Description: Two courses of blocks of grey limestone
a) Upper course: of the eight original blocks, six survive, nos. 1-3 (together, w:
2.45 x h:
0.43), followed by a missing block (w:
1.16 x h:
0.43), followed by nos. 5-7 (together, w:
3.22 x h:
0.43).
The last block (w:
0.70 x h:
0.43) is missing.
b) Lower course: of the ten (probably) original blocks, nos. 2-4 (together, w:
2.37 x h:
0.52) survive followed by a gap (length not calculable), followed by two blocks,
of which the right-hand end of the second is broken (together, w:
1.37 x h:
0.52).
The right- hand end of the course is missing.
Text: Inscribed on one face within a moulded panel (together, w:
7.56 x h:
0.95).
Letters: Lapidary capitals: line 1, 0.14; line 2, 0.11: line 3, 0.09; line 4, 0.065; line 5, 0.06. The longitudinal spacing is erratic.
Date: CE 72: GODOT and GODOT (titulature)
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna:in the Forum Vetus,
from the façade of the Temple of Magna Mater
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location:
Now recomposed nearby.
Interpretive
Imp(eratore) Caesare Uespasiano [Aug(usto) pont(ifice) m]ax(imo) trib(unicia) potest(ate) III imp(eratore) X co(n)s(ule) IIII des[ig(nato)] [V p(atre) p(atriae)]
Q(uintus) Manlius Ancharius Tarq[uitius Saturni]nus proco(n)s(ul) patronus d[edicauit]
[.] Uolumnius Memor Felix [legatus] pro pr[aetore ---]
Iddibal Balsillecis [f(ilius)] Annobalis n(epos) Asmunis pro[nepos ---?]-us templum Matris Magna[e ---]
5 et exor[nauit e]x (sestertiis) CC m(ilibus) n(ummum) d(e) s(ua) p(ecunia) d(edit) [---?]-is et Passienus Maris e [---]
Diplomatic
IMPCAESAREUESPASIANO[........]AXTRIBPOTESTIIIIMPXCOSIIIIDES[..][...]
QMANLIUSANCHARIUSTARQ[.............]NUSPROCOSPATRONUSD[........]
[·]UOLUMNIUSMEMORFELIX[.......]PROPR[......---]
IDDIBALBALSILLECIS[.]ANNOBALISNASMUNISPRO[.....---?]USTEMPLUMMATRISMAGNA[.---]
5ETEXOR[......]X 𐆘 CCMNDSPD[---?]ISETPASSIENUSMARISE[---]
English translation
Translation by: J. M. Reynolds
When emperor Caesar Vespasian [Augustus was] Chief [priest], holding tribunician power for the third time, had been acclaimed
victor ten times, was consul for the fourth time and designated [for a fifth, father of the country], Quintus Manlius Ancharius
Tarq[uitius Saturni]nus proconsul, patron, d[edicated](scil. this), [---] Volumnius Memor Felix, his [legate] holding propraetorian powers [being present too]. Iddibal, [son] of Balsillac, grandson
of Annobal, great grandson of Asmun [---built] the temple of Mater Magna [---] and adorned it at a cost of 200,000 sesterces given from his own funds [---] and Passienus Maris ( or ? son of Mar) from [---]
Bibliography: Publications of scattered blocks: Cowper, 1897 208, whence CIL VIII, suppl.4, 1916, 22671; Romanelli, 1925, 129 Bartoccini, 1931, 26, 29, whence AE, 1934.171; Full text: IRT, 1952, 300, whence IRT, 2009, 300; EDH 026974; for BSR images see BSR Digital Collections.
Images
Fig. 1. Lines 1-2: Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Photo RGG)
Fig. 2. Lines 1-2: Ward-Perkins, 1947 (Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR 47.XVII.26)
Fig. 3. Lines 3-5, assembled: Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. DLM 1567 Leica)
Fig. 4. Lines 3-5, left end: Tantillo (n.d.)
Fig. 5. Lines 3-5, centre and right end: Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. DLM 1567 Leica)
Fig. 6. Lines 3-5, centre: Tantillo (n.d.)
Fig. 7. Lines 3-5, centre: Ward-Perkins, 1948 (Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR 48.XIV.7)
Fig. 8. Lines 3-5, centre: Tantillo (n.d.)
Fig. 9. Lines 3-5, centre: Tantillo (n.d.)
Fig. 10. Lines 3-5, right end: Ward-Perkins, 1948 (Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR 48.XIV.8)
