8.102. Letter of Gordian III to Aphrodisias
- Description:
- Archive wall: column four, lowest course, below 8.28.
- Text:
- Inscribed area specially prepared (W. 1.97 x H. 0.27).
- Letters:
- second to third centuries A.D., less carefully cut than in previous documents: ave. 0.02, l.8 0.022. Ligatured ΤΗΝ, l.6; apex in l.3; bars above the figures in l.2, and the abbreviated nomen in l.8.
- Date:
- 239 A.D. (titulature, lettering)
- Findspot:
- Theatre: north parodos wall
- Original Location:
- Theatre: north parodos wall
- Last recorded location:
- Findspot
- History of discovery:
- Recorded by the NYU expedition in 1967.
- Bibliography:
- Published by Reynolds, A&R 20 whence SEG 32, 1982.1097, BE 1983.381, AnnEpig 1984,874, McCabe PHI Aphrodisias 59 .Discussed: Millar, Emperor in the Roman World, 417.
- Text constituted from:
- transcription (Reynolds) This edition Reynolds (1982).
- 1 αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ Μᾶρκος Ἀ̣ν̣τώνιος Γορδιανὸς Εὐσεβὴς Εὐτυχὴς Σεβαστός ἀρχιερεὺς
- 2 μέγιστος δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ β´ ὕπατος πατὴρ πατρίδος Ἀφροδεισιέων τοῖς ἄρχουσιν
- 3 vac. καὶ τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ χαίρειν vac. ·
- 4 καὶ τῇ ἀρχαιότητι ὑμῶν καὶ τῇ εὐνοίᾳ καὶ τῇ φιλίᾳ τῇ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους προσῆκον ἦν ὦ
- 6[Ἀφροδεισιεῖς] οὕτως διατεθῆναι ἐπὶ τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῇ ἐμῇ ὡς ἐδηλοῦτε διὰ τοῦ πρός
- 7 με ψηφίσματος ἀνθ’ ὧν δὴ καὶ ἀμειβόμενος ὑμῶν τὴν εὐσεβῆ διάθεσιν φυλάττω
- 8 βεβαίαν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν πάντων τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ὑμεῖν δικαίων φυλασσομένων τε
- 9 μέχρι τῶν καίρων τῆς βασιλείας τῆς ἐμῆς ἐπρέσβευεν Κλ(αύδιος) Ἡγεμονεύς εὐτυχεῖτε
- 1ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΚΑΙΣΑΡΜΑΡΚΟΣ··ΤΩΝΙΟΣΓΟΡΔΙΑΝΟΣΕΥΣΕΒΗΣΕΥΤΥΧΗΣΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΥΣ
- 2ΜΕΓΙΣΤΟΣΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗΣΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣΤΟΒΥΠΑΤΟΣΠΑΤΗΡΠΑΤΡΙΔΟΣΑΦΡΟΔΕΙΣΙΕΩΝΤΟΙΣΑΡΧΟΥΣΙΝ
- 3 ΚΑΙΤΗΒΟΥΛΗΚΑΙΤΩΔΗΜΩΧΑΙΡΕΙΝ
- 4ΚΑΙΤΗΑΡΧΑΙΟΤΗΤΙΥΜΩΝΚΑΙΤΗΕΥΝΟΙΑΚΑΙΤΗΦΙΛΙΑΤΗΠΡΟΣΡΩΜΑΙΟΥΣΠΡΟΣΗΚΟΝΗΝΩ
- 6[············]ΟΥΤΩΣΔΙΑΤΕΘΗΝΑΙΕΠΙΤΗΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑΤΗΕΜΗΩΣΕΔΗΛΟΥΤΕΔΙΑΤΟΥΠΡΟΣ
- 7ΜΕΨΗΦΙΣΜΑΤΟΣΑΝΘ’ΩΝΔΗΚΑΙΑΜΕΙΒΟΜΕΝΟΣΥΜΩΝΤΗΝΕΥΣΕΒΗΔΙΑΘΕΣΙΝΦΥΛΑΤΤΩ
- 8ΒΕΒΑΙΑΝΤΗΝΑΠΟΛΑΥΣΙΝΠΑΝΤΩΝΤΩΝΥΠΑΡΧΟΝΤΩΝΥΜΕΙΝΔΙΚΑΙΩΝΦΥΛΑΣΣΟΜΕΝΩΝΤΕ
- 9ΜΕΧΡΙΤΩΝΚΑΙΡΩΝΤΗΣΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑΣΤΗΣΕΜΗΣΕΠΡΕΣΒΕΥΕΝΚΛΗΓΕΜΟΝΕΥΣΕΥΤΥΧΕΙΤΕ
Translation:
Imperator Caesar M. Antonius Gordianus, Pius, Felix, Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, holding the tribunician power for the second time, consul, father of his country, to the Magistrates, Council and People of the Aphrodisians, greetings.
It befitted both your ancient origins and your goodwill and friendship towards the Romans, O Aphrodisians, that you should be so disposed to my kingship as you demonstrated in your decree for me. In response to this and in recompense for your pious (loyal) attitude, I preserve your secure enjoyment of all your rights, as they have been preserved up to the time of my kingship. Claudius Hegemoneus carried out the duties of ambassador.
Farewell.
Commentary:
See Aphrodisias and Rome, 132-133.
Photographs:
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