Description: Moulded base with moulding on three faces (w:
0.56 x h:
1.20 x d:
0.56) of coarse brown limestone, with volutes at the upper angles.
Text: Inscribed on the right face, line 1 on the upper moulding; there are formal sprays at the beginning of line 2 and 7 and the
end of line 2 and 3, and
ivy leaves at the end of lines 4 and 7.
Letters: Fourth century CE capitals: 0.03-0.05.
Date: CE 408-423 (reign)
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna:
Forum Severianum, south-east angle.
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location:
Findspot
Interpretive
( vac. ) Ortygii ( vac. )
( vac. 1 line)
((palm)) florentissimis saeculis ((palm))
dd(ominorum) nn(ostrorum) Honori et Theodosii ((palm))
((leaf)) p(atrum) p(atriae) semper Augustorum ((leaf))
5((leaf)) Fl(auio) Ortygio u(iro) c(larissimo) sp(ectabili) p(rimi) o(rdinis) com(iti) et duci p(rouinciae) T(ripolitanae)
((leaf)) ob insignia meritorum et labore(m)
((palm)) ((palm)) fidemque exhibitam ((leaf))
Austurianorum rabia ripraessa
ordo splendidissimus et populus
10 Lepcimag(nensis) ciuita[t]ịṣ conlocauịṭ
Diplomatic
ORTYGII
vacat
⸙ FLORENTISSIMISSAECULIS ⸙
DDNNHONORIETTHEODOSII ⸙
❦ PPSEMPERAUGUSTORUM ❦
5 ❦ FLORTYGIOUCSPPOCOMETDUCIPT
❦ OBINSIGNIAMERITORUMETLABORE
⸙ ⸙ FIDEMQUEEXHIBITAM ❦
AUSTURIANORUMRABIARIPRAESSA
ORDOSPLENDIDISSIMUSETPOPULUS
10LEPCIMAGCIUITA[.]..CONLOCAU..
English translation
Translation by: J. M. Reynolds
(In honour) of Ortygius.
In the flourishing times of our lords Honorius and Theodosius, father of the country, always Augusti, to Flavius Ortygius,
splendid man (of senatorial status), SPPO (not understood), count and governor of the province of Tripolitania, on account of the outstanding character of his deserts and effort and
good faith shown in the suppressing of the rage of the Austuriani; the most splendid city council and the people of the city
of Lepcis Magna (scil. set this up) publicly.
Italian translation
Translation source: Tantillo-Bigi, 2010
Ortygius! Nell’epoca quanto mai felice dei nostri signori Onorio e Teodosio, perpetui per sempre Augusti, a Flavius Ortygius,
uomo chiarissimo e spettabile, conte di primo rango e duca della Prouincia di Tripolitania, per i suoi insigni meriti, le
sue fatiche e la lealt da lui mostrata, arrestata la furia degli Austuriani, l’ordine splendidissimo e il popolo della città
di Leptis Magna collocò.
English translation
Translation source: LSA, 2012
(Statue of) Ortygius. In the flourishing era of our lords Honorius and Theodosius, perpetual eternal Augusti. To Flavius Ortygius,
of clarissimus rank, of spectabilis rank, count (comes) of the first order and military commander (dux) of the province of Tripolitania, on account of the tokens of his merits and his toil and loyalty diplayed; when the rage
of the Austurians was repressed, the most splendid council (ordo) and people of the city of Lepcis Magna set this up.
Bibliography: IRT, 1952, 480, Degrassi A., 1954 115, whence Reynolds, 1955, 143, IRT, 2009, 480; Reynolds, 1977, 13; Tantillo-Bigi, 2010, 31, whence LSA, 2012, 2177 (Tantillo and Bigi), EDH (Bigi, 2014) 059374; for BSR images see BSR Digital Collections.
Images
Fig. 1. Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 750)
Fig. 2. Ward-Perkins, 1948 (Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR 48.XVIII.42)
Fig. 3. Face, drawing: Bigi (2009)
Fig. 4. Inscribed (right) face: Tantillo (2005)
Fig. 5. Upper moulding: Tantillo (2005)
Fig. 6. Centre and inscribed (right) faces: Tantillo (2003)
Fig. 7. Inscribed (right) face and back: Tantillo, 2008 (P1050877)
Fig. 8. Top: Tantillo, 2008 (P1050872)
