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Inscription #

292. Dedication to Jupiter Dolichenus

Description:: Moulded altar (w: 0.73 x h: 1.41 x d: 0.73) of compact brown limestone,damaged above and considerably weathered;
Text:: Inscribed on the front within a moulded panel (die, w: 0.46 x h: 0.59) and near the top of the left-hand face. Carved in relief on the left-hand face, below the inscription, with a jug standing in a basin; on the right-hand face a patera; and on the back a casket. Above the upper moulding was a rectangular crowning feature ( h: 0.12) carved at the angles with rosette-centred volutes; in the centre of the left-hand (the only surviving) face is an open hand above a pine cone a) On the front. b) On the left-hand side.
Letters:: a) Rustic capitals: 0.03-0.04, b) Capitals: 0.04.
Date:: A.D. 201-211 (reign)
Findspot:: Lepcis Magna: Beside the Severan harbour, in front of the Temple of Jupiter Dolichenus.
Original Location:: Unknown
Last recorded location:: Findspot
Bibliography:: Merlat, Répertoire des Inscriptions et des Monuments figurés du Culte de Jupiter Dolichenus, Rennes, 1949 Guey, Revue Africaine, XCIV:55 ff. 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)

I(oui) O(ptimo) M(aximo)
Dolicheno
pro salute et uictoria domi-
norum nostrorum Aug(ustorum) et
5〚[·· ? ··]〛
〚[·· ? ··]e〛 crux redi
tu [I]mp̣(eratorum) in urbem [s]uam
T(itus) F̣ḷạuiu[s ·]arinus c(enturio) leg(ionis)
u(otum) l(ibens) p(osuit)

D(e)d(icauit) III idus Apriles

IOM
DOLICHENO
PROSALVTEETVICTORIADOMI
NORVMNOSTRORVMAVGET
5〚[·· ? ··]〛
〚[·· ? ··]E〛·REDI
TV[··]M·INVRBEM[··]VAM
T···VIV[···]ARINVSCLEG
VLP

DDIIIIDVSAPRILES

<ab>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

oui

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

ptimo

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

aximo

</ex>

</expan>

Dolicheno

pro

salute

uictoria

domi

norum

nostrorum

<expan>

<abbr>

Aug

</abbr>

<ex>

ustorum

</ex>

</expan>

<del>

</del>

<del>

</del>

</unclear>

redi

<expan>

<abbr>

</supplied>

</unclear>

</abbr>

<ex>

eratorum

</ex>

</expan>

urbem

</supplied>

uam

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

itus

</ex>

</expan>

Fla

</unclear>

uiu

</supplied>

arinus

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

enturio

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

leg

</abbr>

<ex>

ionis

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

otum

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

ibens

</ex>

</expan>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

osuit

</ex>

</expan>

</ab>

</div>

<ab>

<expan>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

</ex>

<abbr>

</abbr>

<ex>

icauit

</ex>

</expan>

III

</num>

idus

Apriles

</ab>

</div>

a.4, AVGG[G], the third G erased. Septimius Severus, Caracalla and Geta. Geta has the title Augustus in Tripolitanian inscriptions as early as 201, see 913, 914, 915.

a.6, ll. 5 and 6, deliberately erased, contained perhaps the name of C. Fulvius Plautianus, or that of the dedicator's legion, possibly III Augusta, disbanded in 238, or III Gallica, disbanded under Elagabalus. Detachments of III Gallica served in Africa in the time of Septimius Severus.

a.7, [I]M[P]P or possibly [I]M[PP]P, with the second P erased.

a.8, [M]arinus, GueyThis should be accepted, see e.g. Ingholt, Memoirs of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, XII (1954) 28 for the use of the cognomen Marinus by worshippers of Dolichenus, presumably because of its apparent connexion with the cult-title Mar = Lord.

a.9, An additional line-III Aug(ustae), GueyNo such line exists: the reading results from a misinterpretation of accidental scatches on the stone.

Translation:

To Jupiter Optimus Maximus Dolichenus, for the safety and victory of our lords the three Augusti and (erased name) and the return of the emperors to their own city. Titus Flavius [·· ? ··]arinus, legionary centurion, willingly paid his vow. b. Dedicated on the 11th of April.