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Inscription #

342. Dedication to Vespasian

Description:: Blocks (length varying w: 0.50 x h: 0.50) of grey limestone, probably from a destroyed arch.
Text:: Inscribed on front and back with identical texts.
Letters:: Lapidary capitals: 0.20.
Date:: A.D. 77-78 (titulature)
Findspot:: Lepcis Magna: Found, in part re-used in the Byzantine Gate (at the angle of Reg. IV, ins. 12, Reg. V, ins. 12, and Reg. VI, ins. 1 arid 2), in part scattered near by.
Original Location:: Unknown
Last recorded location:: now recomposed beside the Gate (total measurements, w: 4.90 x h: 2.00). One block (CIL VIII, 9) is at Virgina Water, Surrey (see 310a).
Bibliography:: Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum VIII:8 and 9; Bartoccini, Rivista della Tripolitania (Rivista a cura dell'Ufficio di Colonizzazione del Governo della Tripolitania), 2 vols., Roma, 1924-5; a third vol., under the title Libya, published for the Ministero delle Colonie, was issued in 1927 II:69; P. Romanelli, Leptis Magna (Africae Italiana: Monografie a cura del Ministero delle Colonie, 1), Roma, 1925, 87; L'Année Epigraphique (Revue des Publications épigraphiques relatives à l'Antiquité romaine: annual supplement to Rev. Arch.) 1926:155: N. Degrassi, Epigraphica (Rivista Italiana di Epigrafia), Milano, vol. I, 1939, VII:8, n. 4. The preceding were written before the discovery of a number of fresh blocks. Published fully by Goodchild, Papers of the British School at Rome, XVIII:77-82; see also Fasti Archaeologici, I:2070; L'Année Epigraphique (Revue des Publications épigraphiques relatives à l'Antiquité romaine: annual supplement to Rev. Arch.) 1949:84. 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)

Imp(eratori) Caesa[r]i Vespasian[o Aug(usto)] [p]ont(ifici) max(imo) [trib(unicia)]
pot(estate) [VIIII imp(eratori) XVIIII p(atri) p(atriae)] co(n)s(uli) V[III]
[T(ito) Imp(eratori)] Caes[ari Vespasi]ano Aug(usti) f(ilio)
pont(ifici) [imp(eratori) ·· ? ··] co(n)s(uli) VI
5[C(aius) Pa]ccius Africanus pon[tif(ex)] co(n)s(ul)
[pr]oco(n)s(ul) Africae patronu[s] per
Cn(aeum) Dom[itium] Ponti[c]um pr(aetorem) leg(atum)
pro [pr(aetore) pat]ronum municipi dedic(auit)

[Imp(eratori)] Caesari V[espasia]no Aug(usto) po[nt(ifici) max(imo)]
[tr]ib(uncia) pot(estate) VI[III imp(eratori) X]VIIII p(atri) p(atriae) c[o(n)]s(uli) VIII
T(ito) Imp(eratori) Caesari [Vespasian]o Aug(usti) [f(ilio)]
pont(ifici) i[mp(eratori)·· ? ··] co(n)s(uli) [VI]
5C(aius) Pac[ci]us Africanus pontif(ex) [co(n)s(ul)]
pr[oc]o(n)s(ul) Africae patronu[s per]
Cn(aeum) Domitium Pon[ticum] pr(aetorem) leg(atum)
pro pr(aetore) patronum [muni]cipi dedic(auit)

IMPCAESA[··]IVESPASIAN[······][··]ONTMAX[·····]
POT[·····················]COSV[····]
[······]CAES[············]ANOAVGF
PONT[······ ? ··]COSVI
5[·····]CCIVSAFRICANVSPON[·······]COS
[···]OCOSAFRICAEPATRONV[··]PER
CNDOM[······]PONTI[··]VMPRLEG
PRO[·······]RONVMMVNICIPIDEDIC

[····]CAESARIV[········]NOAVGPO[·············]
[···]IBPOTVI[··········]VIIIIPPC[····]SVIII
TIMPCAESARI[··········]OAVG[··]
PONTI[············· ? ··]COS[···]
5CPAC[···]VSAFRICANVSPONTIF[···]
PR[···]OSAFRICAEPATRONV[······]
CNDOMITIVMPON[······]PRLEG
PROPRPATRONVM[·····]CIPIDEDIC

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Imp

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eratori

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Caesa

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Vespasian

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<abbr>

Aug

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<ex>

usto

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ont

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<ex>

ifici

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max

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imo

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trib

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unicia

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<abbr>

pot

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<ex>

estate

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VIIII

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<abbr>

imp

</abbr>

<ex>

eratori

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XVIIII

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atri

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atriae

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uli

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III

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ito

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Imp

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eratori

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Caes

ari

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Vespasi

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ano

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Aug

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usti

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ilio

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<abbr>

pont

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ifici

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<expan>

<abbr>

imp

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<ex>

eratori

</ex>

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<expan>

<abbr>

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<ex>

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<abbr>

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<ex>

uli

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<expan>

<abbr>

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<ex>

aius

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ccius

Africanus

<expan>

<abbr>

pon

tif

</supplied>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</supplied>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</supplied>

oco

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

Africae

patronu

</supplied>

per

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

aeum

</ex>

</expan>

Dom

itium

</supplied>

Ponti

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

aetorem

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

leg

</abbr>

<ex>

atum

</ex>

</expan>

pro

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

aetore

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

pat

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ronum

municipi

<expan>

<abbr>

dedic

</abbr>

<ex>

auit

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</div>

<ab>

<expan>

<abbr>

Imp

</abbr>

<ex>

eratori

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

Caesari

espasia

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

Aug

</abbr>

<ex>

usto

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</supplied>

</abbr>

<ex>

ifici

</ex>

</supplied>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

max

</abbr>

<ex>

imo

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

uncia

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

pot

</abbr>

<ex>

estate

</ex>

</expan>

III

</supplied>

</num>

<expan>

<abbr>

imp

</abbr>

<ex>

eratori

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

</supplied>

VIIII

</num>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

atri

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

atriae

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</supplied>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</supplied>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

uli

</ex>

</expan>

VIII

</num>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

ito

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

Imp

</abbr>

<ex>

eratori

</ex>

</expan>

Caesari

Vespasian

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

Aug

</abbr>

<ex>

usti

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

ilio

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

pont

</abbr>

<ex>

ifici

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</supplied>

</abbr>

<ex>

eratori

</ex>

</supplied>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

uli

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

</num>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

aius

</ex>

</expan>

Pac

</supplied>

Africanus

<expan>

<abbr>

pontif

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

</supplied>

<expan>

<abbr>

</supplied>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

</expan>

Africae

patronu

</supplied>

per

</supplied>

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</abbr>

<ex>

aeum

</ex>

</expan>

Domitium

Pon

ticum

</supplied>

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<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

aetorem

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

leg

</abbr>

<ex>

atum

</ex>

</expan>

pro

<expan>

<abbr>

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aetore

</ex>

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patronum

muni

</supplied>

cipi

<expan>

<abbr>

dedic

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<ex>

auit

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</ab>

</div>

Translation:

a. To emperor Caesar Vespasian Augustus, chief priest, holding tribunician power for the [ninth time , acclaimed victor nineteen times, father of the country], consul [eight] times, (and) [Titus Emperor] Caesar Vespasian son of Augustus, priest, [acclaimed victor ? times], consul six times; [Caius Pa]ccius Africanus, pontifex (Roman priest), consul, proconsul of Africa, patron, by means of Cnaeus Domitius Ponticus, praetor, legate with propraetorian powers, patron of the municipality, dedicated (this).

b. To emperor Caesar Vespasian Augustus, chief priest, holding tribunician power for the [ninth time , acclaimed victor ] nineteen times, father of the country, consul eight times, (and) Titus Emperor Caesar [Vespasian, son] of Augustus, priest, [acclaimed victor ? times], consul[ six times]; Caius Paccius Africanus, pontifex (Roman priest), [consul], proconsul of Africa, patron, [by means of] Cnaeus Domitius Ponticus, praetor, legate with propraetorian power, patron of the municipality, dedicated (this)

Commentary:

a) ll. 1-2. trib. pot. VIIII - 1 July 77 - 30 June 78. The available space suggests VIII rather than VIIII; but on 29 July 77 Vespasian was still imp. XVIII (CIL II, 1423).

a) l. 2. cos. VIII - 1 Jan. 77 - 31 Dec. 78.

a) l. 5. C. Paccius Africanus. Cos. an. inc. under Nero or Vespasian = PIR1 P 8; known only from Tacitus, Hist. IV, 41.