Description: Two blocks of grey limestone; the first one
(w:
0.84 x h:
0.50 x d:
0.50)
is badly weathered. The second one (w:
0.70 x h:
0.51 x d:
0.51), discovered since 1951,
adjoins the previously found stone of this text at the left-hand end. There is a shallow cut-away on
the right side at the back.
Text: Each block is inscribed on one face.
Letters: First block: Lapidary capitals: from top of block, 0.02; line 1, 0.02-0.105; line 2, 0.14-0.23; line 3, 0.255-0.34; line 4,
0.37-0.455; to bottom, 0.50. Second block: Lapidary capitals: from top of block, line 1, 0.02-0.11; line 2, 0.135-0.225; line
3, 0.25-0.34; line 4, 0.365-0.455; to bottom, 0.51.
Date: First to second century CE (lettering)
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Forum Vetus,
Temple of Rome and Augustus. The first block was found behind the Forum Vetus,
west of the Byzantine Wall, near the sea-shore; the second block was found half-buried in sand between the same temple and
the Byzantine sea-wall,
in which it had probably been re-used.
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location:
Findspot
The reconstruction proposed by Robinson (loc. cit.) is impossible; there are considerable differences in the size of the lettering in the various fragments used.
English translation
Translation by: J. M. Reynolds
[---] to [---] Fronto [---] pontifex (priest) of the colony [---] he (probably Trajan) gave the broad purple band [---] of deified Trajan, victor in Parthia
Commentary
Presumably Lepcis. Fronto has not been identified; but he appears to be the earliest known Senator of Lepcitanian origin.
Bibliography: Part reported by Robinson, 1913, 188 , whence AE, 1913.149; also copied by Halbherr, whence Paci, 1989 3; Cagnat and Merlin, 1923, 1 h; IRT, 1952, 624, with Reynolds, 1955, 132 whence AE 1957.238, IRT, 2009, 624, whence EDH 017450; for BSR images see BSR Digital Collections.
Images
Fig. 1. Ward-Perkins, 1947 (Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR 47.XV.28)