354. Fragmentary dedication to Trajan

Description:
Four fragments, all probably from the same panel of white marble. a) and b) w: 0.20 x h: 0.11 and w: 0.25 x h: 0.20, no edges surviving. c) w: 0.12 x h: 0.12, no edges surviving. d) w: 0.16 x h: 0.22, lower border. 
Text:
Inscribed within a moulded border 
Letters:
a) and b): l. 1, lapidary capitals, 0.05; l. 2, Second century capitals, 0.035; l. 3, 0.045. c) Second century capitals, l. 1, 0.035; l. 2, 0.045. d) Second century capitals, l. 1, 0.045; l. 2, 0.04. 
Date:
A.D. 113 (titulature) 
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Forum Vetus. 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Lepcis Museum. 
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) 
ab

(a) and b))

[Imp(eratore) Caes(are) Nerua Tr]ạiano [Au]g(usto) Ger(manico) Ḍ[acico]
[pontif(ice) max(imo) trib(unicia)] pot[est](ate) XVII im[p(eratore) VI co(n)s(ule) VI p(atre) p(atriae)]
[·· ? ··]VEV[·· ? ··]
[---]
c
[·· ? ··]niọ [·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]ell[·· ? ··]
d
[·· ? ·· h]onora[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]rauit [·· ? ··]
ab

(a) and b))

[·······]·IANO[···]GGER·[······]
[·······]POT[····]XVIIIM[·····]
[·· ? ··]VEV[·· ? ··]
[---]
c
[·· ? ··]NI·[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]ELL[·· ? ··]
d
[·· ? ····]ONORA[·· ? ··]
[·· ? ··]RAVIT[·· ? ··]
<div type="textpart" n="ab" >
<note>
a) and b)
</note>
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
Imp
</abbr>
<ex>
eratore
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
Caes
</abbr>
<ex>
are
</ex>
</expan>
Nerua
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
Tr
</supplied>
<unclear reason="" >
a
</unclear>
iano
<expan>
<abbr>
<supplied reason="lost" >
Au
</supplied>
g
</abbr>
<ex>
usto
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
Ger
</abbr>
<ex>
manico
</ex>
</expan>
<unclear reason="" >
D
</unclear>
<supplied reason="lost" >
acico
</supplied>
<lb n="2" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
pontif
</abbr>
<ex>
ice
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
max
</abbr>
<ex>
imo
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
trib
</abbr>
<ex>
unicia
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<expan>
<abbr>
pot
<supplied reason="lost" >
est
</supplied>
</abbr>
<ex>
ate
</ex>
</expan>
<num value="17" >
XVII
</num>
im
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
eratore
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
<num value="6" >
VI
</num>
<expan>
<abbr>
co
</abbr>
<ex>
n
</ex>
<abbr>
s
</abbr>
<ex>
ule
</ex>
</expan>
<num value="6" >
VI
</num>
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
atre
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
atriae
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<lb n="3" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<orig >
vev
</orig>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<lb n="4" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="line" />
</ab>
</div>
<div type="textpart" n="c" >
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
ni
<unclear reason="" >
o
</unclear>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<lb n="2" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
ell
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
</ab>
</div>
<div type="textpart" n="d" >
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
h
</supplied>
onora
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<lb n="2" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
rauit
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
</ab>
</div>

Translation:

(a and b.) [When the emperor Caesar Nerva] Trajan Augustus Germanicus Dacicus was [chief priest, holding tribunician] power for the seventeenth time, acclaimed victor [six times, consul six times, father of the country·· ? ··]

c. Not usefully translatable.

d.[·· ? ··] ? honoured [·· ? ··](a singular subject)(took some action)[·· ? ··]

Commentary:

a and b) l. 2. trib. pot. XVII - 10 Dec. 112 - 9 Dec. 113.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.X.34)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.X.34)

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