WP 0005

IRT2021
Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania 2021

0603. Honours for Porfyrius

Description: Tetrapylon statue base of rough grey-brown limestone.
Text: Inscribed on the front face within a recessed rectangular panel (die, w: 1.18 x h: 0.36) which has been cut into an earlier tabella ansata. The sculptured ornament of the tetrapylon belongs to the earlier, erased inscription.
Letters: Late form of Rustic capitals, av. 0.055.

Date: Second half of the third century CE (lettering)

Findspot: Lepcis Magna: Regio V, Punic Market, in the courtyard near the limestone market-building.
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location: Findspot

Interpretive

Amatori patriae et ciuium suoṛ[um quod] ex indulg̣ẹṇṭịa sacra
ciuibus suis feras dentatas quattuor uiuas donauit
ex decreto splendidissimi ordinis bigam decreu(eru)nt
( vac. 3) Porfyri ( vac. 30) Porfyri((palm))

Diplomatic

AMATORIPATRIAEETCIUIUMSUO.[......]EXINDUL.....ASACRA
CIUIBUSSUISFERASDENTATASQUATTUORUIUASDONAUIT
EXDECRETOSPLENDIDISSIMIORDINISBIGAMDECREUNT
      PORFYRI                                                            PORFYRI

1: qu]od indulg̣ẹṇṭịa IRT, 1952

English translation

Translation by: J. M. Reynolds

To a lover of his country and of his fellow-citizens, because by the emperor's concession he presented to his fellow-citizens four living tusked beasts (elephants). By decree of the most splendid city council they voted a two-horse chariot. (scil. In honour) of Porfyrius, of Porfyrius.

Italian translation

Translation source: Tantillo-Bigi, 2010

A . . . (?) amante della patria e dei suoi concittadini, per il fatto che, grazie alla sacra indulgenza, donò vive ai propri concittadini quattro belve dentate, per decreto dello splendidissimo ordine, decretarono una biga. Porfyrius! Porfyrius! 

English translation

Translation source: LSA, 2012

To ... lover of his fatherland and of his fellow-citizens. Because, by sacred indulgence, he donated to his citizens four living teethed wild beasts, they have decreed, by decree of the most splendid council (ordo) a two-horse chariot (biga). Porfyrius, Porfyrius.

Bibliography: Aurigemma, 1940a, 82 ff., figs. 17, 18 , whence AE, 1942-43.4; IRT, 1952, 603, whence IRT, 2009, 603; Tantillo-Bigi, 2010, 50, whence AE, 2010.1780, LSA, 2012, 2196 (Tantillo and Bigi), EDH (Bigi, 2014) 020412; for BSR images see BSR Digital Collections.

Images

   Fig. 1. View: Tantillo, 2008 (P1060148)

   Fig. 2. Front: Tantillo (2008)

   Fig. 3. Upper face: Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 45)

   Fig. 4. Upper face, drawing: Bigi (2009)

   Fig. 5. Upper face: Tantillo, 2008 (P1060141)

   Fig. 6. Upper face, right end: Tantillo (2008)

   Fig. 7. Upper face, left end: Tantillo (2008)

   Fig. 8. Right support, detail: Tantillo (2008)

   Fig. 9. Left support, detail: Tantillo (2008)

   Fig. 10. Back: Tantillo (2008)

   Fig. 11. Top: Tantillo, 2008 (P1050926)