719. Funerary inscription for Loukios

Description:
Marble stele (w: 0.38 x h: 0.64 x d: 0.09) in the form of a shrine with columns, pediment and acroteria, forming a border to the inscribed die (w: 0.27 x h: 0.42). A tongue projects downwards from the base.  
Text:
Inscribed on the die.  
Letters:
0.025-0.013. 
Date:
First to fourth centuries A.D. (terminology)  
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Found re-used in late antiquity, in the so-called Villa del Nilo, beside the sea between the Port and the Amphitheatre 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Lepcis Museum.  
Bibliography:
P. Romanelli, Leptis Magna (Africae Italiana: Monografie a cura del Ministero delle Colonie, 1), Roma, 1925, fig. 77; Aurigemma, Africa Italiana (Rivista di Storia e d'Arte a cura del Ministero delle Colonie) 8 vols., Bergamo, 1927-1940, II:259ff., fig. 9; Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum IX:805. 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) 
τὸν σεμνῶς ζήσαν-
τα καὶ ἤθεσι δοξασ(θέν)-
τα τειμαῖς τειμηθέν-
τα τέχνῃ δέ τοι μοῦ-
5νον ἐόντα πάνσοφον
ἐν πολλοῖς ἔργεσιν
Λούκιον ἔνθα μέλαινα
Λιβύης κατὰ γαῖα κα-
λύπτ(ε)ι Σώστρατος
10Λουκίῳ τῷ ἰδίῳ θρε-
πτῷ ζήσαντι ἔτη
κα´ μνήμης
χ̣άριν
[χ]αίρετε παροδεῖ-
15ται
ΤΟΝΣΕΜΝΩΣΖΗΣΑΝ
ΤΑΚΑΙΗΘΕΣΙΔΟΞΑΣ
ΤΑΤΕΙΜΑΙΣΤΕΙΜΗΘΕΝ
ΤΑΤΕΧΝΗΔΕΤΟΙΜΟΥ
5ΝΟΝΕΟΝΤΑΠΑΝΣΟΦΟΝ
ΕΝΠΟΛΛΟΙΣΕΡΓΕΣΙΝ
ΛΟΥΚΙΟΝΕΝΘΑΜΕΛΑΙΝΑ
ΛΙΒΥΗΣΚΑΤΑΓΑΙΑΚΑ
ΛΥΠΤΙΣΩΣΤΡΑΤΟΣ
10ΛΟΥΚΙΩΤΩΙΔΙΩΘΡΕ
ΠΤΩΖΗΣΑΝΤΙΕΤΗ
ΚΑ´ΜΝΗΜΗΣ
·ΑΡΙΝ
[··]ΑΙΡΕΤΕΠΑΡΟΔΕΙ
15ΤΑΙ
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
τὸν
σεμνῶς
ζήσαν
<lb n="2" type="worddiv" />
τα
καὶ
ἤθεσι
<expan>
<abbr>
δοξασ
</abbr>
<ex>
θέν
</ex>
<lb n="3" type="worddiv" />
<abbr>
τα
</abbr>
</expan>
τειμαῖς
τειμηθέν
<lb n="4" type="worddiv" />
τα
τέχνῃ
δέ
τοι
μοῦ
<lb n="5" type="worddiv" />
νον
ἐόντα
πάνσοφον
<lb n="6" />
ἐν
πολλοῖς
ἔργεσιν
<lb n="7" />
Λούκιον
ἔνθα
μέλαινα
<lb n="8" />
Λιβύης
κατὰ
γαῖα
<expan>
<abbr>
κα
<lb n="9" type="worddiv" />
λύπτ
</abbr>
<ex>
ε
</ex>
<abbr>
ι
</abbr>
</expan>
Σώστρατος
<lb n="10" />
Λουκίῳ
τῷ
ἰδίῳ
θρε
<lb n="11" type="worddiv" />
πτῷ
ζήσαντι
ἔτη
<lb n="12" />
<num value="21" >
κα
</num>
μνήμης
<lb n="13" />
<unclear reason="" >
χ
</unclear>
άριν
<lb n="14" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
χ
</supplied>
αίρετε
παροδεῖ
<lb n="15" type="worddiv" />
ται
</ab>

Translation:

One who lived honourably and respected for his way of life, honoured ?with official honours, being of singulars skill and wholly informed in many tasks, Lucius, here the black earth of Libya conceals you. Sostratos (set this up) for Lucius, his own nursling , who lived for twenty-one years; in memory.

Hail, passers-by!

Commentary:

No comment.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XXXV.10)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XXXV.10)

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