Description: A marble stele
(w:
0.54 x h:
0.70 x d:
0.13),
which has been damaged at the left and lower edges since its discovery. Standing on a moulded marble base
inscribed with IGCyr027800.
Text: Inscribed on one face.
Letters: Second-third century CE: ave. 0.05; lunate epsilon, lunate sigma, cursive omega; poorly aligned.
Date: Second to third centuries.
Findspot:
Cyrene:
North Necropolis,
to the right of the entrance to tomb N.173; photographed in 1925.
Original location: Unknown.
Last recorded location:
Findspot.
Some letters seen by Oliverio and recorded on his photograph are not now readable.
Italian translation
Translation source: Oliverio, DAI, 1933-1936
Gaio Ammonio, veterano della legione seconda Adiutrice, ritornato nella propria patria, dopo un periodo di assenza di 30 anni, accuratamente costrui per sè (scil. questa) tomba, mentre era in vita.
English translation
Translation source: Thorn, 2009
Gaius Ammonius, veteran of the second 'Adiutrix' legion, returned to his own country, after a period of 30 years, accurately constructed this tomb in his lifetime.
English translation
Translation source: Santucci, 2010
Caius Ammonis, veteran of legion II Adiutrix, returned to his own country after 30 years, took trouble to make a memorial for himself in his lifetime.
Commentary
The tomb, originally Hellenistic, was renovated and decorated (C.574) by Ammonios, which suggests that he possessed a fairly substantial competence but not sufficient for an elegant inscription.
Legion II Adiutrix was first raised by Vespasian; it served in Batavia, and then in Britain (see RIB s.v.); from the late first century it served in the Balkans, stationed from 106 onwards at Aquincum; the future emperor Hadrian served as a military tribune with the legion (Livius). For another Cyrenaican veteran of the legion see T.365.
Line 8: The verb, implying care and effort, is very suitable for a tomb with such elaborate decoration (C.574)
Bibliography: Oliverio, DAI, 1933-1936, 123 (114), pl. XXXIV and fig. 78, whence SEG 9.235 PHI 324085; Reynolds, in Santucci, 2010, 292-3 and pl., whence SEG 60.1840; discussed Cinalli, 2016, 188. For the tomb see Cassels, 1955 N.173, Thorn, 2009, 69-70
Text constituted from: Transcription from stone and photograph (Reynolds).
Images
Fig. 1. Face (Department of Antiquities, B 1188)
Fig. 2. Face (Department of Antiquities, B 1188)