)] Α̣ὐ̣ρηλίου
5[Οὐαλερίου] ⟦Μαξιμιανοῦ⟧ Ϲεβ(αϲτῶν) κ[αὶ] τοῦ ϲύνπαν-
[τοϲ αὐτῶν οἶκον ἡ πόλιϲ τῶν Κυρ]ηναίων εὐ-
[τυχῶϲ] ((palm))

Diplomatic

[---]..
[..........].ϹΚΑΙΝ[...............]
[...........]..ΙΩΝ..[........................········]
[............]ΙΟΚΛΗΤΙΑΝΟΥ.[....]..ΡΗΛΙΟΥ
5[.........]⟦ΜΑΞΙΜΙΑΝΟΥ⟧ϹΕΒΚ[..]ΤΟΥϹΥΝΠΑΝ
[.........................]ΗΝΑΙΩΝΕΥ
[.....] palm

English translation

Translation by: Editors

[To ?] For the safety and victory and eternal endurance of the divine lords [Emperors Caesars . . . M(arcus) Valerius] Diocletian and [M(arcus)] Aurelius Valerius] [[Maximian]], Augusti, and their whole [household: the city of the] Cyrenaeans (scil. made the dedication). With good fortune.

Commentary

Line 1: presumably the name of the god or goddess to whom the dedication was made.

Lines 3-5: Presumably after the elevation of Maximian as Augustus, but before the appointment of the Caesars, who should otherwise have been named.

Line 5: Lactantius describes Constantine as having images of Maximian destroyed in 314-18: Mort Pers. 42.1, eodemque tempore senis Maximiani statuae Constantini iussu revellebantur et imagines ubicumque pictus esse(n)t detrahebantur (translation available at CCEL). this would presumably also involve erasure of his name in inscriptions. His image was effaced in the temple at Luxor: see further E. R. Varner, Mutilation and Transformation (2004), 214-15.

Bibliography:
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

   Fig. 1. Fragments (1961, Joyce Reynolds)

   Fig. 2. Fragments (1961, Joyce Reynolds I.8)

   Fig. 3. Fragments (1961, Joyce Reynolds I.7.ii)

   Fig. 4. All fragments (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 5. Fragment 1, lines 1-2 (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 6. Centre fragments (2008, H.Walda)

   Fig. 7. Lower left corner (Joyce Reynolds I.7.i)

   Fig. 8. Lower left corner (2008, H.Walda)