Letter of Traianus Decius and Herennius Etruscus to Aphrodisias
created: Transcription (Reynolds)
source date: December 250 - January 251 CE
language: en; grc
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αὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ Εὐσεβὴς Εὐτυχὴς Σεβαστός δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ γ ὕπατος τὸ β ἀποδεδειγμένος τὸ τρίτον πατὴρ πατρίδος ἀνθύπατος καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς μέγιστος δημαρχικῆς ἐξουσίας τὸ πρῶτον ὕπατος ἀποδεδειγμένος Ἀφροδεισιέων τοῖς ἄρχουσιν καὶ τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ χαίρειν εἰκὸς ἦν ὑμᾶς καὶ διὰ τὴν ἐπώνυμον τῆς πόλεως θεὸν καὶ διὰ τὴν πρὸς Ῥωμαίους οἰκειότητά τε καὶ πίστιν ἡσθῆναι μὲν ἐπὶ τῇ καταστάσει τῆς βασιλείας τῆς ἡμετέρας θυσίας δὲ καὶ εὐχὰς ἀποδοῦναι δικαίας καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ τήν τε ἐλευθερίαν ὑμεῖν φυλάττομεν τὴν ὑπάρχουσαν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα δὲ σύνπαντα δίκαια ὁπόσων παρὰ τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν Αὐτοκρατόρων τετυχήκατε συναύξειν ἑτοίμως ἔχοντες ὑμῶν καὶ τὰς πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ἐλπίδας ἐπρέσβευον Αὐρήλιοι Θεόδωρος καὶ Ὀνήσιμος εὐτυχεῖτε

[^a1: at 3: ΤΡΙΤΟΝ seen by all copyists up to and including Waddington | ΤΡΙΤΟ]

[^a2: at 8: ΚΑΙ seen by all copyists up to and including Waddington | ΚΑ[Ι]]

[^a3: at 13: σύνπαντα | σύμπαντα | ΧΟΝΤΕΣ [Final Η recorded by all copyists except Wood and Calder - it is very cramped] [ΕΧΟΝΤΕΣ all other copyists]]

Imperator Caesar [[C. Messius Q. Traianus Decius]], Pius, Felix, Augustus, holding tribunician power for the third time, consul for the second time, designated for the third, father of his country, proconsul, and [[Q. Herennius Etruscus Messius Decius]], Pontifex Maximus, holding the tribunician power for the first time, consul designate to the Magistrates, Council and People of the Aphrodisians, greetings.

It was to be expected, both because of the goddess for whom your city is named and because of your relationship with the Romans and loyalty to them, that you rejoiced at the establishment of our kingship and made the proper sacrifice and prayers. We preserve your existing freedom and all the other rights which you have received from the emperors who preceded us, being willing also to give fulfilment to your hopes for the future.

Aurelius Theodoros and Aurelius Onesimos carried out the duties of ambassadors. Farewell

[^1]: It was natural for you in view of the goddess after whom your city is named and of your friendship and good faith to the Romans, to rejoice at the establishment of our kingship, and to offer the proper sacrifices and prayers. We preserve your existing freedom and all the other privileges which you have gained from the emperors before us, being willing to reward your hopes in the future also./

[^1: Lines 8-15]

. . . . . Emperor Caesar [names erased], the Pious and Happy, Augustus, in the third year of his tribunitial power and in his second Consulship, Consul Elect for the third time, the Father of his country, Proconsul, and . . . . . . [name erased] Supreme Pontiff, in the first year of his tribunitial power. Consul Elect: To the Magistrates and the Senate, and the People of the Aphrodisians, greeting. It was meet for you, on account as well of the Goddess that gave your city its name, as your relations with the Romans and your good faith, to rejoice at the establishment of our reign, and to offer the due sacrifices and prayers. And likewise we protect your liberty, which now is, and all other things [that are] right, which you have obtained of the Emperors before us, being willing to unite with you in advancing your hopes for the future also. Ambassadors were Aurelius [?], Theodorus and Onesimus. Farewell

[...] 30v, whence [...] 41; [...] 14, 48, 14, loose page 44; [...] 8, no.32; [...]; [...]; a visitor who provided a copy to Raoul-Rochette; [...]; [...]; [...]; [...] 142; [...]; [...] in 1965

[...] 2743 ; [...] 16 , whence [...] p. 1109; [...] 154; [...] 44 ; [...] from Loew, a.9 ; [...] 1624 ; [...] 2 (comments), whence [...] 145; [...] 424 whence [...] 417; [...] 25 , whence [...] 32.1097 , [...] 1983.384 , [...] 1984.877 , [...] 61 ; [...] 8.114.