427. Building inscription of the Basilica
- Description:
- Inscribed blocks (lengths varying, 0.59; total inscription, w: 5.92 x h: 4.2) of brown limestone. There were originally 36 blocks, of which 22 survive complete and 1 in part; many are badly weathered. The text is identical with that of 428 from the interior of the Basilica.
- Text:
- Inscribed on one face.
- Letters:
- Lapidary capitals: 0.15; l. 11, 0.225.
- Date:
- A.D. 216 (titulature)
- Findspot:
- Lepcis Magna: Basilica Severiana, from the external back wall.
- Original Location:
- Unknown
- Last recorded location:
- found fallen and since replaced in position.
- Bibliography:
- Guidi, Africa Italiana (Rivista di Storia e d'Arte a cura del Ministero delle Colonie) 8 vols., Bergamo, 1927-1940 II:231 ff., plate A, figs. 1, 2; L'Année Epigraphique (Revue des Publications épigraphiques relatives à l'Antiquité romaine: annual supplement to Rev. Arch.) 1930:1 A. Degrassi. 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)
[Arabicus AdiabenicusParthicus maximus Britann]-
icus maximus po[ntifex maximus] tribuniciae pote-
statis decem [e]t oct[ies imperator duo]decies co(n)s(ul)
5[ter pat]e[r] patriae proco(n)s(ul) coepit et ex maio[re par-
te perfec]it Im[p](erator) C[a]es(ar) diui Septimi Seueri Pii Arabi[ci Adia]-
[benici Parthici] maxim[i] Britannici maximi filius diui
Marci Anto[ni]ni G[ermani]ci Sarmatici nepos diui
[Antonini Pii pronepos diui] Hadriani ab[nepos]
10[diui Traiani Part]ḥic[i et d]iui Neruae ad[nepos]
[Imp(erator) Caes(ar) M]arcus Aurellius Antoninus Pius Aug(ustus)
[Parthicus] m[a]x(imus) B[ritannicus maximus Ge]rm[anicus]
[maximu]s po[ntifex] maximus tribuni]c[iae pote]-
s[tatis de]c[e]m [nouies imp(erator) ter co(n)s(ul) quater pat]er
15pa[tria]e [proco(n)s(ul) perfici curauit]
[······································]
ICVSMAXIMVSPO[···············]TRIBVNICIAEPOTE
STATISDECEM[··]TOCT[··················]DECIESCOS
5[········]E[··]PATRIAEPROCOSCOEPITETEXMAIO[··············]ITIM[··]C[··]ESDIVISEPTIMISEVERIPIIARABI[········]
[················]MAXIM[··]BRITANNICIMAXIMIFILIVSDIVI
MARCIANTO[···]NIG[·······]CISARMATICINEPOSDIVI
[···························]HADRIANIAB[······]
10[··········]·IC[·······]IVINERVAEAD[······]
[···········]ARCVSAVRELLIVSANTONINVSPIVSAVG
[··········]M[··]XB[······················]RM[·······]
[·······]SPO[·······]················]C[·········]
S[·········]C[··]M[···············]ER
15PA[·····]E[······]
2, [Britan]nicus, This is correct.
Translation:
[The emperor Caesar Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax Augustus, victor in Arabia, victor in Adiabene, greatest victor in Parthia,] greatest [victor in Britannia, chief] priest, holding tribunician power for the eighteenth time, acclaimed victor twelve times, consul [three times, father] of the country, proconsul, began and [substantially completed] (this); emperor Caesar, son of deified Septimius Severus Pius, victor in Arabia, victor in [Adiabene], greatest victor in [Parthia], greatest victor in Britannia, grandson of deified Marcus Antonius, victor in Germany, victor in Sarmatia, great grandson of deified [Antoninus Pius, great great grandson of deified] Hadrian, great great great grandson of [deified Trajan victor in Parthia] and of deified Nerva, [emperor Caesar M]arcus Aurellius Antoninus Pius Augustus, greatest victor in [Parthia], [greatest victor in Britannia, greatest], victor in Germany, [chief priest, holding tribunician power] for the [nineteenth time, acclaimed victor three times, consul four times, father] of the country, [proconsul arranged for its completion].
Commentary:
l. 4. trib. pot. XVIII. 10 Dec. 209 - 9 Dec. 210.
ll. 13-14. trib. pot. XVIIII. 10 Dec. 215 - 9 Dec. 216.
Photographs:
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