IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

P.97. Fragmentary prayer for the safety of the Emperor

Description: Fragment of a marble panel (w: 0.06 x h: 0.06 x d: 0.03) probably from its right side, since in lines 2 and 3 an unfinished word is followed by a space.
Text: Inscribed on the face.
Letters: Second century: 0.007

Date: 161-180 CE

Findspot: Ptolemais: Odeon; found in 1955.
Original location: Unknown.
Last recorded location: Tolmeita Musem

Interpretive

[I(upiter) o(ptime) m(axime) si r(es)p(ublica) p(opuli) R(omani) Quiritium imperium Rom-]
[anum exercitus socii nationes quae]
[sub dicione populi Romani Quiritium]
[sunt incolumes erunt a(nte) d(iem) III ] ṇọṇ[as]
5[Ianuarias quae proximae pop]ulo Ro-
[mano Quiritibus r(ei)public(ae) p(opuli)] Ṛ(omani) Quiri-
[tium erunt fuerint et I]mp(eratorem) Ca[es(arem)]
[M(arcum) Aurelium Antoninum Aug(ustum) A]rm[eniacum]
[---seruaueris ---]

Diplomatic

[.............................-]
[..............................]
[...............................]
[.......................]...[..]
5[........................]ULORO
[......................].QUIRI
[...................]MPCA[..]
[......................]RM[.......]
[---..........---]

English translation

Translation by: Joyce M. Reynolds

[Most good and mighty Jupiter, if the republic of the Roman People of the Quirites, and the Roman Empire and army and the allied nations which are under the sway of the Roman people of the Quirites are safe, before the] third of [January which next falls to the] Roman people [of the Quirites, and the republic of the] Roman People of the Quirites [and if you preserve] the Emperor Caesar [Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus victor in A]rm[enia . . .

Commentary

From a formula for prayer of a type offered, on the third of January every year, by the Arval Brothers for the safety of the Emperor, for which see Henzen, Acta fratrum Arvalium, p.100, available at Hathi Trust; see also P.204, P.339, and, at Cyrene, C.146. The opening lines must give the date to which the gods are asked to preserve him. The emperor's name follows and from the surviving elements of his title must be Domitian, Nerva, Trajan, Marcus, Commodus or – to remain within the likely time-limits – Caracalla. Of these Marcus is the most probable because it is only in his reign that the attested formula gives the emperor's name after the date.

Bibliography: Reynolds, 1965a, 2.b and pl. Xb
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

   Fig. 1. Face (Reynolds NS.XIII.24)

   Fig. 2. Face (Reynolds XII.49)


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