Description: White marble blocks, and fragments from the North Parodos wall of the Theatre

Text: Inscribed on the first surviving column on the archive wall (inscribed area in situ, five courses, w: 1.41 × h: 2.36); the remainder of the text is on loose blocks, A-F, and fragments. These three additional courses took the area covered by the inscription to a height of c. 3 40 m (= eight courses) and included a heading for this document, but it is possible that a heading for the whole series of texts on the wall was cut on a yet higher block. The width of the inscribed column can be calculated as c. 2.96 m. There is outspacing at the beginning of paragraphs, and variation in line-length is very marked; apart from the outspacing, reasons for it are that some lines are extended a little beyond the norm at the right end, that ligatures are common, that stops or blank spaces (of varying width) occur from time to time and occasionally wider spacing of letters in words which are to be emphasized, e.g. the names of the triumvirs in line 26. In line 14 part of ΟΣ is cut on an inset piece of marble.

Letters: Second to third century standard forms. lines 1-17 ave 0.025; ll 18-95 ave 0.02. Diairesis in lines 1, 4, 6 (twice, once above the letter), 7-12 (all above the letters). Stops: dots in lines 2, 4-11, 23, 26; circular in lines 27, 28, 30, 33; scroll in line 78.

Date: Inscription: second to third centuries. Document: 39/38 BCE (lettering, context, content, prosopography)

Findspot: Aphrodisias: Blocks A, B and C in the Walls, West stretch. D-F Theatre in a stage room; the remainder in situ on the Theatre north parodos wall

Original location: Theatre: north parodos

Last recorded location: Principally in situ; fragments in Museum

English translation

Translation source: Reynolds, 1982

[In the] consulship [of C. Calvisius C.f. and L. Marcius] L.f.; from the record of decrees referred to the Senate, file [?one, pages four], five, six, seven, eight, nine; and in the quaestorian files of the year when M. Marti[- and .. ? ..] were urban [quaestors], file one. second October, on the Palatine, in the [?temple of .. ? ..]. When the record was written there were present M. Valerius M.f. Lem. Messala, Appius [Claudius ?Pulcher, (L. Nonius) L.f.] Vel. Asprenas, L. Scribonius L.f. Fal. Libo, L. [ . . ? . . ] L.f. Ouf. Balbus, [ . . ? . . ] C.f. Claudonianus (sic), L. Ser[gius ?L.f.] Fal. Plautus, C. M.[ . . ? . . f.] Pom., Cn. Asinius Cn. f. [?Arn.], P. Sestius L. [f. Col., Cn.] Pompeius Q.f. Arn., C. Hedius C.f.] Cla. Thorus, L. [ . . ? . . f.] Arn. Capito, T. Licinius T. [f. . . ? . . ]enus, C[ . . ? . . , . . ? . . ]nius Cn. f. Arn. Rufus, P. [ . . ? . . , . . ? . . ] ?Ani., Cn. Sedius C.f. Cla. [ . . ? . . , . . ? . . ]n, T. [Li]cinius T.f. Fab. Turannus, [ . . ? . . ]itus [ . . ? . .

Concerning the matter on which the consuls C. Calvisius] C.f. [and L. Marcus L.f. Censorinus spoke, saying

that ?Solon son of Demetrios, envoy of the Aphrodisians, was renewing the relationship of favour, friendship and alliance] and seeking of the Senate [that .. ? .. the People of] Plarasa and Aphrodisias [.. ? .. because of their friendship towards the Romans] and goodwill [?in which they have been] among the most outstanding, [.. ? .. that these things] should be restored to them [and ?the destroyed fields] should be valued, [.. ? .. and that they should receive a favourable] reply; the Senate [decided to reaffirm the relationship of favour, friendship and alliance] with the people of Plarasa [and Aphrodisias], to address their ambassador as a good and noble man and, moreover, a friend [from a good and noble people, which is, moreover, our friend and ally]; and since it is agreed that the community [of the Plarasans and Aphrodisians has] continuously [.. ? ..] shown the greatest [.. ? .. and] goodwill [.. ? ..] to the empire of the Roman people from the time when it entered the friendship of the Roman People; and since M. Antonius and C. Caesar [victorious generals, Triumviri] Reipublicae Constituendae, [spoke] in this house [about the very noble policy] and the exceptional loyalty which [the people of Plarasa/Aphrodisias have extended] to our public affairs, (resolved) that it seems to be in the public interest [for the Plarasans and Aphrodisians, themselves, their children] and their descendants to be exempt from all levies [.. ? .. and removed from] all taxation documents of the Roman People, themselves and their [wives, children and descendants and] to be enrolled among the number of allies; nor should any magistrate [or promagistrate of the Roman People, or anyone else], billet on them, in the city or territory or bounds of the Plarasans [and Aphrodisians, a soldier or a substitute soldier, a cavalry-man] or anyone else, with a view to providing winter quarters, [nor order such billeting to take place], nor levy from the people of Plarasa [and Aphrodisias money], or soldiers [or ships, or corn], or weapons, or rafts, [or anything else at all; .. ? ..; also resolved that the ?asylia which .. ? .. conceded] to Aphrodite who is present among them, is agreed by the Senate to have been [rightly and duly conceded and in accordance with] the sense of duty to the gods felt by the Roman People [.. ? ..]; and it is also agree by the Senate that the temple of the goddess in that city should be an asylum and with the same rights as [the sanctuary of Ephesian Artemis at Ephesos] , and in other respects that the ordinances of Divus Iulius on these matters [should all remain valid .. ? .. similarly] it is agreed by the Senate that the people of Plarasa and Aphrodisias should be exempt in all respects from the joint levy [.. ? ..] on the Maeander [.. ? ..], should be free of liturgies and ['?levies] and [contribute] no payments nor anything else [.. ? ..] the matter [?nor should it be allowed to anyone] to take and ?carry off [.. ? ..] a pledge but the community of Plarasa and Aphrodisias should be free and enjoy [its own] law [and courts ?as far as] the Roman People [are concerned]; and [within] their boundaries no one should take bail from anyone, or order bail to be taken from anyone, [for an appearance in court at Rome ?]; and all those rewards, honours and privileges which C. Caesar or M. Antonius, Triumviri Reipublicae Constituendae, have given or shall give, have allotted or shall allot, have conceded or shall concede by their own decree to the people of Plarasa and Aphrodisias, all these should be accepted as having come about duly and regularly; similarly it is agreed by the Senate that the people of Plarasa and Aphrodisias, their children and descendants should themselves have and possess freedom and immunity from taxation in all matters on the legal basis which is that of a community with the fullest right and law, having freedom and immunity from taxation granted by the Senate and people of Rome, and being a friend and ally of the Roman people.

The temple or precinct of the goddess Aphrodite which is in the city of the Plarasans and Aphrodisians, that temple or precinct is to be an asylum, with the rights and the religious sanctity which pertain to the temple or precinct of Ephesia Artemis at Ephesos, for an area of 120 feet surrounding that temple or precinct in all directions; that area is to be an asylum; and (it is agreed) that the community, and the citizens of Plarasa and Aphrodisias are to have, hold, use and enjoy all those lands, places, buildings, villages, estates, strongpoints, pastures, revenues which they had when they entered the friendship of the Roman People, and are to be free, and immune from taxation and the presence of tax-contractors.

Neither are any of them obliged on any account to give or contribute (anything) but they are to be free in all respects and immune from taxation and are to enjoy their own traditional laws and those which they pass among themselves hereafter. All the [.. ? ..] which the Plarasans [and Aphrodisians .. ? .. ?move] from [the boundaries] of Trallian territory into [the boundaries of the Plarasans and Aphrodisians .. ? ..], all these [they should be allowed to move] without paying tax and without paying pasture dues from [?the Trallian boundaries and if any ?praetor, propraetor or proconsul], and if anyone else in authority [seeks to levy] the public taxes [of the Roman People contrary to the privileges] given and conceded by the Senate to the Aphrodisians [.. '? ..] nor should anyone let to anyone a contract for collecting any of those things; [a magistrate or promagistrate charged at any time] with administration of justice in the province shall see to it that nothing contrary [to this decree of the Senate takes place; and also that those traditional laws and customs of theirs which] the community and citizen of Plarasa and Aphrodisias [enjoyed] and the places, lands, buildings, [villages, farms, strongpoints, pastures, revenues, .. ? ..] and other matters and [properties which they had when they entered the friendship of the Roman People, all] these they should have and hold. [?Agreed.

Concerning the proposal made by the] consuls [C. Calvisius and L. Marcius Censorinus, (it is agreed) that L. Marcius Censorinus and C. Calvisius consuls,] should instruct the urban quaestors with a view to [?registering the name of the ambassador at the Treasury] and [bid] them give and pay [subsistence allowance to the ambassador of the Plarasans and] Aphrodisians [up to the sum of .. ? .. and that the ambassadors of the Plarasans and Aphrodisians should be allowed to sit] as spectators in the [area reserved for Senators] at contests and gladiatorial combats, [also hunts and competitions of athletes, should any occur in the city of Rome or within] one mile of the city of Rome; and whatever [ambassadors come from Plarasa and Aphrodisias in the future to Rome] to meet the Senate they are to report [to the magistrates and promagistrates of the Roman People who have the power] to summon [the Senate], in order that [they may be given access to the Senate; and it is agreed by the Senate that they should have access to the Senate without waiting their turn and] the right [to speak and report in that body (and) that] a reply be given to the envoys of Plarasa and Aphrodisias within 10 days of their] attending and reporting [to the Senate; and that L. Marcius] Censorinus and C. Calvisius [consuls] should make provision [?for the oaths of the Roman People to be sworn and for the people] of Plarasa/Aphrodisias [to swear] through their ambassadors [.. ? ..] the priests (?Fetiales) themselves [.. ? ..] those about to be hereafter (?hoIding office) to whomsoever of them [.. ? .. of the people] of Plarasa and Aphrodisias [.. ? ..] they should ?report the ?numbers whatever these [.. ? .. the consuls are to see to it that, ?after certain things] have taken place and been instituted, [?they bring] a law [on these] matters before the People (of Rome) and that [they have] this decree of the Senate [engraved, and also the treaty with] the people of Plarasa [and Aphrodisias] which will be made [in addition to] it, on bronze tablets [and set up in the temple of Jupiter], in Rome, on the Capitol; [and to arrange that other] tablets [be displayed] at Aphrodisias in the sanctuary of [Aphrodite] and in the [?market place(s) of the Plarasans and Aphrodisians, ?where they are clearly visible], as seemed to them in accordance with the interests of the state and [with their own] good faith. [Agreed].

In the Senate when the decree was passed [ ? Senators] were present, and 3[40] Senators [when] the oath was taken.

German translation

Translation source: Orth, 1984

(Lines 26-32): Und da M. Antonius und C. Caesar, die Triumvirn, hier im Senat vorgetragen haben über die sehr gute politische Einstellung (?) und die ganz außerordentliche Treue, die das Volk der Plaraseier und der Aphrodisienser gegenüber die Angelegenheiten des Staates an der Tag gelegt hat, sei es zum Vorteil des Staates beschlossen, daß die Plaraseier und die Aphrodisienser, sie persönlich und ihre Kinder und Nachkommen in die Zahl der Bundesgenossen eingereiht werden

(Lines 48-54): Was immer C. Caesar und M. Antonius, die Triumvirn, durch eigenes Dekret ded Plaraseier und Aphrodisienser an Belohnungen, Ehren und Privilegien gegeben haben oder geben weren, zugeteilt haben/zuteilen werden, konzediert haben/konzedieren werden, dies alles soll richtig und regulär geschehen sein. Und ebenso möge der Senat beschließen, daß das Volk der Plaraseier und der Aphrodisienser, ihre Kinder und ihre Nachkommen, die Freiheit und Immunität uneingeschränkt und mit diesem Recht haben und behalten sollen, wie nur irgend eine Stadt mit dem besten Recht und dem besten Gesetz, welche vom Senat und vom römischen Volk die Freiheit und die Immunität hat und Freundin und Verbündete des römischen Volkes ist.

Commentary

The text can be further supplemented from an area of the wall which survives intact, where extracts from related documents had been separately inscribed (8.28), providing the substance of lines 32-5 and 77-82.

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