343. Fragmentary ?dedication to ?Vespasian

Description:
Three blocks of brown limestone, two complete and one fragmentary (h: 0.42 x d: 0.51 with traces of cornice-moulding above). a) two blocks, together, length 1.19. b) one block, length: 0.71. 
Text:
Inscribed on one face. 
Letters:
Lapidary capitals: 0.12-0.13. 
Date:
A.D. 69-79 (titulature)  
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Probably re-used in the Fourth century wall. 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Now lying loose beside the West Gate. 
Bibliography:
P. Romanelli, Leptis Magna (Africae Italiana: Monografie a cura del Ministero delle Colonie, 1), Roma, 1925, 84, part of a) only. 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
[·· ? ·· Imp(eratoris)] Vespasiani C[aesaris Aug(usti) ·· ? ··]
b
[·· ? ·· pont(ificis)] max(imi) tr(ibunicia) po[t(estate) ·· ? ··]
a
[·· ? ······]VESPASIANIC[·············· ? ··]
b
[·· ? ·······]MAXTRPO[··········· ? ··]
<div type="textpart" n="a" >
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
Imp
</abbr>
<ex>
eratoris
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
Vespasiani
C
<supplied reason="lost" >
aesaris
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
Aug
</abbr>
<ex>
usti
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
</ab>
</div>
<div type="textpart" n="b" >
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
pont
</abbr>
<ex>
ificis
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<expan>
<abbr>
max
</abbr>
<ex>
imi
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
tr
</abbr>
<ex>
ibunicia
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
po
<supplied reason="lost" >
t
</supplied>
</abbr>
<supplied reason="lost" >
<ex>
estate
</ex>
</supplied>
</expan>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
</ab>
</div>

Translation:

a. [·· ? ··] of [emperor] Vespasian Caesar Augustus [·· ? ··]

b. [·· ? ··] chief priest, holding tribunician power [·· ? ··]

Commentary:

No comment.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XIII.4)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XIII.4)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XIII.5)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XIII.5)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XIII.7)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XIII.7)

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