516. Fragmentary ?building inscription

Description:
Two blocks (each w: 1.34 x h: 0.52 x d: 0.20 - the depth measurement is approximate.) of grey limestone; the left sides of two apparently identical panels. 
Text:
Each block inscribed within a tabella ansata (die, surviving width w: 0.91 x h: 0.39). 
Letters:
Lapidary capitals: l. 1, 0.105; l. 2, 0.085; l. 3, 0.08. 
Date:
After A.D. 79 (titulature) 
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Port area, on the East Mole, together with much re-used material from other sites. Text b) was found re-used as a threshold (Bartoccini MS notes).  
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Findspot 
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) 
a
M(arcus) Annius Messal[·· ? ··]
adlectus in senatum a d[iuo ·· ? ··]
a diuo Vespasiano leg(atus) Afric[ae ·· ? ··]
b
M(arcus) Annius Messa[l·· ? ··]
adlectus in senatum a di[uo ·· ? ··]
a diuo Vespasiano leg(atus) Afr[icae ·· ? ··]
a
MANNIVSMESSAL[·· ? ··]
ADLECTVSINSENATVMAD[······ ? ··]
ADIVOVESPASIANOLEGAFRIC[····· ? ··]
b
MANNIVSMESSA[···· ? ··]
ADLECTVSINSENATVMADI[····· ? ··]
ADIVOVESPASIANOLEGAFR[······· ? ··]
<div type="textpart" n="a" >
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<expan>
<abbr>
M
</abbr>
<ex>
arcus
</ex>
</expan>
Annius
Messal
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<lb n="2" />
adlectus
in
senatum
a
d
<supplied reason="lost" >
iuo
</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<lb n="3" />
a
diuo
Vespasiano
<expan>
<abbr>
leg
</abbr>
<ex>
atus
</ex>
</expan>
Afric
<supplied reason="lost" >
ae
</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
</ab>
</div>
<div type="textpart" n="b" >
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<expan>
<abbr>
M
</abbr>
<ex>
arcus
</ex>
</expan>
Annius
Messa
<supplied reason="lost" >
l
</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<lb n="2" />
adlectus
in
senatum
a
di
<supplied reason="lost" >
uo
</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<lb n="3" />
a
diuo
Vespasiano
<expan>
<abbr>
leg
</abbr>
<ex>
atus
</ex>
</expan>
Afr
<supplied reason="lost" >
icae
</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
</ab>
</div>

a.1, Probably Messalla.

Translation:

(a, repeated in b.) Marcus Annius Messal[·· ? ··] adlected into the Senate by deified [?Claudius ·· ? ··] by deified Vespasian, legate of Africa [·· ? ··]

Commentary:

l.1: For the name see L Cornelius Pusio Annius Messalla, PIR (2) C 1425.

l.2: deified: Claudius or Vespasian.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 47.IX.7)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 47.IX.7)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 602)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 602)

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