Main sections

Previous
Next
Inscription #

341. Fragmentary building dedication of porticoes to Nero

Description:: Architrave blocks of grey limestone (each approx. w: 1.80 x h: 0.50 x d: 0.50) from two apparently identical monumental inscriptions. Eleven blocks were found in 1930, of which three only are still visible; the others are now buried under alluvial deposit and the text of these latter is known only from a drawing made in 1932 and in part from a photograph in the Superintendency archives. a) Blocks still visible. b) Blocks no longer visible, but photographed.
Text:: Inscribed on the surviving faces.
Letters:: Lapidary capitals: l. l, 0.165; l. 2, 0.14; l. 3, 0.11.
Date:: A.D. 61-62 (titulature)
Findspot:: Lepcis Magna: Port area, near the junction of the Port and the Colonnaded Street, on the North West bank of Wadi Lebdah.
Original Location:: Unknown
Last recorded location:: Findspot
Bibliography:: N. Degrassi, Epigraphica (Rivista Italiana di Epigrafia), Milano, vol. I, 1939 VII:11, n. 2 (1. 3 only); A. Degrassi, Quaderni di Archeologia della Libia, Roma (Ministero dell'Africa Italiana), vol. I, 1950 III 1954. This edition taken from J. M. Reynolds and J. B. Ward-Perkins, The Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania, Rome: British School at Rome, 1952; including revisions from J. M. Reynolds, 'Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania: A Supplement', Proceedings of the British School at Rome 23 (1955), 124-147
Text constituted from:: Transcription (Reynolds, Ward-Perkins)

(Blocks 1 and 2.) [·· ? ··] RONI CLAVDIO DIVI CLAVDI F GERMANI [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] SER CORNELIVS SER F LEM ORFITV [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] COLVMNAS ET SVPER COLVMNIA ET SV [·· ? ··]

(Block 3) [·· ? ··] NEP TI CAESARIS PRO [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] QVAESTOR DIVI CLAVD [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] ET SVPER OSTIA IN TRIBVS [·· ? ··]

(Blocks no longer visible but photographed.)

(Block 4.)

[·· ? ··] ONEP DIVI AVG AB [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] ṚB COS PONTIF SOD [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] S F SABINVS [·· ? ··]

(Block 5.)

[·· ? ··] POTI CAESARI [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] ODALIS AVGVSTALIS [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] HYMBAḶ ARINIS F SABINVS TAP [·· ? ··]

iii

(Block 6.)

[·· ? ··] TRIB POT VIII [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] P SILIO CELERE [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] OṚ PECVNIAE PVBLICAE EAS PORT [·· ? ··]

(Blocks no longer visible, known only from a drawing.)

(Block 7. l.1 only. ll.2-3 nil.)

(Block 8.)

[·· ? ··] ONTIF MAX [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] EDICAVIT [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] IDEMQVE CVRAṾ [·· ? ··]

iii

(Block 9.)

[·· ? ··] AVG GERMANICO [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] PROCOS PATRONVS [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] APIVS FLAMEN DIVI AVG SVFETV [·· ? ··]

(Block 10. l.1 only, ll. 2-3 nil.)

[·· ? ··] COS IIII PP

(Block 11.)

[·· ? ··] MAX [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] IENDAS CVRAṾ [·· ? ··]

(Blocks 1 and 2.) [·· ? ··]RONI CLAVDIO DIVI CLAVDI F GERMANI[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] SER CORNELIVS SER F LEM ORFITV[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] COLVMNAS ET SVPER COLVMNIA ET SV[·· ? ··]

(Block 3) [·· ? ··]NEP TI CAESARIS PRO[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] QVAESTOR DIVI CLAVD[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] ET SVPER OSTIA IN TRIBVS [·· ? ··]

(Blocks no longer visible but photographed.)

(Block 4.)

[·· ? ··]ONEP DIVI AVG AB[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]·B COS PONTIF SOD [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]S F SABINVS [·· ? ··]

(Block 5.)

[·· ? ··]POTI CAESARI[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]ODALIS AVGVSTALIS [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]HYMBA· ARINIS F SABINVS TAP[·· ? ··]

iii

(Block 6.)

[·· ? ··] TRIB POT VIII [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] P SILIO CELERE [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]O· PECVNIAE PVBLICAE EAS PORT[·· ? ··]

(Blocks no longer visible, known only from a drawing.)

(Block 7. l.1 only. ll.2-3 nil.)

(Block 8.)

[·· ? ··]ONTIF MAX [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]EDICAVIT [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] IDEMQVE CVRA·[·· ? ··]

iii

(Block 9.)

[·· ? ··] AVG GERMANICO [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]PROCOS PATRONVS [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]APIVS FLAMEN DIVI AVG SVFETV [·· ? ··]

(Block 10. l.1 only, ll. 2-3 nil.)

[·· ? ··] COS IIII PP

(Block 11.)

[·· ? ··] MAX [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]IENDAS CVRA·[·· ? ··]

NERONICLAVDIODIVICLAVDIFGERMA[·····]NEPTICAESARISPRONEPDIVIAVGAB[···]POTICAESARIAVGGERMANICO[··]ONTIFMAXTRIBPOTVIII[·····]COSIIIIPP
SERCORNELIVSSERFLEMORFITV[···· c. 8··]QVAESTORDIVICLAVD[·······]·BCOSPONTIFSODALISAVGVSTALISPROCOSPATRONVS[··]EDICAVITPSILIOCELERE[········· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]COLVMNASETSVPERCOLVMNIAETSVPEROSTIAINTRIBVS[·· c. 15·····]HYMBA·ARINISFSABINVSTAPAPIVSFLAMENDIVIAVGSVFETV[·· ? ·····]CIENDASCVRA[····]IDEMQVECVRA·ORPECVNIAEPVBLICAEEASPORT[······· ? ··]

<ab>

<note>

Blocks 1 and 2.

</note>

<orig >

roni claudio diui claudi f germani

</orig>

<orig >

ser cornelius ser f lem orfitu

</orig>

<orig >

columnas et super columnia et su

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<ab>

<note>

Block 3

</note>

<orig >

nep ti caesaris pro

</orig>

<orig >

quaestor divi claud

</orig>

<orig >

et super ostia in tribus

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<note>

Blocks no longer visible but photographed.

</note>

<note>

Block 4.

</note>

<ab>

<orig >

onep diui aug ab

</orig>

<orig >

</unclear>

b cos pontif sod

</orig>

<orig >

s f sabinus

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<note>

Block 5.

</note>

<ab>

<orig >

poti caesari

</orig>

<orig >

odalis augustalis

</orig>

<orig >

hymba

</unclear>

arinis f sabinus tap

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<note>

Block 6.

</note>

<ab>

<orig >

trib pot

VIII

</num>

</orig>

<orig >

p silio celere

</orig>

<orig >

</unclear>

pecuniae publicae eas port

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<note>

Blocks no longer visible, known only from a drawing.

</note>

<note>

Block 7. l.1 only. ll.2-3 nil.

</note>

<ab>

<orig >

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<note>

Block 8.

</note>

<ab>

<orig >

ontif max

</orig>

<orig >

edicauit

</orig>

<orig >

idemque cura

</unclear>

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<note>

Block 9.

</note>

<ab>

<orig >

aug germanico

</orig>

<orig >

procos patronus

</orig>

<orig >

apius flamen diui aug sufetu

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<note>

Block 10. l.1 only, ll. 2-3 nil.

</note>

<ab>

<orig >

cos

IIII

</num>

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<note>

Block 11.

</note>

<ab>

<orig >

max

</orig>

<orig >

iendas cura

</unclear>

</orig>

</ab>

</div>

<ab>

Neroni

Claudio

diui

Claudi

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

ilio

</ex>

</expan>

Germa

nici

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

nep

</abbr>

<ex>

oti

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

beri

</ex>

</expan>

Caesaris

<expan>

<abbr>

pronep

</abbr>

<ex>

oti

</ex>

</expan>

diui

<expan>

<abbr>

Aug

</abbr>

<ex>

usti

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

poti

Caesari

<expan>

<abbr>

Aug

</abbr>

<ex>

usto

</ex>

</expan>

Germanico

<expan>

<abbr>

</supplied>

ontif

</abbr>

<ex>

ici

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

max

</abbr>

<ex>

imo

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

trib

</abbr>

<ex>

unicia

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

pot

</abbr>

<ex>

estate

</ex>

</expan>

VIII

</num>

<expan>

<abbr>

imp

</abbr>

<ex>

eratori

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

<num >

</num>

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

uli

</ex>

</expan>

IIII

</num>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

atri

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

atriae

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

Ser

</abbr>

<ex>

uius

</ex>

</expan>

Cornelius

<expan>

<abbr>

Ser

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

ilius

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

Lem

</abbr>

<ex>

onia tribu

</ex>

</expan>

Orfitu

</supplied>

quaestor

diui

Claud

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

aetor

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

</supplied>

</unclear>

</abbr>

<ex>

anus

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

pontif

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

sodalis

Augustalis

<expan>

<abbr>

proco

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

patronus

</supplied>

edicauit

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

ublio

</ex>

</expan>

Silio

Celere

legato

</supplied>

columnas

super

columnia

super

ostia

tribus

</supplied>

hymba

</unclear>

Arinis

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

ilius

</ex>

</expan>

Sabinus

Tapapius

flamen

diui

<expan>

<abbr>

Aug

</abbr>

<ex>

usti

</ex>

</expan>

sufetu

</supplied>

ciendas

cura

uit

</supplied>

idemque

cura

</unclear>

pecuniae

publicae

eas

port

icus

</supplied>

</ab>

Reconstructed Text

Neroni Claudio diui Claudi f(ilio) Germa[nici] nep(oti) Ti(beri) Caesaris pronep(oti) diui Aug(usti) ab[ne]poti Caesari Aug(usto) Germanico [p]ontif(ici) max(imo) trib(unicia) pot(estate) VIII [imp(eratori) ·· ? ··]] co(n)s(uli) IIII p(atri) p(atriae)
Ser(uius) Cornelius Ser(ui) f(ilius) Lem(onia tribu) Orfitu[s ·· c. 8··] quaestor diui Claud[i pr(aetor) u]ṛb(anus) co(n)s(ul) pontif(ex) sodalis Augustalis proco(n)s(ul) patronus [d]edicauit P(ublio) Silio Celere [legato ·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··] columnas et super columnia et super ostia in tribus [·· c. 15·· It]hymbaḷ Arinis f(ilius) Sabinus Tapapius flamen diui Aug(usti) sufetu [·· ? ·· fa]ciendas cura[uit] idemque curaṭor pecuniae publicae eas port[icus ·· ? ··]

a.3, supercolumnia et superostia, Degrassi : on the stone there are in fact stops between super et columnia, and between super and ostia.

Translation:

To Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, son of deified Claudius, grandson of Germanicus, great grandson of Tiberius Caesar, great great grandson of deified Augustus, chief priest, holding tribunician power for the eighth time, acclaimed victor ? times, consul four times, father of the country; Servius Cornelius Orfitus, son of Servius, of the Roman voting tribe Lemonia, [·· ? ··] quaestor of the deified Claudius, urban praetor, consul, priest, sodalis (Roman priest) of the cult of the Augusti, proconsul, patron, dedicated (it), Publius Silvius Celer [·· ? ··] his legate [·· ? ··] Ithymbal Sabinus Tapapius, son of Arin, flamen (local priest) of the deified Augustus, sufete [·· ? ··], saw to the erection of the columns and the apertures above them and above these openings, in three [·· ? ··], and also as curator of public funds [·· ? ··] those porticoes [·· ? ··]