IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

P.295. Funerary inscription

Description: Two adjoining pieces of limestone simply moulded above and below, probably from a sarcophagus front.
Text: Inscribed on the face; the left end has been lost since Pacho transcribed the text.
Letters: Second-third century: 0.05, lunate epsilon, lunate sigma, cursive omega, mu; six pointed symbol for denarii.

Date: Second to third centuries CE

Findspot: Ptolemais: Wadi Ziwana, west bank, south of the Bridge, lying with several damaged sarcophagi. First found in 1825
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location: Findspot.

Interpretive

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καὶ Γαΐᾳ Ι̣Ι̣ΟΙ̣Ι̣Α ϲυνβίῳ μου ἀπαγορεύω δὲ ἕτερόν τι- ( vac. 3)
να μ̣ὴ ἀνῦξαι μ[η]δὲ θάψ̣αι ἐκτὸϲ εἰ μὴ παιδὶ αὑτ[ο]ῦ· ε̣ἰ δ’οὖν ἐκτε[ί-]
( vac. 3)ϲει τῷ ταμείῳ (δενάρια) ͵αφ´( vac. 7) ((leaf))

Diplomatic

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ΚΑΙΓΑΙΑ..Ο..ΑϹΥΝΒΙΩΜΟΥΑΠΑΓΟΡΕΥΩΔΕΕΤΕΡΟΝΤΙ-       
ΝΑ.ΗΑΝΥΞΑΙΜ[.]ΔΕΘΑ.ΑΙΕΚΤΟϹΕΙΜΗΠΑΙΔΙΑΥΤ[.]Υ.ΙΔΟΥΝΕΚΤΕ[.-]
      ϹΕΙΤΩΤΑΜΕΙΩ 𐆖 ΑΦ              

Apparatus

1: ΓΑΙΑΙΙ ΟΙΛΙ Pacho, 1827; Γαίᾳ [Ἰ]ο[υλίᾳ] CIG, Vol.III whence IGRR
2: μὴ : UΗ Pacho, 1827 ; U.ΔΕΘΑΥΑΙ Pacho, 1827 ; ΑΥΤΥϹΙΔΟΥ Pacho, 1827
3: ΓΑΙΑΙΙ ΟΙΛΙ Pacho, 1827; Γαίᾳ [Ἰ]ο[υλίᾳ] CIG, Vol.III whence IGRR

English translation

Translation by: Editors

[---] and for Gaia my wife, I forbid any one else to open (the tomb) or to bury anyone except (scil. my) own son; Consequently, if (scil. someone does), he will pay to the Treasury 1,500 denarii.

Commentary

Line 1: there is no space for another line above this, so that the husband's name must have been inscribed on the sarcophagus lid.

Line 2-3: for another injunction against reuse see P.266; it is rare in Cyrenaica but especially common in Asia Minor and here may indicate a family of immigrants who came from Asia Minor to Cyrenaica after the Jewish Revolt.

Bibliography: Pacho, 1827 LXXIX and Letronne p.402, whence CIG, Vol.III, 5241, whence IGRR, I.1027.
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

   Fig. 1. Transcription (1827, Pacho, plate LXXIXbis)

   Fig. 2. View