Buildingdedication of the Forum to ClaudiusJ. M. ReynoldsJ. B. Ward-Perkins
Creative Commons licence Attribution UK 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/).
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Republished from J. M. Reynolds and J. B. Ward-Perkins, The Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania, Rome: British
School at Rome, 1952.
Marked-up according to the EpiDoc Guidelines version 5 http://www.stoa.org/epidoc/gl/5/
ArabicEnglishFrenchGermanAncient GreekTransliterated GreekModern GreekHebrewItalianLatinPunicNative Libyan language in Latin scriptTripolitaniaLibyaLeptis Magna2008-09-09ZAconverted using CHET-C2009-05-19RVAdded Figures2009-08-24RVAdded Figures
Description of Monument
Stele
(0.8552.360.30) of fine- grained grey limestone, one of four which stood in pairs on shallow moulded plinths in the Forum Vetus.
Fragments of one of the other stelae, with an identical text, and of two plinths, are preserved.
Description of Text
Inscribed on the face in letters of bronze, since removed, within a moulded panel
(die, 0.672.14).
Description of Letters
Capitals: 0.065-0.05. Four lines of Neo-Punic follow the Latin text (Neo- Punic 31: see commentary below).
Date
A.D. 53
(titulature)
Locations
Lepcis Magna:
Forum Vetus, in front of the Temple of Rome and Augustus.
Unknown
Findspot
Bibliography
Aurigemma, VIII:35ff., figs. 20, 21 and 22;
1948:17.
Text constituted from
Transcription (Reynolds, Ward-Perkins)
Text
TiberioClaudioDrusifilioCaesariAugustoGermanicopontificimaximotribuniciapotestateXIIIimperatoriXVIIconsuliVcensoripatripatriaeMarcusPompeiusSiluanusconsulXVuirsacrisfaciundisproconsulpatronusdedicauitQuintoCassioGratopraetoreproconsuleCretaeetCyrenarumlegatopropraetoreAfricaeCaiusAnnonisfiliusnomineCaiAnnonisfiliinepotissuicolumnascumsuperficieetforumdesuapecuniadeditBalithoAnnonisMacrifiliusCommodustestamentoadoptatusfaciendumcurauit
Translation
To Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, son of Drusus, chief priest, holding tribunician power for the thirteenth time, acclaimed victor seventeen times, consul five times, censor, father of the country; Marcus Pompeius Silvanus, consul, member of the committee of fifteen for sacred affairs at Rome, proconsul, patron, dedicated this, Quintus Cassius Gratus praetor, proconsul of Crete and Cyrene, being his legate with pro praetorian authority in Africa; Caius son of Anno, in the name of Caius, son of Anno, his grandson, gave the columns with what is above them and the forum from his own funds. Balitho Commodus, son of Anno Macer, by adoption in his will, saw to it that the work was carried out.
Commentary
The provisional translation of theNeo-Punic text (31) given by Levi Della Vida in
Afr.Ital. VIII (1940) 42 is superseded by a definitive discussion and translation,
published by the same author in Rend. Acc. Linc. IV (1949) 400-404.
The latter. rendered literally, reads: << G. `y by ben Hanno, in the name of G`y his grandson by (his son) M'qr, covered (paid for ?. presented ?)
the columns and the space and paved the forum at his own expense as the work required. Ba'alyaton Q.m.d`, who entered in as son by M`qr
through the writing of the affairs of the family (i.e. through the will) of G'y ben Hanno, had this work executed and brought it to completion >>.
l. 6. trib. pot. XIII - 25 Jan. 53 - 24 Jan. 54.
l. 10. Marcus Pompeius Siluanus. PIR1P 495, cos. suff.. 45.
l. 17. C. Annonis filius. See also in 615; ll. 2- 3, 7 and note 1.
l. 23. Balitho Annonis Commodus. See above on Neo-Punic text. Also 615 , II.3- 5.