11.412. Letters from Hadrian to the city
- Description:
- A white marble panel, with a simple moulding (W. 0.035) on all sides (W. 0.815 × H. 0.89 × D. 0.075); the upper left corner and the lower part are lost, and the stone is broken across the centre.
- Text:
- Inscribed on the face.
- Letters:
- Average 0.014; some red paint in the trenches.
- Date:
- 119-125 (titulature)
- Findspot:
- City, South-west: re-used in the paving of the road between the Basilica and the Baths
- Original Location:
- Unknown
- Last recorded location:
- Museum (1994)
- History of discovery:
- Recorded by the NYU expedition in 1994 (94.46)
- Bibliography:
- Published by Reynolds, JRA (2000), nos 1-4, whence SEG 50 2000.1096. Comments by D. Campanile, ZPE 135 (2001) 136-138, whence SEG 51 2001.1491
- Text constituted from:
- Transcription (Reynolds) This edition Reynolds (2000).
- 1 [ἐπὶ Κλαυδίας Παυλεινῆ]ς τὸ stop α´ stop vacat
- 2 [Αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ, θεοῦ Τραιανοῦ Παρθι]κ̣οῦ ὑὸς, θεοῦ Νέρουα υἱωνὸς, Τραιανὸς
- 3 [Ἁδριανὸς Σεβαστὸς ἀρχιερεὺς μέγιστ]ο̣ς δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ τρίτον ὕπατος τὸ γ´
- 4[Ἀφροδεισιέων τοῖς ἄρχουσι καὶ τῇ βο]υλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ v. χαίρειν vac. καὶ τῷ ψηφισ -
- 5[ματι ὑμῶν ἐντυχὼν καὶ τῶν ὑμετέρων πρ]ε̣σβέων ἀκούσας περὶ τῶν χρηματικῶν δι -
- 6[κων , [συγχωρῶ ὑμεῖν εἰ μὲν Ἕλλην, Ἀφρο]δεισιεὺς φύσει ἢ τῶν παρ´ὑμεῖν πολει-
- 7[?τευομένων] τις [ἐγκαλεῖται ὑφ'Ἑ]λ̣ληνος Ἀφροδεισιέως κατὰ τοὺς ὑμετέρους
- 8 [?νόμους καὶ παρ'ὑμῶν ?καθί]σ̣τάσθαι τὰς δίκας εἰ δὲ τοὐνανάντιον Ἕλλην πα-
- 9[ρ '[ἄλλης πόλεως, κατὰ Ῥωμ]αίων νόμους καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐπαρχείᾳ v. τοὺς μέντοι
- 10 [χρεώστας τῆς πόλεως ἢβεβαι]ω̣τὰς ἢ ὅλως συνβεβληκότας τῷ δημοσίῳ ὑ-
- 11[μῶν , [παρ' ὑμεῖν τὴν δίκην ὑ]πέχειν vv. ἐπεὶ δὲ στεφανοῦτε με στεφάνῳ
- 12 [χρυσῷ? ἀπὸ ··?λίτρ]ῶν ἴστε ὅτι πα̣ρ̣ῃτησάμην αὐτὸν μὴ βουλόμενος
- 13[ἐπιβαρεῖσθαι ὑμετέρα]ν πόλιν ἐμοῦ γε ἕνεκα v. εὐτυχεῖτε stop ἐπὶ Κλαυδίας Παυλεινῆς.
- 14[Αὐτοκράτ]ω̣ρ̣ Κ̣α̣ῖσαρ, θεοῦ Τραιανοῦ Παρθικοῦ υἱὸς, θεοῦ Νέρουα υἱωνὸς Τραιανὸς
- 15[Ἁδριανὸ]ς Σεβαστὸς, ἀρχιερεὺς μέγιστος, δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ τρίτον
- 16[ὕπατ]ο̣ς [τ]ὸ τρίτον, Ἀφροδεισιέων τοῖς ἄρχουσι καὶ τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ
- 17 [χαί]ρειν v. τὴν μὲν ἐλευθερίαν καὶ αὐτονομίαν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ ὑπάρξαντα
- 18 ὑ̣μεῖν τὰ παρὰ τε τῆς συνκλήτου καὶ τῶν πρὸ ἐμοῦ αὐτοκρατόρων, ἐβε -
- 19βαίωσα προσθεν. ἐντευχθεὶς δὲ διὰ πρεσβείας περὶ τῆς τοῦ σιδη-
- 20ρου χρήσεως καὶ τοῦ τέλους τῶν ἥλων, καίπερ ἀμφισβητησίμου τοῦ
- 21 πράγματος ὄντος διὰ τὸ μὴ νῦν πρῶτον τοὺς τελώνας ἐπικεχειρη -
- 22κέναι καὶ παρ' ὑμῶν ἐγλέγειν ὅμως εἰδὼς τὴν πόλιν τά τε ἄλλα τει -
- 23μῆς οὐσαν ἀξίαν, καὶ ἐξῃρημένην τοῦ τῆς ἐπαρχείας τύπου,
- 24 ἀπαλλάσσω αὐτὴν τοῦ τελέσματος καὶ γέγραπφα Κλαυδίῳ
- 25 Ἀγριππείνῷ τῷ ἐπιτρόπῳ μου, παρανγεῖλαι τῷ μεμισθωμέν[ῳ]
- 26 τὸ ἐν̣ Ἀ̣σ̣ί̣ᾳ̣ τοῦ σιδήρου τέλος ἀπέχεσθαι τῆς ὑμετέρας πόλεως.
- 27εὐτυχεῖτε leaf ἐπὶ Κλαυδίου Ὑψικλέους scroll ἥρωος. Αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ,
- 28[θ]εοῦ Τραιανοῦ Παρθικοῦ υἱὸς, θεοῦ Νέρουα υἱωνὸς, Τραιανὸς Ἁδριανὸς
- 29 Σεβαστὸς, ἀρχιερεὺς μέγιστος, δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ ἔνατον,
- 30 ὕπατος vac. τὸ τρίτον. Ἀφροδεισιέων vv. τοῖς ἄρχουσι καὶ τῇ βουλῇ καὶ
- 31 τῷ δήμῳ v. χαίρειν stop τοὺς πόρους οὓς ἀπετάξατε εἰς τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος
- 32 καταγωγὴν βεβαιῶ stop ἐπεὶ δὲ ἦσαν τινες πολεῖται ὑμέτεροι λέγον-
- 33τες εἰς ἀρχιερωσύνην ἀδύνατοι ὄντες προβεβλῆσθαι v. ἀνέπεμψα αὐ-
- 34τοὺς ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἐξετάσοντας πότερον δυνατοι ὄντες λειτουργεῖν δια -
- 35δύονται, ἢ ἀληθὴ λέγουσιν. v. εἰ μέντοι φαίνοιντό τινες αὐτῶν εὐπορωτέ-
- 36ροι, προτέρους ἐκεινοὺς ἀρχιερᾶσθαι δικαῖον stop συνχωρῶ ὑμεῖν παρὰ τῶν
- 37 ἀρχιερέων ἀντὶ μονομαχίων ἀργύριον λαμβάνειν καὶ οὐ συνχωρῶ μόνον
- 38 ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαινῶ τὴν γνώμην. οἱ αἱρεθησόμενοι ὑφ'ὑμῶν ἐπιμελη-
- 39ταὶ τοῦ ὔδραγωγίου περὶ ὧν ἂν γνώμης δέονται καὶ συλλήψεως δυνή-
- 40σονται τῷ ἐπιτρόπῳ μου Πομπηίῳ Σεβήρῳ ἐντυγχάνειν, ᾧ κἀγω γέγραπ-
- 41φα v. εὐτυχεῖτε scroll ἐπὶ στεφανηφόρου Τιβερίου Κλαυδίου Ὅπλωνος υἱοῦ v. Ὑ
- 42ψικλέους scroll Αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ, θεοῦ Τραιανοῦ Παρθικοῦ υἱὸς, θεο̣ῦ̣ Ν̣έ -
- 43ρουα υἱωνὸς, Τραιανὸς Ἁδριανὸς Σεβαστὸς, ἀρχιερεὺς μέ[γιστος],
- 44 δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ η´, ὕπατος τὸ γ´, v. Ἀφροδεισιέ[ων τοῖς ἄρ]-
- 45χουσι καὶ τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ v. χαίρειν v. ὡς ὑπε̣[·· c. 13 ··]
- 46 ΚΑ ἀθρόοι προσαγορεύσαντες ΜΕ[·· ? ··]
- 47 ὕδατος καταγωγὴν τυχεῖν[·· ? ··]
- 48 Διογένους ὃν πρεσβ̣[εύτην ·· ? ··]
- 49 ὑμ̣ε̣τ̣ε̣ρ̣[·· ? ··]
- 49a [·· ? ··
- 1[···················]ΣΤΟ stop Α stop
- 2[·································]·ΟΥΥΟΣΘΕΟΥΝΕΡΟΥΑΥΙΩΝΟΣΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΣ
- 3[·······························]·ΣΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗΣΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣΤΟΤΡΙΤΟΝΥΠΑΤΟΣΤΟΓ
- 4[············ ··················]ΥΛΗΚΑΙΤΩΔΗΜΩ ΧΑΙΡΕΙΝ ΚΑΙΤΩΨΗΦΙΣ
- 5[···································]·ΣΒΕΩΝΑΚΟΥΣΑΣΠΕΡΙΤΩΝΧΡΗΜΑΤΙΚΩΝΔΙ
- 6[··· [······························]ΔΕΙΣΙΕΥΣΦΥΣΕΙΗΤΩΝΠΑΡ´ΥΜΕΙΝΠΟΛΕΙ
- 7[·········]ΤΙΣ[···············]·ΛΗΝΟΣΑΦΡΟΔΕΙΣΙΕΩΣΚΑΤΑΤΟΥΣΥΜΕΤΕΡΟΥΣ
- 8[······················]·ΤΑΣΘΑΙΤΑΣΔΙΚΑΣΕΙΔΕΤΟΥΝΑΝΑΝΤΙΟΝΕΛΛΗΝΠΑ
- 9[· '[·····················]ΑΙΩΝΝΟΜΟΥΣΚΑΙΕΝΤΗΕΠΑΡΧΕΙΑ ΤΟΥΣΜΕΝΤΟΙ
- 10[··························]·ΤΑΣΗΟΛΩΣΣΥΝΒΕΒΛΗΚΟΤΑΣΤΩΔΗΜΟΣΙΩΥ
- 11[··· [·····················]ΠΕΧΕΙΝ ΕΠΕΙΔΕΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΥΤΕΜΕΣΤΕΦΑΝΩ
- 12[··············]ΩΝΙΣΤΕΟΤΙΠ··ΗΤΗΣΑΜΗΝΑΥΤΟΝΜΗΒΟΥΛΟΜΕΝΟΣ
- 13[···················]ΝΠΟΛΙΝΕΜΟΥΓΕΕΝΕΚΑ ΕΥΤΥΧΕΙΤΕ stop ΕΠΙΚΛΑΥΔΙΑΣΠΑΥΛΕΙΝΗΣ
- 14[········]····ΙΣΑΡΘΕΟΥΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΥΠΑΡΘΙΚΟΥΥΙΟΣΘΕΟΥΝΕΡΟΥΑΥΙΩΝΟΣΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΣ
- 15[·······]ΣΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΥΣΜΕΓΙΣΤΟΣΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗΣΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣΤΟΤΡΙΤΟΝ
- 16[····]·Σ[·]ΟΤΡΙΤΟΝΑΦΡΟΔΕΙΣΙΕΩΝΤΟΙΣΑΡΧΟΥΣΙΚΑΙΤΗΒΟΥΛΗΚΑΙΤΩΔΗΜΩ
- 17[···]ΡΕΙΝ ΤΗΝΜΕΝΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑΝΚΑΙΑΥΤΟΝΟΜΙΑΝΚΑΙΤΑΑΛΛΑΤΑΥΠΑΡΞΑΝΤΑ
- 18·ΜΕΙΝΤΑΠΑΡΑΤΕΤΗΣΣΥΝΚΛΗΤΟΥΚΑΙΤΩΝΠΡΟΕΜΟΥΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΟΡΩΝΕΒΕ
- 19ΒΑΙΩΣΑΠΡΟΣΘΕΝΕΝΤΕΥΧΘΕΙΣΔΕΔΙΑΠΡΕΣΒΕΙΑΣΠΕΡΙΤΗΣΤΟΥΣΙΔΗ
- 20ΡΟΥΧΡΗΣΕΩΣΚΑΙΤΟΥΤΕΛΟΥΣΤΩΝΗΛΩΝΚΑΙΠΕΡΑΜΦΙΣΒΗΤΗΣΙΜΟΥΤΟΥ
- 21ΠΡΑΓΜΑΤΟΣΟΝΤΟΣΔΙΑΤΟΜΗΝΥΝΠΡΩΤΟΝΤΟΥΣΤΕΛΩΝΑΣΕΠΙΚΕΧΕΙΡΗ
- 22ΚΕΝΑΙΚΑΙΠΑΡ'ΥΜΩΝΕΓΛΕΓΕΙΝΟΜΩΣΕΙΔΩΣΤΗΝΠΟΛΙΝΤΑΤΕΑΛΛΑΤΕΙ
- 23ΜΗΣΟΥΣΑΝΑΞΙΑΝΚΑΙΕΞΗΡΗΜΕΝΗΝΤΟΥΤΗΣΕΠΑΡΧΕΙΑΣΤΥΠΟΥ
- 24ΑΠΑΛΛΑΣΣΩΑΥΤΗΝΤΟΥΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΟΣΚΑΙΓΕΓΡΑΠΦΑΚΛΑΥΔΙΩ
- 25ΑΓΡΙΠΠΕΙΝΩΤΩΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΩΜΟΥΠΑΡΑΝΓΕΙΛΑΙΤΩΜΕΜΙΣΘΩΜΕΝ[·]
- 26ΤΟΕ·····ΤΟΥΣΙΔΗΡΟΥΤΕΛΟΣΑΠΕΧΕΣΘΑΙΤΗΣΥΜΕΤΕΡΑΣΠΟΛΕΩΣ
- 27ΕΥΤΥΧΕΙΤΕ leaf ΕΠΙΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥΥΨΙΚΛΕΟΥΣ scroll ΗΡΩΟΣΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΚΑΙΣΑΡ
- 28[·]ΕΟΥΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΥΠΑΡΘΙΚΟΥΥΙΟΣΘΕΟΥΝΕΡΟΥΑΥΙΩΝΟΣΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΣΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΣ
- 29ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΥΣΜΕΓΙΣΤΟΣΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗΣΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣΤΟΕΝΑΤΟΝ
- 30ΥΠΑΤΟΣ ΤΟΤΡΙΤΟΝΑΦΡΟΔΕΙΣΙΕΩΝ ΤΟΙΣΑΡΧΟΥΣΙΚΑΙΤΗΒΟΥΛΗΚΑΙ
- 31ΤΩΔΗΜΩ ΧΑΙΡΕΙΝ stop ΤΟΥΣΠΟΡΟΥΣΟΥΣΑΠΕΤΑΞΑΤΕΕΙΣΤΗΝΤΟΥΥΔΑΤΟΣ
- 32ΚΑΤΑΓΩΓΗΝΒΕΒΑΙΩ stop ΕΠΕΙΔΕΗΣΑΝΤΙΝΕΣΠΟΛΕΙΤΑΙΥΜΕΤΕΡΟΙΛΕΓΟΝ
- 33ΤΕΣΕΙΣΑΡΧΙΕΡΩΣΥΝΗΝΑΔΥΝΑΤΟΙΟΝΤΕΣΠΡΟΒΕΒΛΗΣΘΑΙ ΑΝΕΠΕΜΨΑΑΥ
- 34ΤΟΥΣΕΦ'ΥΜΑΣΕΞΕΤΑΣΟΝΤΑΣΠΟΤΕΡΟΝΔΥΝΑΤΟΙΟΝΤΕΣΛΕΙΤΟΥΡΓΕΙΝΔΙΑ
- 35ΔΥΟΝΤΑΙΗΑΛΗΘΗΛΕΓΟΥΣΙΝ ΕΙΜΕΝΤΟΙΦΑΙΝΟΙΝΤΟΤΙΝΕΣΑΥΤΩΝΕΥΠΟΡΩΤΕ
- 36ΡΟΙΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΥΣΕΚΕΙΝΟΥΣΑΡΧΙΕΡΑΣΘΑΙΔΙΚΑΙΟΝ stop ΣΥΝΧΩΡΩΥΜΕΙΝΠΑΡΑΤΩΝ
- 37ΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΩΝΑΝΤΙΜΟΝΟΜΑΧΙΩΝΑΡΓΥΡΙΟΝΛΑΜΒΑΝΕΙΝΚΑΙΟΥΣΥΝΧΩΡΩΜΟΝΟΝ
- 38ΑΛΛΑΚΑΙΕΠΑΙΝΩΤΗΝΓΝΩΜΗΝΟΙΑΙΡΕΘΗΣΟΜΕΝΟΙΥΦ'ΥΜΩΝΕΠΙΜΕΛΗ
- 39ΤΑΙΤΟΥΥΔΡΑΓΩΓΙΟΥΠΕΡΙΩΝΑΝΓΝΩΜΗΣΔΕΟΝΤΑΙΚΑΙΣΥΛΛΗΨΕΩΣΔΥΝΗ
- 40ΣΟΝΤΑΙΤΩΕΠΙΤΡΟΠΩΜΟΥΠΟΜΠΗΙΩΣΕΒΗΡΩΕΝΤΥΓΧΑΝΕΙΝΩΚΑΓΩΓΕΓΡΑΠ
- 41ΦΑ ΕΥΤΥΧΕΙΤΕ scroll ΕΠΙΣΤΕΦΑΝΗΦΟΡΟΥΤΙΒΕΡΙΟΥΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥΟΠΛΩΝΟΣΥΙΟΥ Υ
- 42ΨΙΚΛΕΟΥΣ scroll ΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡΚΑΙΣΑΡΘΕΟΥΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΥΠΑΡΘΙΚΟΥΥΙΟΣΘΕ···Ε
- 43ΡΟΥΑΥΙΩΝΟΣΤΡΑΙΑΝΟΣΑΔΡΙΑΝΟΣΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΣΑΡΧΙΕΡΕΥΣΜΕ[······]
- 44ΔΗΜΑΡΧΙΚΗΣΕΞΟΥΣΙΑΣΤΟΗΥΠΑΤΟΣΤΟΓ ΑΦΡΟΔΕΙΣΙΕ[·· ······]
- 45ΧΟΥΣΙΚΑΙΤΗΒΟΥΛΗΚΑΙΤΩΔΗΜΩ ΧΑΙΡΕΙΝ ΩΣΥΠ·[·············]
- 46ΚΑΑΘΡΟΟΙΠΡΟΣΑΓΟΡΕΥΣΑΝΤΕΣΜΕ[ - - - ]
- 47ΥΔΑΤΟΣΚΑΤΑΓΩΓΗΝΤΥΧΕΙΝ[ - - - ]
- 48ΔΙΟΓΕΝΟΥΣΟΝΠΡΕΣ·[····· - - - ]
- 49Υ·····[ - - - ]
- 49a[·· ? ··
Apparatus
Line 34: εξετασαντασπροτερον
Translation:
In the first stephanephorate of Claudia Pauleina:
Letter 1 (Lines 1-13): The imperator Caesar, son of divine Trajan Parthicus, grandson of divine Nerva, Trajan Hadrian Augustus, pontifex maximus, holding tribunician power for the third time, consul for the third time (A.D. 119) greets the magistrates, the council and the people of the Aphrodisians. Having received your decree and heard from your ambassadors about the financial [cases I concede to you that if a Greek] who is a citizen of Aphrodisias either by birth or by adoption into the citizen body [is prosecuted by a] Greek who is a citizen of Aphrodisias the trial is to be heard under your [laws and at Aphrodisias], but if, on the contrary, a Greek [from another city (is prosecuted by a Greek Aphrodisian) the trial is to be held under] Roman law and in the province; those, however, who are [in debt to the city or stand surety for such a debt] or in short have a financial involvement with your public [treasury] are to undergo [trial in Aphrodisias]. Since you crown me with a crown [of gold? weighing? pounds], you should know that I have declined it because I do not wish your city to be burdened as far as I am concerned. Farewell
Letter 2 (Lines 13-27): The imperator Caesar, son of divine Trajan Parthicus, grandson of divine Nerva, Trajan Hadrian Augustus, pontifex maximus, holding tribunician power for the third time, consul for the third time (A.D. 119) greets the magistrates, the council and the people of Aphrodisias. Your freedom, autonomy, and other privileges given to you by the Senate and the Emperors who have preceded me I confirmed earlier. But having been petitioned by an embassy about the use of iron and the tax on nails, although the matter is controversial, since this is not the first time that the tax-collectors have undertaken to collect it from you too, nevertheless knowing that the city is in other respects worthy of honour and is removed from the formula provinciae, I release it from payment of the tax and I have written to Claudius Agrippinus my procurator to instruct the contractor for the tax on iron in Asia to keep away from your city. Farewell.
Letter 3 (lines 27-41): In (the stephanephorate of) Claudius Hypsikles, heros.
The imperator Caesar, son of divine Trajan Parthicus, grandson of divine Nerva, Trajan Hadrian Augustus, pontifex maximus, holding tribinician power for the ninth time, consul for the third time (A.D. 125) greets the magistrates, the Council and the People of Aphrodisias. The funds which you have reserved for the aqueduct I confirm. And since there are certain of your citizens who say that they have been nominated for the high priesthood when they are incapable of undertaking it, I have referred them to you to examine whether they are able to undertake the liturgy and are evading it, or are telling the truth; if, however, some of them were to appear to be better off, it is fair that they should hold the high priesthood first. I concede that you should take money from the high priests instead of gladiatorial shows; not only do I concede but I praise your proposal. The supervisors who will be chosen by you for the water-channel will be able to get advice and help on those matters on which they need them from my procurator Pompeius Severus, to whom I have written. Farewell.
Letter 4 (lines 41-end): In the stephanephorate of Tib. Claudius Hypsikles son of Hoplon.
The imperator Caesar, son of divine Trajan Parthicus, grandson of divine Nerva, Trajan Hadrian Augustus, pontifex maximus, holding tribυnician power for the eighth time, consul for the third time (A.D. 124) greets the magistrates, the council and the people of Aphrodisias. As [ .. ? .. ] they, being gathered in a body, addressed ?me [ .. ? .. ] aqueduct (accusative case) to get [ ? help .. ? .. name (accusative case) son of Diogenes whom [ ?you had appointed as] ambassador [ ...
Commentary:
See Reynolds, JRA (2000) for a detailed discussion of the text and its contents.
Photographs:
- View (1994)
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- View (1994)
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- Upper part (1994)
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- Lower part (1994)
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