Description: Archive wall, column three, first course and upper part of second course.

Text: Inscribed area w: 0.95 × h: 0.61. Lines 1, and 8 outspaced; line 2 completed on the right margin.

Letters: Second to third centuries C.E.. lines 1-9,0.02, lines 10ff, ave 0.018. Apices in lines 1, 2, 6; bar above the igure in line 3; small circle to mark an abbreviation in l.8; small space followed by a capital omicron for ὅμως to mark the start of the emperor’s decision in line 12.

Date: Inscription: second to third centuries C.E. Document: 119 A.D. (lettering, context, titulature)

Findspot: Aphrodisias: Theatre: north parodos wall

Original location: Theatre: north parodos

Last recorded location: Findspot

English translation

Translation source: Reynolds, 1982

Imperator Caesar Trajanus Hadrianus Augustus, son of divus Trajanus Parthicus, grandson of divus Nerva, Pontifex Maximus, holding the tribunician power for the third time, greets the Magistrates, Council and People of the Aphrodisians.

Your freedom, autonomy and other (privileges) which were given you by the Senate and the Emperors who have preceded me, I confirmed earlier. I have been petitioned through 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 collectors have attempted to collect from you, nevertheless, knowing that the city is in other respects worthy of honour and is removed from the formula provinciae, I release it from payment and I have written to Claudius Agrippinus, my procurator, to instruct the contractor for the tax in Asia to keep away from your city.

English translation

Translation source: Millar, 1977

(Lines 8-17): Having been requested by an embassy concerning the exploitation of iron and the tax on nails, although the matter is disputable, since it is not now for the first time that the publicani attempt to raise it from you, nevertheless, knowing that city both otherwise deserves honour and has been removed from the framework of the province, I exempt it from the tax and have written to my procurator, Claudius Agrippinus, to instruct the man who has contracted for the tax in Asia to exempt your city.

Commentary

Hadrian held the tribunician power for the third time in 119; throughout this year he was in Italy, if not in Rome. For further commentary see Aphrodisias and Rome, 116-118.

Images

Fig. 1. Face, above 8.31, 8.30 (M. Roueché, 1976)

Fig. 2. View, above 8.31, 8.30 (M. Roueché, 1977)

Fig. 3. View, above 8.31, 8.30 (M. Roueché, 1977)

Fig. 4. Archive Wall view (M. Roueché, 1994)