264. Dedication to Asclepius

Description:
Marble stele (w: 0.43 x h: 0.64 x d: 0.08) in the form of a shrine, with flanking Ionic pilasters, pediment containing a bust of Serapis, and rudimentary acroteria; in the central panel, a crested serpent before a pine cone upon a moulded stand; the base, the lower left-hand corner of which is missing, consists of a podium moulded at the ends, smooth and inscribed at the centre and, between the ends and the centre, recesses which may have contained inset figures.  
Text:
Inscribed around the border of the pediment, on the two pilasters, and on the central panel of the base. a) On the pediment; b) On the pilasters; c) On the base. 
Letters:
Lettering: on the pediment, Greek, 0.017; on the pilasters, Latin, rough capitals not earlier than third century A.D., 0.02; on the base, as on the pilasters, 0.025. 
Date:
Third century A.D. (lettering) 
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Sahel di Homs 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Formerly in Homs Museum, now in Lepcis Museum.  
Bibliography:
P. Romanelli, Leptis Magna (Africae Italiana: Monografie a cura del Ministero delle Colonie, 1), Roma, 1925, fig. 29; L'Année Epigraphique (Revue des Publications épigraphiques relatives à l'Antiquité romaine: annual supplement to Rev. Arch.), 1926:168; Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum, IX:804; Ciotti, Bullettino della Commissione archeologica di Roma, LXXI: 35 ff.; L'Année Epigraphique (Revue des Publications épigraphiques relatives à l'Antiquité romaine: annual supplement to Rev. Arch.), 1948:101. 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

(On the pediment.)

ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ [τῶν κυ]ρίων
Ἀσσκληπιάδης θεῷ
Ἀσσκληπιῷ εὐχαριστήρ[ι]ον
b

(On the pilasters.)

Pro uic-
toria
domi-
norum
5nostro-
rum
c

(On the base.)

Aretes cau-
sa dio Aescu-
lapio Ascle-
piades Ascle-
5[piadis filiu]s marmorari[u]s
Nicomeḍ[ia]
a

(On the pediment.)

ΑΓΑΘΗΤΥΧΗ[·······]ΡΙΩΝ
ΑΣΣΚΛΗΠΙΑΔΗΣΘΕΩ
ΑΣΣΚΛΗΠΙΩΕΥΧΑΡΙΣΤΗΡ[··]ΟΝ
b

(On the pilasters.)

PROVIC
TORIA
DOMI
NORVM
5NOSTRO
RVM
c

(On the base.)

ARETESCAV
SADIOAESCV
LAPIOASCLE
PIADESASCLE
5[·············]SMARMORARI[··]S
NICOME·[···]
<div type="textpart" n="a" >
<note>
On the pediment.
</note>
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
ἀγαθῇ
τύχῃ
<supplied reason="lost" >
τῶν
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
κυ
</supplied>
ρίων
<lb n="2" />
Ἀσσκληπιάδης
θεῷ
<lb n="3" />
Ἀσσκληπιῷ
εὐχαριστήρ
<supplied reason="lost" >
ι
</supplied>
ον
</ab>
</div>
<div type="textpart" n="b" >
<note>
On the pilasters.
</note>
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
Pro
uic
<lb n="2" type="worddiv" />
toria
<lb n="3" />
domi
<lb n="4" type="worddiv" />
norum
<lb n="5" />
nostro
<lb n="8" type="worddiv" />
rum
</ab>
</div>
<div type="textpart" n="c" >
<note>
On the base.
</note>
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
Aretes
cau
<lb n="2" type="worddiv" />
sa
dio
Aescu
<lb n="3" type="worddiv" />
lapio
Ascle
<lb n="4" type="worddiv" />
piades
Ascle
<lb n="5" type="worddiv" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
piadis
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
filiu
</supplied>
s
marmorari
<supplied reason="lost" >
u
</supplied>
s
<lb n="6" />
Nicome
<unclear reason="" >
d
</unclear>
<supplied reason="lost" >
ia
</supplied>
</ab>
</div>

Translation:

a. For the good fortune of our lords; Asclepiades (set up) a thank-offering to the god Asclepius. b. For the victory of our lords. c. Because of his excellence, to the god Asclepius; Asclepiades son of Asclepiades, marble-merchant from Nicomedia.

Commentary:

No comment.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. A 775)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. A 775)

(cc) You may download this inscription in EpiDoc XML. (You may need the EpiDoc DTD v. 6 to validate this file.)