Description: Outcrop of natural rock, on which texts are cut more or less roughly,
in a series of different hands, with dates ranging from 15/16 to 52 CE: M.3, M.4,
M.5, M.6, M.7, M.8,
M.9, M.10, M.11, M.12,
M.13, M.14, M.15, M.16,
M.17, M.18, M.19, M.20,
M.21, M.22, M.23, M.24,
M.25, M.26, and perhaps M.27. They may be described as graffiti
although the surviving example and the photographs show that their production often involved much
more effort than the normal graffito.
Text: Incised on the surface (w:
1.00),
without a frame.
Letters: A square with a point in the middle for the first letter in line 1, lunate sigma, cursive omega.
Date: First century CE
Findspot: South of Berenike:
Beside the ancient road from Corniclanum/Ajdabia,
leading south to the oasis of Gialo; recorded in ?1923.
Original location: Findspot.
Last recorded location:
Now covered by modern houses.
Apparatus
1: The first letter might be an omicron (so Ferri, SEG). The final οϲ could be ω2: καὶ : Καί(λιοϲ) SEG
3: . . . ν . . . ουτο . Ferri, 1926 οι could be ω
4: [-λον]?γ[εῖ?]νοϲ Ferri, 1926; [Λον?]?γε[ῖ]νοϲ SEG
English translation
Translation by: Editors
. . . and Gaius and Agrippa … … ...rgonus, centurion, an Apamean with the men from Syria.
Commentary
For general introduction see M.3.
Line 1: Ferri supposed a preceding line lost but the photo seems to show a smooth surface above; his ΓΑΙΟϹ is not entirely clear on the print.
Line 2: ΑΓΡΙΠΑϹ is clear on the photo; SEG proposed Γάϊοϲ Καί(λιοϲ) Ἀγρίπαϲ, but it is perhaps better to suppose that a group of friends whose names were linked by καί is recorded.
Line 4: Τhere appears to be a separate graffito here; [Λογ]γε[ῖ]νοϲ κεντυρί/ων Ἀπαμ[εὺϲ τῶν] ἀπὸ [Ϲυρίαϲ], the suggestion of Ferri, does not accord well with the photo.
Bibliography: Ferri, 1926, 9 with drawing and photograph, p.377, whence AE 1927.157bis, SEG 9.781.
Text constituted from: From previous publications (Reynolds).
Images
None available (2020).