544. Honours for L. Volusius Bassus Cerealis

Description:
Moulded base (w: 0.68 x h: 1.22 x d: 0.55) of cream marble, with trophies carved in relief on the two side faces.  
Text:
Re-inscribed on the front within a moulded panel (die, w: 0.34 x h: 0.56) from which a previous inscription has been erased. There is an ivy leaf at the end of l. 6. 
Letters:
Late third to fourth centuries lettering: 0.03-0.045. 
Date:
Late third to fourth centuries A.D. (lettering).  
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Severan Basilica, in the East passage.  
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Findspot 
Bibliography:
A. Degrassi, Quaderni di Archeologia della Libia, Roma (Ministero dell'Africa Italiana), vol. I, 1950, III 1954 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) 
L(ucio) Volusio Basso Cereali
c(larissimo) u(iro) legato totius
innocentiae et
aequitatis et consi-
5milis moderatio-
nis uiro
Lepcimagnenses ex de-
creto ordinis mu-
nicipi et patrono perpetuo
LVOLVSIOBASSOCEREALI
CVLEGATOTOTIVS
INNOCENTIAEET
AEQVITATISETCONSI
5MILISMODERATIO
NISVIRO
LEPCIMAGNENSESEXDE
CRETOORDINISMV
NICIPIETPATRONOPERPETVO
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<expan>
<abbr>
L
</abbr>
<ex>
ucio
</ex>
</expan>
Volusio
Basso
Cereali
<lb n="2" />
<expan>
<abbr>
c
</abbr>
<ex>
larissimo
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
u
</abbr>
<ex>
iro
</ex>
</expan>
legato
totius
<lb n="3" />
innocentiae
et
<lb n="4" />
aequitatis
et
consi
<lb n="5" type="worddiv" />
milis
moderatio
<lb n="6" type="worddiv" />
nis
uiro
<lb n="7" />
Lepcimagnenses
ex
de
<lb n="8" type="worddiv" />
creto
ordinis
mu
<lb n="9" type="worddiv" />
nicipi
et
patrono
perpetuo
</ab>

8-9, municip(i) et, Degrassi: this is acceptable: on the stone E is clear, T less so.

Translation:

To Lucius Volusius Bassus Carealis ,splendid man (of senatorial status), legate, a man of complete innocence and equity and equally of moderation; the people of Lepcis Magna, in accordance with a decree of the council of the municipality, (set this up) and to (their) permanent patron .

Commentary:

l. 1. L. Volusius Bassus Cerealis. Also in 543, ll. 1-10. For other members of the same family see 579.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (sopr. DLM 1526 Leica)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (sopr. DLM 1526 Leica)

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