IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.227. Fragmentary building inscription

Description: Limestone doric architrave broken in two with traces of moulding above (w: 1.51 x h: 0.31 x d: 0.40).
Text: Inscribed on the face of which the lower corner is broken away and the whole surface badly eroded.
Letters: Second century; 0.06, lunate epsilon, lunate sigma, cursive omega. The earliest monumental usage of this alphabet so far found at Cyrene.

Date: 115-116 CE

Findspot: Cyrene: Strategeion; found probably in 1931.
Original location: Agora of the Gods.
Last recorded location: Findspot.

Interpretive

[ὑπὲρ τᾶϲ Αὐτοκράτοροϲ Ν]έρβα Τραι̣α̣ν̣ο̣ῦ Κ̣α̣ί̣σαρος Ϲεβαϲτοῦ Γερ[μανικοῦ Δακικοῦ νικᾶϲ καὶ διαμονᾶϲ]
[.. ? ..]Τ̣Α ἐ̣κ̣ τᾶν τῶ̣ Ἀπόλλωνοϲ προϲόδ[ων .. ? ..]

Diplomatic

[....................]ΕΡΒΑΤΡΑ....Υ...ΣΑΡΟΣϹΕΒΑϹΤΟΥΓΕΡ[..............................]
[.. ? ..].Α..ΤΑΝΤ.ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΟϹΠΡΟϹΟΔ[.... ? ..]

English translation

Translation by: Charlotte Roueché

[For the victory and permanence of Emperor] Nerva Trajan Caesar Augustus victor in Germany, victor in Dacia. . . ] from the income of Apollo [ . . .

Commentary

The block is apparently the second of three; the line length can be established and the text reconstructed provisionally. If the first line of the inscription was accurately centred the space available suggests that Trajan was given the title Δακικός. The date would then lie between 103 and 116, when he also became Παρθικός; Paci excludes dating later than early 115 on the grounds of the Jewish revolt of 115, The unusual position of Καίσαρος in the emperor's name should be noted.

In line 2, the letters ΤΑ no longer survive, but are read from the photograph. They are likely to represent either the end of the name of the priest responsible for the Temple or part of the cult title of the God to whom it was dedicated e.g. τὸν ναὸν τῶ Ἀπολλώνος νυνφαγέτα or ἀρχαγέτα; Paci suggests the word for the item dedicated, such as στεγάσμα]τα

p>The attribution to the small temple facing East (Kenrick, loc.cit.) is confirmed by the measurements; the attribution of this temple to Asklepios is a plausible hypothesis of Parisi Presicce, 1992, p.155.

Bibliography: Found in 1930 and copied by Pernier, whence Paci, 2006, 1895-1903, whence AE 2006.1651, SEG 56.2029, mentioned Dobias-Lalou, Bulletin Épigraphique 2007.558, Kenrick, 2013, 216. .
Text constituted from: Transcription, from the stone, a drawing by Pernier and the photograph (Paci); from the stone and the photograph, Reynolds.

Images

   Fig. 1. Face (Department of Antiquities, E.1366)