465. Dedication to Maxentius

Description:
Rectangular base (w: 0.48 x h: 1.05 x d: 0.50) of brown limestone. 
Text:
Inscribed on one face within a moulded panel (die, w: 0.36 x h: 0.93). 
Letters:
Fourth century A.D. capitals: 0.04-0.05. 
Date:
A.D. 306-312 (reign) 
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Forum Severianum, North East angle. 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Findspot 
Bibliography:
Bersanetti, Epigraphica (Rivista Italiana di Epigrafia), Milano, vol. I, 1939 V-VI:27 ff.; L'Année Epigraphique (Revue des Publications épigraphiques relatives à l'Antiquité romaine: annual supplement to Rev. Arch.) 1946:149. 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) 
[In]dulgentissimo
ac libertatis re-
stitutori uic-
tori{ori}osis-
5simoque Impe-
ratori
d(omino) n(ostro) Maxentio
P(io) F(elici) inuicto Aug(usto)
Volusius
10Donatianus
u(ir) p(erfectissimus) p(raeses) p(rouinciae) Tripol(itanae)
numini maies-
tatiq(ue) [e]ius dicatiss(imus)
[···]DVLGENTISSIMO
ACLIBERTATISRE
STITVTORIVIC
TORI{ORI}OSIS
5SIMOQVEIMPE
RATORI
DNMAXENTIO
PFINVICTOAVG
VOLVSIVS
10DONATIANVS
VPPPTRIPOL
NVMINIMAIES
TATIQ[··]IVSDICATISS
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
In
</supplied>
dulgentissimo
<lb n="2" />
ac
libertatis
re
<lb n="3" type="worddiv" />
stitutori
uic
<lb n="4" type="worddiv" />
tori
<sic >
ori
</sic>
osis
<lb n="5" type="worddiv" />
simoque
Impe
<lb n="6" type="worddiv" />
ratori
<lb n="7" />
<expan>
<abbr>
d
</abbr>
<ex>
omino
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
n
</abbr>
<ex>
ostro
</ex>
</expan>
Maxentio
<lb n="8" />
<expan>
<abbr>
P
</abbr>
<ex>
io
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
F
</abbr>
<ex>
elici
</ex>
</expan>
inuicto
<expan>
<abbr>
Aug
</abbr>
<ex>
usto
</ex>
</expan>
<lb n="9" />
Volusius
<lb n="10" />
Donatianus
<lb n="11" />
<expan>
<abbr>
u
</abbr>
<ex>
ir
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
erfectissimus
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
raeses
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
rouinciae
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
Tripol
</abbr>
<ex>
itanae
</ex>
</expan>
<lb n="12" />
numini
<expan>
<abbr>
maies
<lb n="13" type="worddiv" />
tatiq
</abbr>
<ex>
ue
</ex>
</expan>
<supplied reason="lost" >
e
</supplied>
ius
<expan>
<abbr>
dicatiss
</abbr>
<ex>
imus
</ex>
</expan>
</ab>

Translation:

To the most indulgent, and moreover restorer of freedom, and most victorious emperor, our lord Maxentius Pius, Felix, unconquered Augustus; Volusius Donatianus, most excellent man ( i.e. of equestrian status), governor of the province of Tripolitania, deeply devoted to his divine power and majesty.

Commentary:

ll. 5-6. imperator: perhaps a reference to the defeat of the usurper L. Domitius Alexander in 311; so Bersanetti.

ll. 7-8. Maxentius: Augustus 306-312.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 583)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 583)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 746)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 746)

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