54. Dedication to Constantine I or II

Description:
Fragment from the upper part of a marble panel (w: 0.50 x h: 0.21).  
Text:
Inscribed on the panel face. 
Letters:
Fourth cent. lettering: 0.045-0.03. 
Date:
A.D. 306-337 or A.D. 337-340 (reign).  
Findspot:
Sabratha: Capitolium, found in the vaults; see note on 1. 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Findspot 
Bibliography:
Attilio 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) 
[Restitu]tori oru[·· 4-5··]IEỊ p̣[ub]licae [·· c. 6··]
[prouid]entissimo et glorios[issimo]
[Imp(eratori) Ca(- - -)]es(ari) Fl(auio) Constantino [·· c. 6··]
[Aug(usto) pontif]ici max(imo) [trib](unicia) pot(estate) [·· ? ··]
[········]TORIORV[·· 4-5··]IE··[···]LICAE[·· c. 6··]
[·······]ENTISSIMOETGLORIOS[·······]
[·······]ESFLCONSTANTINO[·· c. 6··]
[···········]ICIMAX[·····]POT[·· ? ··]
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
Restitu
</supplied>
tori
oru
<gap reason="lost" extent="4" unit="character" extentmax="5" />
<orig >
IE
<unclear reason="" >
I
</unclear>
</orig>
<unclear reason="" >
p
</unclear>
<supplied reason="lost" >
ub
</supplied>
licae
<gap reason="lost" extent="6" unit="character" precision="circa" />
<lb n="2" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
prouid
</supplied>
entissimo
et
glorios
<supplied reason="lost" >
issimo
</supplied>
<lb n="3" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
Imp
</abbr>
<ex>
eratori
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<expan>
<supplied reason="lost" >
<abbr>
Ca
</abbr>
</supplied>
<abbr>
es
</abbr>
<ex>
ari
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
Fl
</abbr>
<ex>
auio
</ex>
</expan>
Constantino
<gap reason="lost" extent="6" unit="character" precision="circa" />
<lb n="4" />
<supplied reason="lost" >
<expan>
<abbr>
Aug
</abbr>
<ex>
usto
</ex>
</expan>
</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost" >
pontif
</supplied>
ici
<expan>
<abbr>
max
</abbr>
<ex>
imo
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
<supplied reason="lost" >
trib
</supplied>
</abbr>
<ex>
unicia
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
pot
</abbr>
<ex>
estate
</ex>
</expan>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
</ab>

1, [Restitu]tori oru[is requie]i et p[ub]licae [salutis]

Perhaps orbis et reipublicae, mis-spelt by an illiterate craftsman. The reading is certain.

Translation:

To [the restorer] of the world [·· ? ··]and of the public affairs,] most provident and most glorious [Emperor] Caesar Flavius Constantine [·· ? ··] Augustus], chief [priest], holding tribunician [power for the ? time [·· ? ··]]

Commentary:

Constantine the Great, Augustus 306-337, or Constantine II, Caesar 317-337, Augustus 337-340.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. DS 799 Leica)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. DS 799 Leica)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CS 217)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CS 217)

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