Description: Limestone block with a narrow cutaway (0.09)
at either side
(w:
1.29 x h:
0.53 x d:
0.55).
Text: Inscribed on one face which is very badly damaged.
Letters: Probably first century CE; line 1, not measurable; line 2, 0.10.
Date: Probably Augustan
Findspot:
Cyrene:
Augusteum, built into the West wall close to its junction with the back wall,
opposite and corresponding to C.106;
found in 1916.
Original location: Unknown.
Last recorded location:
Findspot.
1: Apollini Augusto Gasperini, 1965
English translation
Translation by: Charlotte Roueché
Sacred to Apollo Augustus
Commentary
See the companion text for Diana Augusta, C.106; two other fragmentary texts, C.108 and C.109 appear to be related, but the divinities cannot be identified. Gasperini reckoned that there might have been at least ten.
The use of Latin for these dedications probably indicates an officially sponsored cult which would appeal in the first place to the Italian immigrants resident in Cyrene.
It is likely that both texts belong to the reign of Augustus who, after Actium, especially favoured Diana and Apollo, cf. their appearance on coins of 29-27 (RIC I Augustus 272, at OCRE), and again in 16-14 BCE, e.g for Apollo, RIC I Augustus 366, at OCRE, and for Diana, RIC I Augustus 172, at OCRE. His successors were not particularly concerned with this cult.
The earliest known instance of Augustus as a title for Apollo seems to be CIL VI.33 of 3-2 BCE, and for Diana as Augusta CIL VI.128 (EDR134390) probably of 8 BCE.
Bibliography: Gasperini, 1965, 213 and pl. XXXVI.2 also fig. opp. p. 212 and fig. 132; Gasperini, 1967a, 28 and fig. 211.
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).
Images
Fig. 1. Face (Reynolds XIII.44)