56. Dedication to?Constantius II and Gallus

Description:
Two fragments of a marble base (each w: 0.15 x h: 0.85) which has been cut vertically to make paving slabs for the sixth century repaving of Church I.  
Text:
Inscribed on the surviving face. 
Letters:
Fourth century capitals: 0.05-0.06; 1. 4, 0.07.  
Date:
A.D. 351-354 (reigns). 
Findspot:
Sabratha: Church I, within the former Basilica 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Now standing loose nearby.  
Bibliography:
Not previously published. This edition taken from J. M. Reynolds and J. B. Ward-Perkins, The Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania, Rome: British School at Rome, 1952.  
Text constituted from:
Transcription (Reynolds, Ward-Perkins) 
[·· ? ··]simo[···]ea
[·· ? ··]es et[···]ume
[·· ? ··aete]rnae [uir]tutis
[·· ? ··]ị Au[g(usto)]
5[et·· ? ·· Fl(auio) Clau]dio Co[nst]antio
[·· ? ··ordo spl]endid[iss]imus
[·· ? ·· Sabrath]ensiu[m] deuo-
[tus num]ini m[aie]stati-
[que] eorum
10[·· ? ··] M(arco) Cae[···] p̣ro
[---]
[·· ? ··]SIMO[···]EA
[·· ? ··]ESET[···]VME
[·· ? ·······]RNAE[····]TVTIS
[·· ? ··]·AV[·······]
5[····· ? ··········]DIOCO[····]ANTIO
[·· ? ···········]ENDID[····]IMVS
[·· ? ··········]ENSIV[··]DEVO
[········]INIM[····]STATI
[····]EORVM
10[·· ? ··]MCAE[···]·RO
[---]
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
simo
<gap reason="lost" extent="3" unit="character" />
ea
<lb n="2" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
es
et
<gap reason="lost" extent="3" unit="character" />
ume
<lb n="3" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
aete
</supplied>
rnae
<supplied reason="lost" >
uir
</supplied>
tutis
<lb n="4" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<unclear reason="damage" >
i
</unclear>
<expan>
<abbr>
Au
<supplied reason="lost" >
g
</supplied>
</abbr>
<supplied reason="lost" >
<ex>
usto
</ex>
</supplied>
</expan>
<lb n="5" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
et
</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
Fl
</abbr>
<ex>
auio
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
Clau
</supplied>
dio
Co
<supplied reason="lost" >
nst
</supplied>
antio
<lb n="6" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
ordo
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
spl
</supplied>
endid
<supplied reason="lost" >
iss
</supplied>
imus
<lb n="7" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
Sabrath
</supplied>
ensiu
<supplied reason="lost" >
m
</supplied>
deuo
<lb n="8" type="worddiv" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
tus
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
num
</supplied>
ini
m
<supplied reason="lost" >
aie
</supplied>
stati
<lb n="9" type="worddiv" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
que
</supplied>
eorum
<lb n="10" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<expan>
<abbr>
M
</abbr>
<ex>
arco
</ex>
</expan>
Cae
<gap reason="lost" extent="3" unit="character" />
<unclear reason="damage" >
p
</unclear>
ro
<lb n="11" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="1" unit="line" />
</ab>

Line 4: Presumably Constantius II, Augustus 337-361.

Line 5: Constantius Gallus 351-354 .

Translation:

To [·· ? ··?example] of eternal virtue, [·· ? ··] Augustus and [·· ? ··] Flavius Claudius Constantius; the most splendid [city council] of the Sabrathans, devoted to their divine will and majesty; Marcus Cae[·· ? ··] on behalf of [·· ? ··]

Commentary:

No comment.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 47.IV.30)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 47.IV.30)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XII.14)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XII.14)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. DS 904 Leica)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. DS 904 Leica)

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