IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

M.7. Presence inscription

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: 5.00).
Letters: May be a lunate sigma, square sigma, cursive omega and cursive omega; small circle for stop.

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.

Interpretive

[ἥκ?]ω [Ζ]ώ̣πυ̣ροϲ Υαυ--
[.]Π[c. 5]Ϲ ((stop))ΑΠ̣ΑΧΟ̣Ϲ̣
[c. 10]ΟϹ ϹΠΑ
[c. 4]ΟΠΑϹ[...]Δ[..]

Diplomatic

[..]Ω[.].Π.ΡΟϹΥΑΥ
[·]Π[·····]Ϲ Α.ΑΧ..
[··········]ΟϹ ϹΠΑ
[····]ΟΠΑϹ[···]Δ[··]

Apparatus

1: [ . ?Ζώ]π[υ]ρος [ . . . Ferri, 1926; [ . Ζ]ώπυρος following Ferri's drawing. SEG Perhaps preceded by the word ἤκω

English translation

Translation by: Editors

I came here, Zopyros . . .

Commentary

For general introduction see M.3.

The text apparently contained the name Ζώπυροϲ, perhaps preceded by the word ἥκω.

Bibliography: Ferri, 1926, 5 and a drawing, p.374, whence SEG 9.777.
Text constituted from: From previous publications (Reynolds).

Images

None available (2020).