WP 0005

IRT2021
Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania 2021

0562. Honours for Flavius Archontius Nilus

Description: Marble base (w: 0.80 x h: 1.15 x d: 0.80). Later re-used, and inscribed on the reverse face; see 475.
Text: Inscribed on one face: line 1 with a formal spray before and after the first word, on the upper moulding; lines 2ff within a recessed panel (die, w: 0.52 x h: 0.60), from which an earlier inscription has been erased; three formal sprays are cut below the last line.
Letters: Fourth century capitals: line 1, 0.04; remainder, 0.02; dot for stop.

Date: 355-361 CE (prosopography)

Findspot: Lepcis Magna: Forum Severianum, near the entrance to the Basilica.
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location: Findspot

Interpretive

( vac. ) ((palm)) Nilii ((palm)) Nili[i ---]
( vac. 1 line)
Uigiliis atque consilio domi forisque prae-
stanti integritate praecipuo ((stop)) iustitia et iu-
diciorum moderatione perpenso ((stop)) instaura-
5tori moenium publicorum ordinis ci(ui)umque om-
nium salutis prouidentissimo custodi uerita-
tis honestatis et fidei amicissimo ((leaf))
Flauio Archontio Nilo u(iro) p(erfectissimo) comiti et praesidi
prou(inciae) Trip(olitanae) patrono optimo ob infinita eius be-
10neficia quibus uel separatim uel cum omni pro-
uincia subleuati ac recreati Lepcimagnenses
gratulamur uno consensu ordinis uiri
secundam statuam decreuerunt eamque
propter praecipuum eius meritum singu-
15laremque praestantiam in Seueriano
foro ad sempiternam prosperitatis me-
moriam constituendam curauerunt
( vac. ) ((palm)) ( vac. ) ((palm)) ( vac. ) ((palm)) ( vac. )

Diplomatic

       NILII NILI[.---]
     vacat
UIGILIISATQUECONSILIODOMIFORISQUEPRAE
STANTIINTEGRITATEPRAECIPUO IUSTITIAETIU
DICIORUMMODERATIONEPERPENSO INSTAURA
5TORIMOENIUMPUBLICORUMORDINISCIUMQUEOM
NIUMSALUTISPROUIDENTISSIMOCUSTODIUERITA
TISHONESTATISETFIDEIAMICISSIMO
FLAUIOARCHONTIONILOUPCOMITIETPRAESIDI
PROUTRIPPATRONOOPTIMOOBINFINITAEIUSBE
10NEFICIAQUIBUSUELSEPARATIMUELCUMOMNIPRO
UINCIASUBLEUATIACRECREATILEPCIMAGNENSES
GRATULAMURUNOCONSENSUORDINISUIRI
SECUNDAMSTATUAMDECREUERUNTEAMQUE
PROPTERPRAECIPUUMEIUSMERITUMSINGU
15LAREMQUEPRAESTANTIAMINSEUERIANO
FOROADSEMPITERNAMPROSPERITATISME
MORIAMCONSTITUENDAMCURAUERUNT
                           

English translation

Translation by: J. M. Reynolds

(scil. In honour) of Nilius. Of Nilius. To one who is outstanding in vigilance and good counsel at home and abroad, exceptional in integrity, balanced in justice and in the carefully weighed moderation of his judgments, rebuilder of the city walls, most provident guardian of the security of the city council and of all citizens, strongly attached to truth, rectitude, and good faith, Flavius Archontius Nilus, excellent man(i.e. of equestrian status), count and governor of the province of Tripolitania, our very good patron, on account of his innumerable benefactions by which we, the citizens of Lepcis Magna, separately or in common with the whole province, have been raised and revived, we offer our thanks; with every member of the city council in agreement they have decreed a second statue to the man which, in view of his outstanding merits and unexampled excellence they took care (scil. to set up) in the Severan forum, with a view to establishing an enduring memory of ?his favourable influence.

Italian translation

Translation source: Tantillo-Bigi, 2010

Nilus! Nilus! Eccellente per vigilanza e per saggezza, in pace come in guerra, eminente per integrità, ponderato nella giustizia e nella moderazione dei giudizi, restauratore degli edifici pubblici, previdentissimo custode della salvezza dell’ordine e di tutti i cittadini, quanto mai amico della verità, dell’onestà e della lealtà, a Flavius Archontius Nilus, uomo perfettissimo, conte e governatore della Prouincia di Tripolitania, patrono ottimo, per i suoi infiniti benefici con i quali, separatamente o assieme al resto della provincia, furono sollevati e rianimati, gli abitanti Leptis Magna – noi uomini dell’ordine ci congratuliamo con unanime consenso! – decretarono una seconda statua, e quella, per il suo speciale merito e la sua singolare eccellenza, fecero erigere nel Foro Severiano, a sempiterna memoria per i posteri.

English translation

Translation source: LSA, 2012

(Statue of) Nilus. (Statue of) Nilus. To a man outstanding in vigilance and advice at home and abroad (= in peace and war), foremost by integrity, measured by justice and the moderation of his judgements, the restorer of public buildings, a most far-seeing guardian of the safety of the council (ordo) and of all citizens, safeguarder of truth and the greatest friend of honesty and loyalty, Flavius Archontius Nilus, of perfectissimus rank, military commander (comes) and governor (praeses) of the province of Tripolitania. To the best patron, on account of his infinite good deeds by which both separately and with the entire province they have been raised and reborn, the people of Lepcis Magna (Lepcimagnenses) show their joy; unanimously the men of the council (ordo) decreed a second statue, and because of his exceptional merit and his unique excellence they took care that it was set up in the Severan forum to the eternal memory of future generations.

Commentary

Flavius Archontius Nilus: PLRE I, Nilus 1

Bibliography: Aurigemma, 1940b, 135 ff., fig. 1, whence AE 1948.6a; Guey, 1951a, , whence AE 1952, page 56; IRT, 1952, 562, whence IRT, 2009, 562; Tantillo-Bigi, 2010, 40, whence LSA, 2012, 2186 (Tantillo and Bigi), EDH (Bigi, 2014) 019674; for BSR images see BSR Digital Collections.

Images

   Fig. 1. Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 752)

   Fig. 2. Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 26)

   Fig. 3. View: Tantillo, 2006 (DSCN2718)

   Fig. 4. Face: Tantillo, 2005