Description: White marble doric half-column, supporting stage architrave

Text: On the east face. a: Bottom line at 1.53 above ground level; there is a square hole, apparently intended to hold a beam, immediately above the text. The text has been erased, but it is possible to make out all the letters. b: Below a, 1.375 above floor. The first word is deeply and clearly cut, with a square sigma, the remaining letters were lightly cut, and a shallow cross was later cut over them; apparently unfinished; immediately below there are traces of red paint.. c: Below b, at 0.48 above floor. lines 1 and 2 very lightly cut; line 3 deep cut.

Letters: a: more thinly cut than Column 1, and less regularly aligned, but still elegant, elegant forms, av. 0.03. b: av. 0.04. c: in a more irregular hand. 0.02 (omicron)-0.03.

Date: Third to fifth centuries CE (context, lettering)

Findspot: Aphrodisias: Theatre: portico across stage: second column from south.

Original location: Theatre, stage

Last recorded location: Findspot

English translation

Translation source: Roueché, PPA

(a): Klio, Euterpe, Thalia, Erato, Polymnia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Ourania, Kalliope.

(b): All victory [ ? to . . .

(c): Place [ . . .

Commentary

One of a series of inscriptions on the columns supporting the architrave on the stage (which carries 8.1): 8.89, 8.98, 8.90, 8.91, 8.92, 8.93, 8.94, 8.95, 8.96, 8.97 . All the inscriptions are on the stage side of the columns, and were presumably only visible to those using the stage.

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