8.36. Letter of Severus and Caracalla to Aphrodisias

Description:: Archive wall, column five, second course. The block to the left is substantially intact although damaged at the upper right hand corner; the block to the right is broken away and lost except for small fragments.
Text:: Immediately below 8.35. Surviving inscribed area W. 1.31 x H. 0.435; lines 1, 5, 9 outspaced
Letters:: second to third centuries A.D.; ave,. 0.02; apices, ll. 2, 6, 12; diaeresis ll 2, 5 (erroneously), 6.
Date:: Inscription: second to third centuries A.D. (lettering, context). Document: A.D. 198 (titulature).
Findspot:: Theatre: north parodos wall; fragments fallen in front of wall, or re-used in the Byzantine defence wall.
Original Location:: Theatre: north parodos wall
Last recorded location:: Findspot; fragments in Museum
History of discovery:: Recorded by the NYU expedition in 1967, and fragments found over subsequent years (67.449, 69.315, 69.458, 69.459, 69.460, 69.463, 76.62, 76.107, 76.196.1-8)
Bibliography:: Published by Reynolds, A&R 17 whence Mitchell, CR 34, 1984, 296 (l. 10); SEG 32, 1982.1097, BE 1983.378, AnnEpig 1984, 871, McCabe PHI Aphrodisias 54 . Discussed by C.P. Jones in V. Fromentin and S. Gottelend edd., Origines Gentium (Bordeaux 2001) 183, whence SEG 2001.1492.
Text constituted from:: transcription (Reynolds)This edition: Reynolds (2007) This edition Reynolds (1982).

1 αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ θεοῦ Μάρκου Ἀντωνείνου Εὐσεβοῦς Γε[ρμανικοῦ Σαρματικοῦ υἱός θεοῦ] Κομ[μό]δο[υ ἀδελφ[ός θεοῦ]

2 Ἀντωνείνου Εὐσεβοῦς υἱωνός θεοῦ Ἁδριανοῦ ἔκγον[ος θεοῦ Τραϊανο]ῦ Παρθι[κοῦ καὶ θεοῦ Νέρ]ουα ἀπ̣[όγονος]

3 Λούκιος Σεπτίμιος Σεουῆρος Εὐσεβὴς Περτίναξ Σεβασ[τός Ἀραβικός Ἀδιαβηνικός Παρθικὸς μέ]γιστο[ς ἀρχιε]-

4ρεὺς μέγιστος δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ Ϛ´ αὐτοκράτωρ τὸ [ια´ ὕπατος τὸ β´ π]ατὴ[ρ πα]τρίδος ἀν̣θύπ[ατος καὶ]

5 αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ Λουκίου Σεπτιμίου ΣεουήρουΕὐσεβοῦς[Περ]τ̣ί̣να[κοςΣεβασ]τ̣οῦἈ̣[ραβικ]οῦ Ἀδιαβ[ην]ικ̣[οῦ Παρθι]-

6κοῦ μεγίστου υἱός θεοῦ Μάρκου Ἀντωνείνου Εὐσεβοῦς Γερμαν[ικ]οῦ Σαρμ̣[α]τι[κοῦ υἱων̣[ός θεο]ῦ Ἀντω[νείνου Εὐσε]-

7βοῦς ἔγγονος θεοῦ Ἁδριανοῦ καὶ θεοῦ Τραϊανοῦ Παρθικοῦ καὶ θεοῦ Νέρο[υα ἀπ[όγονος Μᾶρκος Α̣[ὐρ]ήλ̣ι̣[ος Ἀντωνεῖνος

8 Σεβαστός δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας ἀνθύπατος Ἀφ[ρ]ο[δ]εισιέων τοῖς ἄρχου̣[σι καὶ τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ χαίρειν vac. ]

9 πάνυ τῶν εἰκότων ἦν θεὸν ὑμᾶς προσκυνοῦντας παρ’ ἧς ἡ εὐγέ[ν]ε̣ια Ι̣[·· c. 15 ·· ?ἡσθῆναι ?ἐπὶ τοῖς] [περὶ]

10 τῶν βαρβάρων κατωρθωμένοις καὶ ἑορτὴν ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς κοινὴν σ[ὺν πάσῃ τῇ ?οἰκουμένῃ ἄγοντας ?ἐπιστεῖλαι διὰ]

11 ψηφίσματος ὡς εἰδείημεν ὑμῶν τὴν εὐσέβειαν τὰ ὑπάρχοντα δίκα̣[ια τῇ πόλει ὑμῶν μεμενηκότα μέχρι τῆς]

12 vac. ἡμετέρας ἀρχῆς ἀσάλευτα καὶ ἡμεῖς φυλάττομεν

13ΚΛ̣[·· ? ·· εὐτυχεῖτε ·? vac. ]

1ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΚΑΙΣΑΡΘΕΟΥΜΑΡΚΟΥΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟΥΕΥΣΕΒΟΥΣΓΕ[··························]ΚΟΜ[··]ΔΟ[·ΑΔΕΛΦ[······]

2ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟΥΕΥΣΕΒΟΥΣΥΙΩΝΟΣΘΕΟΥΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΥΕΚΓΟΝ[·············]ΥΠΑΡΘΙ[·············]ΟΥΑΑ·[······]

3ΛΟΥΚΙΟΣΣΕΠΤΙΜΙΟΣΣΕΟΥΗΡΟΣΕΥΣΕΒΗΣΠΕΡΤΙΝΑΞΣΕΒΑΣ[································]ΓΙΣΤΟ[······]

4ΡΕΥΣΜΕΓΙΣΤΟΣΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗΣΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣΤΟϚΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΤΟ[············]ΑΤΗ[···]ΤΡΙΔΟΣΑ·ΘΥΠ[·······]

5ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΚΑΙΣΑΡΛΟΥΚΙΟΥΣΕΠΤΙΜΙΟΥΣΕΟΥΗΡΟΥΕΥΣΕΒΟΥΣ[···]··ΝΑ[········]·ΟΥ·[·····]ΟΥΑΔΙΑΒ[··]Ι·[·······]

6ΚΟΥΜΕΓΙΣΤΟΥΥΙΟΣΘΕΟΥΜΑΡΚΟΥΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟΥΕΥΣΕΒΟΥΣΓΕΡΜΑΝ[··]ΟΥΣΑΡ·[·]ΤΙ[···ΥΙΩ·[·····]ΥΑΝΤΩ[··········]

7ΒΟΥΣΕΓΓΟΝΟΣΘΕΟΥΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΥΚΑΙΘΕΟΥΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΥΠΑΡΘΙΚΟΥΚΑΙΘΕΟΥΝΕΡΟ[··ΑΠ[·············[··]Η··[············

8ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗΣΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣΑΝΘΥΠΑΤΟΣΑΦ[·]Ο[·]ΕΙΣΙΕΩΝΤΟΙΣΑΡΧΟ·[···························· ···]

9ΠΑΝΥΤΩΝΕΙΚΟΤΩΝΗΝΘΕΟΝΥΜΑΣΠΡΟΣΚΥΝΟΥΝΤΑΣΠΑΡ’ΗΣΗΕΥΓΕ[·]·ΙΑ·[·····························][····]

10ΤΩΝΒΑΡΒΑΡΩΝΚΑΤΩΡΘΩΜΕΝΟΙΣΚΑΙΕΟΡΤΗΝΕΠ’ΑΥΤΟΙΣΚΟΙΝΗΝΣ[·····································]

11ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑΤΟΣΩΣΕΙΔΕΙΗΜΕΝΥΜΩΝΤΗΝΕΥΣΕΒΕΙΑΝΤΑΥΠΑΡΧΟΝΤΑΔΙΚ·[·······························]

12 ΗΜΕΤΕΡΑΣΑΡΧΗΣΑΣΑΛΕΥΤΑΚΑΙΗΜΕΙΣΦΥΛΑΤΤΟΜΕΝ

13Κ·[ - - - ········· ····]

<ab>

αὐτοκράτωρ

Καῖσαρ

θεοῦ

Μάρκου

Ἀντωνείνου

Εὐσεβοῦς

Γε

ρμανικοῦ

</supplied>

Σαρματικοῦ

</supplied>

υἱός

</supplied>

θεοῦ

</supplied>

Κομ

μό

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δο

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ἀδελφ

ός

</supplied>

θεοῦ

</supplied>

Ἀντωνείνου

Εὐσεβοῦς

υἱωνός

θεοῦ

Ἁδριανοῦ

ἔκγον

ος

</supplied>

θεοῦ

</supplied>

Τραϊανο

</supplied>

ῦ

Παρθι

κοῦ

</supplied>

καὶ

</supplied>

θεοῦ

</supplied>

Νέρ

</supplied>

ουα

ἀ

</unclear>

όγονος

</supplied>

Λούκιος

Σεπτίμιος

Σεουῆρος

Εὐσεβὴς

Περτίναξ

Σεβασ

τός

</supplied>

Ἀραβικός

</supplied>

Ἀδιαβηνικός

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Παρθικὸς

</supplied>

μέ

</supplied>

γιστο

</supplied>

ἀρχιε

</supplied>

ρεὺς

μέγιστος

δημαρχικῆς

ἐξουσίας

τὸ

</num>

αὐτοκράτωρ

τὸ

ια

</supplied>

</num>

ὕπατος

</supplied>

τὸ

</supplied>

</supplied>

</num>

</supplied>

ατὴ

</supplied>

πα

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τρίδος

ἀ

</unclear>

θύπ

ατος

</supplied>

καὶ

</supplied>

αὐτοκράτωρ

Καῖσαρ

Λουκίου

Σεπτιμίου

Σεουήρου

Εὐσεβοῦς

Περ

</supplied>

</unclear>

ί

</unclear>

να

κος

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Σεβασ

</supplied>

</unclear>

οῦ

Ἀ

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ραβικ

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οῦ

Ἀδιαβ

ην

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</unclear>

οῦ

</supplied>

Παρθι

</supplied>

κοῦ

μεγίστου

υἱός

θεοῦ

Μάρκου

Ἀντωνείνου

Εὐσεβοῦς

Γερμαν

ικ

</supplied>

οῦ

Σαρ

</unclear>

</supplied>

τι

κοῦ

</supplied>

υἱω

</unclear>

ός

</supplied>

θεο

</supplied>

ῦ

Ἀντω

νείνου

</supplied>

Εὐσε

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βοῦς

ἔγγονος

θεοῦ

Ἁδριανοῦ

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θεοῦ

Τραϊανοῦ

Παρθικοῦ

καὶ

θεοῦ

Νέρο

υα

</supplied>

ἀπ

όγονος

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Μᾶρκος

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</unclear>

ὐρ

</supplied>

ή

</unclear>

</unclear>

ος

</supplied>

Ἀντωνεῖνος

</supplied>

Σεβαστός

δημαρχικῆς

ἐξουσίας

ἀνθύπατος

Ἀφ

</supplied>

</supplied>

εισιέων

τοῖς

ἄρχο

</unclear>

σι

</supplied>

καὶ

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τῇ

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βουλῇ

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δήμῳ

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χαίρειν

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</supplied>

πάνυ

τῶν

εἰκότων

ἦν

θεὸν

ὑμᾶς

προσκυνοῦντας

παρ’

ἧς

ἡ

εὐγέ

</supplied>

</unclear>

ια

</unclear>

</orig>

ἡσθῆναι

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ἐπὶ

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τοῖς

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περὶ

</supplied>

τῶν

βαρβάρων

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ἐπ’

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κοινὴν

ὺν

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πάσῃ

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τῇ

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οἰκουμένῃ

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ἄγοντας

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ἐπιστεῖλαι

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διὰ

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ψηφίσματος

ὡς

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ὑμῶν

τὴν

εὐσέβειαν

τὰ

ὑπάρχοντα

δίκ

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ια

</supplied>

τῇ

</supplied>

πόλει

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ὑμῶν

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μεμενηκότα

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μέχρι

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τῆς

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ἡμετέρας

ἀρχῆς

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</orig>

εὐτυχεῖτε

</supplied>

</supplied>

</ab>

Translation:

Imperator Caesar L. Septimius Severus, Pius, Pertinax, Augustus, [Arabicus, Adiabenicus, Parthicus] maximus, [son] of divus Marcus Antoninus Pius, Ge[rmanicus, Sarmaticus], brother [of divus] Com[mo]dus, grandson of [divus] Antoninus Pius, great grandson of divus Hadrianus, [descendant] of [divus Traianus Parthicus and divus Ner]va, Pontifex Maximus, holding tribunician power for the sixth time, acclaimed victor for the [eleventh time, consul for the second time,] father of his country, proconsul, [and] lmperator Caesar M. Aureli[us Antoninus] Augustus, son of L. Septimius Severus, Pius, [Per]tina[x, Augustu]s, A[rabic]us, Adiab[enicu]s, [Parthi]cus maximus, grandson of M. Antoninus Pius, German[ic]us, Sarm[aticus], great grandson of divus Antoninus Pius, descendant of] divus Hadrianus, of divus Trajanus Parthicus and of divus Nerva, holding the tribunician power, proconsul, to the Magistrates, [Council and People] of the Aphrodisians, greetings.

It was entirely likely that you who worship a goddess from whom the nobility [.. ? .. rejoiced in our] successes [over] the barbarians and [conducted] a festival to celebrate them in common [?with your neighbours and sent to us though your] decree so that we should know your piety. The existing rights [of your city which have endured up to] our reign we too preserve unchanged [.. ? .. ?Farewell].