WP 0005

IRT2021
Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania 2021

0468. Building inscription under Constantine I and sons

Description: 58 fragments of a marble panel (w: 1.48 x h: 0.68 x d: 0.02).
Text: Inscribed on one face; line 10 is outset
Letters: Fourth century CE capitals: average 0.05; line 11, 0.02.

Date: Nouember 324-March 326 (prosopography)

Findspot: Lepcis Magna: Regio V, Punic Market.
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location: Now recomposed in Lepcis Museum.

Interpretive

Quod inter cetera ciuitatis Lepcimagnensium
moenia quae cum sui magnitudine et splendo-
re concordant etiam porticuum macelli in rui-
nam [lab]ẹmque conuersam remanere nudam
5 ult[ra?c. 18]ret ((stop)) quod esset in usu
ac f[c. 23] ḥort[a]nte clemen-
tia [diuina? dddd(ominorum)] ṇnnn(ostrorum) ((stop)) F[l(aui)] Cons[t]antini ((stop)) max(imi) ((stop))
[uict(ori) semp(er) Aug(usti) et Fl(aui) Iul(i) Cri]ṣpi et ((stop)) Fl(aui) ((stop)) [Cl]ạudị Co[n]stantini
et F[l(aui) Iul(ii) Constanti no]b(i)ll(issimorum) ((stop)) Caess(arum) ((stop)) [dispone]ṇte ac dedicante ((stop))
10Laenatio Romulo [u(iro) p(erfectissimo) p(raeside) p(rouinciae) Tripol(itanae) c. 4 amp]ḷiorem [c. 13]am gratiam et pulchritu-
[dinem c. 12] sum<p>ti[bus publice? submin]istratis

Diplomatic

QUODINTERCETERACIUITATISLEPCIMAGNENSIUM
MOENIAQUAECUMSUIMAGNITUDINEETSPLENDO
RECONCORDANTETIAMPORTICUUMMACELLIINRUI
NAM[...].MQUECONUERSAMREMANERENUDAM
5ULT[..··················]RET QUODESSETINUSU
ACF[·······················].ORT[.]NTECLEMEN
TIA[...........].NNN F[.]CONS[.]ANTINI MAX
[.....................].PIET FL [..].UD.CO[.]STANTINI
ETF[.][..............]BLL CAESS [.......].TEACDEDICANTE
10LAENATIOROMULO[..........····...].IOREM[·············]AMGRATIAMETPULCHRITU
[.....············]SUMTI[................]ISTRATIS

4: [la]ḅemque IRT, 1952
5: ult[c. 15]ẹneret IRT, 1952
7: et F[l(aui)] IRT, 1952
8: [et Val(eri) Licini et Fl(aui) Cri]spi et Fl(aui) [Cl]aud[i Con]stantini IRT, 1952
9: et F[l(aui) Val(eri) Licini no]b(i)l(ium) IRT, 1952 ; [·· 9··]te ac dedicante IRT, 1952
11: sum(p)ti[bus ·· 11·· admin]istra[t]is IRT, 1952

English translation

Translation by: J. M. Reynolds

Because among other affairs of the city of the Lepcimagnensians the walls which ?are appropriate to its size and splendour, also the portico of the market [fallen] into ruin and destruction to remain bare [---] which was in use and [c. 20] with encouragement from the clemency [c. 9] of our [ lords Flavius] Constantinus the very great [and Valerius Licinius and Flavius] Crispus and Flavius Claudius Constantinus and Flavius [Ualerius Licinius] noble Caesars; [---] and dedicating Laenatius Romulus [excellent man ( i.e. equestrian), governor of the province of Tripolitania---] fuller [and?] grace and beauty [---] ? with the costs [---] having been administered.

Italian translation

Translation source: Tantillo-Bigi, 2010

Poiché, tra gli edifici della città di Leptis Magna che concordano con la sua grandezza e il suo splendore, anche il portico del mercato, ridotto a rovina e in disgrazia . . . rimanere spoglio ulteriormente (?) . . . e che fosse in uso . . . e . . . incitati dalla clemenza dei nostri (quattro) signori Flavio Costantino, massimo, vincitore, per sempre Augusto, e Flavio Giulio Crispo e Flavio Claudio Costantino e Flavio Giulio Costanzo nobilissimi Cesari . . . dispose (?) e dedicò Laenatius Romulus, uomo perfettissimo, governatore della Prouincia di Tripolitania . . . più grande . . . grazia e bellezza . . . con fondi forniti dalle casse pubbliche (?).

Commentary

Laenatius Romulus: PLRE I, Romulus 4: also in 101, 467, 574.

Bibliography: Aurigemma, 1939, 117 ff., fig. 6, whence AE 1948.40; Guey, 1951a , whence AE 1952, page 56; IRT, 1952, 468, whence Chastagnol, 1966 , IRT, 2009, 468; Tantillo-Bigi, 2010, 73, EDH (Bigi, 2014) 021549; for BSR images see BSR Digital Collections.

Images

   Fig. 1. Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. CLM 764)

   Fig. 2. Fragments assembled, drawing: Bigi (2009)

   Fig. 3. Assembled: Tantillo (2006)

   Fig. 4. Upper left: Tantillo (2004)

   Fig. 5. Lower left: Tantillo (2004)

   Fig. 6. Upper centre: Tantillo (2004)

   Fig. 7. Lower centre: Tantillo (2004)

   Fig. 8. Upper right: Tantillo (2004)

   Fig. 9. Lower right: Tantillo (2004)