IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.281. Building inscription for restoration of the Baths of Trajan

Description: Marble panel reconstructed from two pieces, chipped at the right side (w: 1.54 x h: 0.88 x d: 0.06-0.10).
Text: Inscribed on one face.
Letters: Second cent; line 1, 0.09; line 2, 0.075; line 3, 0.06; lines 4-9, 0.055. Stops between words almost constantly; leaves in lines 3-6, 9, bars above the figures in line 4

Date: CE 119

Findspot: Cyrene: Roman House, west of the Temple of Apollo, in the pavement; found in 1926.
Original location: Baths of Trajan, inside.
Last recorded location: Baths of Trajan, fixed to the wall of the frigidarium (2008).

Interpretive

Imp(erator) ((leaf)) Caesar diui Traiani
Parthici fil(ius) diui Neruae nepos
Traianus Hadrianus Aug(ustus) pontif(ex) ((leaf))
max(imus) ((leaf)) trib(unicia) potest(ate) III co(n)s(ul) III balineum
5cum porticibus et sphaeristeris ((leaf))
ceterisque adiacentibus quae ((leaf))
tumultu Iudaico diruta et exusta
erant ciuitati Cyrenensium restitui
( vac. 3) ((leaf)) iussit ( vac. 3)

Diplomatic

IMP ❦ CAESARDIUITRAIANI
PARTHICIFILDIUINERUAENEPOS
TRAIANUSHADRIANUSAUGPONTIF ❦
MAX ❦ TRIBPOTESTIIICOSIIIBALINEUM
5CUMPORTICIBUSETSPHAERISTERIS ❦
CETERISQUEADIACENTIBUSQUAE ❦
TUMULTUIUDAICODIRUTAETEXUSTA
ERANTCIUITATICYRENENSIUMRESTITUI
       ❦ IUSSIT      

English translation

Translation by: Editors

Emperor Caesar, son of deified Trajan, victor in Parthia, grandson of deified Nerva, Hadrian Augustus, high priest (i.e. pontifex maximus), holding tribunician power for the third time, consul for the third time, ordered that the bath-building, with the porticoes and the ball-courts and other associated structures which were destroyed and burnt by the Jewish revolt, be restored for the city of the Cyreneans.

Commentary

Line 4: 1st Jan. -9th Dec. 119.

Line 6: Oliverio noted that the portico can be recognised beneath the Byzantine Baths to the south; the Sphaeristera, he thought, may have been beside these or on an upper storey over the central area of the Baths of Trajan.

Bibliography: Oliverio, 1928, 1, pp. 320f, fig. 5, whence Boehringer, 1929 400-401, with photograph, 408, Friedmann, 1930, I.3, AE 1928.2, whence EDH 023470; Lüderitz-Reynolds, 1983 23; translated, Williams, 1988, V.35; Gasperini, 2007 fig. 1; discussed, Boatwright, 2000, 179; mentioned Oliverio, 1931, 40; Oliverio, 1940, 409; Romanelli, 1943, 116; Applebaum, 1950, B.1; mentioned Kenrick, 2013, 195, 199.
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

   Fig. 1. Face (Department of Antiquities E.577)

   Fig. 2. Face (2008, H.Walda)


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