Description: Rock-cut tomb, inscribed with C.578, C.579,
C.580, C.581, C.582.
Text: Inscribed in the first chamber, on the wall opposite the entrance and continued onto the wall to right.
Letters: 0.13-0.17; square epsilon, lunate sigma; there are holes for the insertion of metal letters. In line 2 a cross has been cut
within the first and third O, presumably to convert each to theta nigra = obiit.
Date: Second to third centuries.
Findspot:
Cyrene:
In the North Necropolis, N.213; first recorded in 1955.
Original location: Findspot
Last recorded location:
Findspot.
English translation
Translation source: Thorn, 2009
The place of Epaphrodeitus son of Lucius, the Archephebe, which is called myrrh-breathing.
English translation
Translation by: Charlotte Roueché
Place of Epaphrodeitos son of Loukios (i.e. Lucius), chief ephebe, he who was called Myropnous (i.e. fragrant).
Commentary
Line 1: Cf. the Epaphrodeitos in C.582, presumably a relation
line 1: ἀρχεφήβου The term has not been found elsewhere in Cyrenaica, but occurs occasionally in communities on the Peloponnese: Argos, IG IV, 589, available at PHI PH28108; Korone, IG V,i 1398, available at PHI PH31836, Tegea: IG V,2 50, available at PHI PH32057, and (2 archephebes) IG V,2 52 2, available at PHI PH32059. It is often equated with the official called ἐφήβαρχος, whose role is much discussed: see N.Kennell, The Status of the Ephebarch (2002). Kennell shows that there are examples in the Roman period of the post being held by very young people. This certainly seems likely here, since the man's nickname in line 2 suggests a youth; cf. a dead child described as μελίπνους, IG XII.2.489 (available at PHI PH75168)
Bibliography: For the tomb see Cassels, 1955, 213, Thorn, 2009, 85
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).
Images
None available (2020).