Aphrodisias in Late Antiquity 2004

77. Fragmentary acclamations

Monument: Seven columns (i, 0.54 diam.; others all 0.29-0.30 diam.) of blue marble, mostly broken at both ends. All showed traces of white plaster, apparently applied to form a panel.
Text: Painted in red on the plaster within a painted square. As in 75 and 78, there seem to be several layers of plaster and of script. Decipherment is made more difficult by the condition of the surface after re-use in the wall. On only three of the columns could anything of substance be discerned: the readings are fragmentary and unsatisfactory.
Letters: See text below.
Date: Fifth/sixth century (terminology).

i
	(A complete column (dia. 0.54, H. 2.14). On the lowest discernible level of plaster, there are traces of letters and a cross.)
a
	(The second level (letters 0.03))
	[...]ηλ̣[...]ι̣ασνι̣
	[μεγα]λοπρ(επεστατ-)
	[...]ω̣ν̣[... c. 3 ...]τικ[...]
	[πολλὰ [τὰ] ἔτ[η]
b
	(The uppermost layer (letters 0.04))
	[...]ω̣ν̣[...]η[...]
	[...]λ̣ουν
	ο̣[...]
	ι̣α[...]υι̣ο̣
5	[...]ω̣
ii
	(A column broken at both ends (diam. 0.305, H. 1.42). Letters: 0.045-0.05)
a
	πολλὰ
	[...]
b
	(The second level)
	[...]δο
	[...]
	[...]χο
	[...]
c
	(The uppermost level)
	[...]λ̣ο
	[...]α
	[...]
	ο[...]
iii
	(A column broken at both ends (diam. 0.31, H. 1.26). Letters 0.045-0.05)
a
	(The lowest level)
	[...] cross
	[...]μ[...]
	[...]ο[...]ψ[...]
	[...]ο[...]
5	[...]ε
b
	(The second, upper level)
	[...]ι̣οι̣ vac. σε
	[...]οινι̣ν̣δ̣[...]
	ὁ θεὸς καλο͂ς
	[σε] ἤνηγκ̣εν
	vacat
5	πολλ[ὰ]
	τὰ ἔ[τη]
	[...]
	[...]

For translations of the recognizable phrases, see commentary.

See discussion at V.58 and, on acclamations, V.54.

Found: Tetrastoon: reused in the Byzantine defence wall built across the east side of the Theatre, in the stretch blocking the north parodos. See Plan 6
Original: There is no indication of original provenance; but we know that materials for this wall were brought from as far away as the Sebasteion complex.
Last Recorded: On site.

Recording: Excavated during dismantling of the defence wall in 1976.
Bibliography: Published by Roueché, Aphrodisias in Late Antiquity no. 77, whence PHI 815-821.
Text constituted from: Transcription (Roueché).

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