IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.39. Fragmentary decree of honours by the ?Jewish politeuma

Description: Two adjoining pieces of a stele of Attic marble, the left side cut back to form a cornice (w: 0.28 x h: 0.82 x d: 0.21).
Text: Inscribed on one face, of which the upper part and the greater part of the left side have been roughly re-dressed.
Letters: 0.01-0.015.

Date: Augustan

Findspot: Cyrene, Between Theatre 3 and the House of Jason Magnus, in the south theatre area; re-used as a lower moulding against the wall of a small shrine; found in 1960
Original location: Unknown.
Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum

Interpretive

------
[---]Σ̣ΤΑ
[--- ἀναγράψαι? αὐτὸ]ν εἰς
[τὸ ---] καὶ στε-
[φανοῦν ὀνομαστὶ --- καθ’ ἑκ]άστην ( vac. 1)
5 [σύνοδον καὶ νουμηνίαν --- τ]ε οὖν στε-
[φάνῳ --- ἀρετῆς? καὶ? εὐ]νοίας ἕνε-
[κε τῆς πρὸς τὸ πολίτευμα· εἶναι δὲ?] αὐτῶι ( vac. 4)
[ἀλειτουργησίαν? --- καὶ] τἆλλα ( vac. 3)
[ὅσα τοῖς ἄλλοις εὐεργέταις?], [τοὺς δὲ] ἄρχοντας ( vac. 3)
10 [ἀναγράψαντας τὸ ψήφισμα] εἰ<ς> στήλην ( vac. 2)
[λίθου] Π̣[αρ]ίου ( vac. 3) θεῖναι εἰς ὃν ἂν
[βουληθ?]ῶσιν ( vac. 1) οἱ ἄρχοντας (sic) τόπον

Diplomatic

------
[---].ΤΑ
[---.............]ΝΕΙΣ
[..---]ΚΑΙΣΤΕ
[..............---......]ΑΣΤΗΝ  
5[...................---.]ΕΟΥΝΣΤΕ
[....---...........]ΝΟΙΑΣΕΝΕ
[............................]ΑΥΤΩΙ        
[..............---...]ΤΑΛΛΑ      
[.............................]ΑΡΧΟΝΤΑΣ      
10[.....................]ΕΙΣΤΗΛΗΝ    
[.....].[..]ΙΟΥ      ΘΕΙΝΑΙΕΙΣΟΝΑΝ
[......]ΩΣΙΝ  ΟΙΑΡΧΟΝΤΑΣ(sic)ΤΟΠΟΝ

Apparatus

1: Σ+Α Antolini, 2010
5: . . . ]οῦν στε Antolini, 2010
11: Antolini does not record the traces of Π

English translation

Translation by: Charlotte Roueché

. . . ?inscribe (his name) ] on [ . . . and to] crown [him by name at] each [sabbath and new moon . . . ] with a crown [ . . ] because of his [virtue] and goodwill [towards the community and for] him to have [?immunity from liturgies and] the other things [which are given to other benefactors] and the archons should inscribe the decree on a stele of Parian [marble] and should place it in whatever location the archons [wish].

Commentary

The end of an honorary decree, but the κοινή forms are unlikely (cf. C.276, C.737, C.416) and the use of the term ἀρχοντες surprising in a civic document, while both would be appropriate in a decree of the Jewish politeuma at Cyrene (cf. B.75, B.76 at Berenike and probably P.57 at Ptolemais, as well as C.135). For a very full discussion see now Antolini, art.cit.

Line 2: For this suggested reconstruction, cf. B.76, 14.

Lines 3-5: for the reconstruction, with crowning at regular meetings, see B.75, lines 23-24, B.76, 15-17.

Line 8: See B.76, lines 14 f. for exemption from liturgies - which should mean that he was a member of the community which conferred the honour.

Line 10: So B.75, line 25-26, B.76, line 18.

Line 11: Parian marble - also in B.75, line 26, B.76, line 19.

Bibliography: Antolini, 2010, whence Dobias-Lalou, Bulletin Épigraphique, 2011.649, SEG 60.1835
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

   Fig. 1. View (1961-05-26, Joyce Reynolds, II.17)

   Fig. 2. Face (1961-05-26, Joyce Reynolds, II.16)


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