Description: White marble sarcophagus complete with lid and an iron clamp repairing an ancient break; total (w: 2.38 × h: 0.96 × d: 0.91); chest (w: 2.38 × h: 0.73), lid (w: 2.36 × h: 0.24).

Text: Line 1 is inscribed on the front moulding of the lid; line 2 along the upper front edge of the sarcophagus, but leaving a substantial area blank at the right-hand end, where the sarcophagus is damaged; lines 3-19 in the area between the two busts, from which an earlier inscription has been erased; line 20 on the flange below.

Letters: Reasonably good examples of the second-to-fourth-century style, a little uneven in height, 0.015-0.025. Star for denarius. Slanting stroke before the figure in line 14, after it in line 18.

Date: Late third century CE (hairstyles, nomenclature, lettering)

Findspot: Aphrodisias: Necropolis, West area: excavated during repair work on the road from the site to the village of new Geyre. Found with 13.602 and 13.603

Original location: Necropolis

Last recorded location: Museum (Inv. no. 5624)

English translation

Translation source: Jones and Smith, 1994

The sarcophagus belongs to Aemilius Aristeas, conceded to him by Flavius Antonius Pytheas and Flavius Antonius Diogenes, sons of Apollonios the high-priest, through the registry office in (the year of) Diogenes Dometeinos, and in the month Gorpiaios. In this sarcophagus has been buried Carminia Philemation, the wife of Aristeas, and there will be buried also Aristeas and Aur(elia) Iasone. No-one else shall have the right either to inter or to disinter, and whoever contravenes these (dispositions) is to be impious and accursed, and in addition he is to pay to the goddess Aphrodite 2500 denarii, of which one third will belong to the successful prosecutor. A copy of this (text) was deposited in the registry-office in the (year of) Dometeinos Diogenes, stephanephoros for the seventh time, in the month Claudieios.

English translation

Translation source: Reynolds, 2007

The sarcophagus is the property of Aemilius Aristeas, ceded to him by Flavius Antonius Pytheas and Flavius Antonius Diogenes, sons of Apollonios the high-priest, a transaction registered in the civic archive in the year of Diogenes Dometinos, month Gorpiaios. In this sarcophagus Carminia Philemation wife of Aristeas has been buried, and Aristeas and Aurelia Iasone will be buried; but no-one else shall have the right to place (scil. a body) in it or to remove (scil. a body) from it, since whoever acts in any way contrary to these provisions is to be (considered) sacrilegious and accursed and furthermore is to pay to the goddess Aphrodite 2,500 denarii, of which one third is to belong to the prosecutor. A copy of this (text) was also deposited in the civic archive in the seventh stephanephorate of Diogenes Dometinos, in the month Claudieios.

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