429. Fragmentary dedication to Caracalla

Description:
Part of a polygonal base of marble, broken at either side (surviving width, w: 0.40 x h: 0.32 x d: 0.60). 
Text:
Inscribed on the surviving face, with a moulding above and below. Uniform with 400 and 404. 
Letters:
Rustic capitals: 0.02-0.025. 
Date:
A.D. 216 (titulature; from IRT 400).  
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Severan Basilica, found built into the steps of the South apse. 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Findspot 
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) 
[Imp(eratori) Caes(ari)] M(arco) Aurellio Antonino Pio Felic[i Aug(usto)]
[Parthico ma]ximo Britannico maximo Germ[anico]
[maximo ponti]fici maximo tribuniciae pote[statis XVIIII]
[imperatori III] [c]o(n)s(uli) IIII p(atri) p(atriae) Lepcitani Septimia[ni]
5[pro cont]inua indulgentia eius
[····]MAVRELLIOANTONINOPIOFELIC[······]
[············]XIMOBRITANNICOMAXIMOGERM[······]
[·············]FICIMAXIMOTRIBVNICIAEPOTE[··············]
[···········][··]OSIIIIPPLEPCITANISEPTIMIA[···]
5[·········]INVAINDVLGENTIAEIVS
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
Imp
</abbr>
<ex>
eratori
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
Caes
</abbr>
<ex>
ari
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<expan>
<abbr>
M
</abbr>
<ex>
arco
</ex>
</expan>
Aurellio
Antonino
Pio
Felic
<supplied reason="lost" >
i
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
Aug
</abbr>
<ex>
usto
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<lb n="2" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
Parthico
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
ma
</supplied>
ximo
Britannico
maximo
Germ
<supplied reason="lost" >
anico
</supplied>
<lb n="3" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
maximo
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
ponti
</supplied>
fici
maximo
tribuniciae
pote
<supplied reason="lost" >
statis
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
<num value="19" >
XVIIII
</num>
</supplied>
<lb n="4" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
imperatori
<num value="3" >
III
</num>
</supplied>
<expan>
<abbr>
<supplied reason="lost" >
c
</supplied>
o
</abbr>
<ex>
n
</ex>
<abbr>
s
</abbr>
<ex>
uli
</ex>
</expan>
<num value="4" >
IIII
</num>
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
atri
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
atriae
</ex>
</expan>
Lepcitani
Septimia
<supplied reason="lost" >
ni
</supplied>
<lb n="5" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
pro
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
cont
</supplied>
inua
indulgentia
eius
</ab>

Translation:

[To emperor Caesar] Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Felix [Augustus], greatest [victor in Parthia,] greatest victor in Britannia, greatest victor in Germany, chief priest, holding tribunician power [for the nineteenth time, acclaimed victor three times,] consul four times, father of the country, the Septimian Lepcitanians [in return for] his continuous indulgence.

Commentary:

No comment.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. DLM 1532 Leica)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. DLM 1532 Leica)

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