844. Christian funerary inscription

Description:
Re-used paving-slab (w: 1.00 x h: 0.50) of grey limestone. 
Text:
Very crudely inscribed, with many ligatures. 
Letters:
l. 1, 0.12; l. 2, 0.10; l. 3, 0.08. 
Date:
Fifth century A.D. (context)  
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Forum Vetus, in situ between the Severan exedra and the Baptistry. 
Original Location:
Findspot 
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) 
crux Bon(a)e mem(oriae) Serg(i)
Mari(ae) biuerunt [ - - - ] an(nos) plus
minus sep(t)u[a]g̣(inta) m(ense)ṣ IX crux
crux BONEMEMSERG
MARIBIVERVNT[ - - - ]ANPLVS
MINVSSEPV[··]·M·IX crux
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<g type="crux" > </g>
<expan>
<abbr>
Bon
</abbr>
<ex>
a
</ex>
<abbr>
e
</abbr>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
mem
</abbr>
<ex>
oriae
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
Serg
</abbr>
<ex>
i
</ex>
</expan>
<lb n="2" />
<expan>
<abbr>
Mari
</abbr>
<ex>
ae
</ex>
</expan>
biuerunt
<num >
<gap reason="lost" extent="1" unit="character" extentmax="4" />
</num>
<expan>
<abbr>
an
</abbr>
<ex>
nos
</ex>
</expan>
plus
<lb n="3" />
minus
<expan>
<abbr>
sep
</abbr>
<ex>
t
</ex>
<abbr>
u
</abbr>
<supplied reason="lost" >
a
</supplied>
<abbr>
<unclear reason="" >
g
</unclear>
</abbr>
<ex>
inta
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
m
</abbr>
<ex>
ense
</ex>
<abbr>
<unclear reason="" >
s
</unclear>
</abbr>
</expan>
<num value="9" >
IX
</num>
<g type="crux" > </g>
</ab>

Translation:

(Cross) To the good memory of Sergius (and) Maria. They lived for approximately seventy years and nine months (Cross)

Commentary:

No comment.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 760)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 760)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XV.34)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.XV.34)

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