WP 0005

IRT2021
Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania 2021

0229. Dedication to Apollo

Description: Rectangular base (w: 0.53 x h: 1.08 x d: 0.48) of compact grey limestone with moulded panels on front and sides; left, a raven on a tripod, right, a lyre and plectrum.
Text: Inscribed panel on front heavily and apparently deliberately damaged, but still legible (die, w: 0.33 x h: 0.50). Three lines of Neo-Punic, in part erased and no longer legible, follow the Latin text. Uniform with 246.
Letters: Lapidary capitals: 0.03.

Date: First-third centuries CE (lettering)

Findspot: Tripoli: Oea: Found walled into the Chapel of Sidi Chlifa el-Bulaghi, beside the Lighthouse Fort, Tripoli
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location: Now in front of Sabratha Museum.

Interpretive

⟦Apollini
sacrum
Aurellius Epa-
gri f(ilius) d(e) s(uo) d(edit) ⟧
ii
ᶜ̊b̊d̊mlq̊rt bn mt/n[---]b[---]
[---]l[---]bᶜ[---]
[---]ᶜmyᵓn/t[---]

Diplomatic

⟦APOLLINI
SACRUM
AURELLIUSEPA
GRIFDSD⟧
ii
...ML.RTBNMT/N[---]B[---]
[---]L[---]Bᶜ[---]
[---]ᶜMYᵓN/T[---]

English translation

Translation by: J. M. Reynolds

i. Sacred to Apollo. Aurellius son of Epagrus gave this at his own expense.

English translation

Translation by: Caroline Barron

ii. Abdmelqart, the son of Muthunbal.

Commentary

Line 3-4: Aurellius Epagri filius. See also in 246.

Discussion of Neo-Punic text: Adams (2003), 215-216; Jongeling (2008), Tripoli N2; Wilson (2012), 301-302.

Bibliography: Aurigemma, 1916, 383 ff, figs. 2- 4; , whence AE, 1919.97; IRT, 1952, 229, whence IRT, 2009, 229, whence EDH 026850. With the Neo=Punic text Levi Della Vida, 1927 97; Levi Della Vida, 1987 5b, whence Jongeling, 2008 Tripoli N2; for BSR images see BSR Digital Collections.

Images

   Fig. 1. Left panel: Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. A 134)

   Fig. 2. Right panel: Ward-Perkins, 1947 (Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR 47.III.14)

   Fig. 3. Front view:Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. D. 853)

   Fig. 4. Front face: Ward-Perkins, 1946 (Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR 46.VIII.8)

   Fig. 5. Front face: Ward-Perkins, 1947 (Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR 47.III.15)