Dedicatory inscription honoring Septimius Severus and the imperial family (GER0114)

Dedicatory inscription honoring Septimius Severus and the imperial family (GER0114)

Dedicatory inscription for an altar and colonnade from Gerasa (207 CE) honoring Septimius Severus, Caracalla, Julia Domna, and Geta.

Gatier, P.-L. 1985. "Nouvelles inscriptions de Gerasa," Syria 62(3/4): 297-312 (pg.308-310)

Gatier 1988

Limestone

GER0114

da39a2fb-6385-41e7-be4f-6255a25967e5

83x47x47cm

Small altar with mouldings at top and bottom. Below the top moulding is a a garland with bucrania at the corners.

Carving on all four faces of the altar, on top and bottom mouldings, and above and below the garland.

NB: The names of the imperial family appear above the garland on each side of the altar; the inscription is properly read by level, rather than by face. The diplomatic below presents this information in two ways: by level, and by face.

Inscription by level:

 ]C TW[ ]

BA[ 
[ ]

SEΠΤΙΜΙ 
ΟΥ CEOYH 
ΡOY

ΚΑΙ ΑΥΡΗ
ΛΙΟΥΑΝ
ΤWΝΕΙ
ΝΟΥ

ΚΑΙ ΙΟΥΛΙ
ΑCΔΟ
ΜΝΗC

(erased)

ΤΟΝ ΒWMONAN
AΓΕΙΡΑΝΚΑΙΤΟ

ΧΛΙΤΟΣΠΕΡΙΕΛΑΒΑΝΟΙΑ*
ΠΟCYCΤΕMATOCAΠTEΜΕΙ
CIAΧ(OY) MEΓΑΛΟΥ ΕΜΙ

*ΚΑΛΟΥΜΕΝΟΥΤWNΓΝΑ
(Φ)ΕWN(ΠΗ)XΘΕΝΤΟCYΠ(Ο)

*ΖΗΝWΝΟCΑΡΙCΤWNO[
ΒWΜΟCEΓΕΝΤΟ(ΕΧ Φ[]ΛΟΤΕΙΜΙΑCΖΑΒΔΙWN

*ΟΙΚΟΔΟΜΟΥ*ΕΤΟΥCOC
(ΓΟΡΠ)AIOYH



SIDE 1:
Top moulding:

 ]C TW[ ]
BA[ 
[ ]

Above garland:

SEΠΤΙΜΙ 
ΟΥ CEOYH 
ΡOY

Below garland:

ΤΟΝ ΒWMONAN
AΓΕΙΡΑΝΚΑΙΤΟ

Bottom moulding:

ΧΛΙΤΟΣΠΕΡΙΕΛΑΒΑΝΟΙΑ*
ΠΟCYCΤΕMATOCAΠTEΜΕΙ
CIAΧ(OY) MEΓΑΛΟΥ ΕΜΙ

SIDE 2:
Above garland:

ΚΑΙ ΑΥΡΗ
ΛΙΟΥΑΝ
ΤWΝΕΙ
ΝΟΥ

Bottom moulding:

*ΚΑΛΟΥΜΕΝΟΥΤWNΓΝΑ
(Φ)ΕWN(ΠΗ)XΘΕΝΤΟCYΠ(Ο)

SIDE 3:
Above garland:

ΚΑΙ ΙΟΥΛΙ
ΑCΔΟ
ΜΝΗC

Bottom moulding:
*ΖΗΝWΝΟCΑΡΙCΤWNO[
ΒWΜΟCEΓΕΝΤΟ(ΕΧ Φ[]ΛΟΤΕΙΜΙΑCΖΑΒΔΙWN

SIDE 4:
Above garland:

[erased]

Bottom moulding:
*ΟΙΚΟΔΟΜΟΥ*ΕΤΟΥCOC
(ΓΟΡΠ)AIOYH

For the safety of our lords the Augusti, Septimius Severus and Aurelius Antonius (Caracalla) and Julia Domna and Septimius Geta, the members of the college called the Great Artemisia and the fullers founded by Zenon, son of Ariston, set up the altar and a peribolos around the hill. The altar was realized through the generosity of Zabdion the master builder, in the year 207, on the eighth day of the month of Gorpiaios.

Gaiter 1985

Gatier 1985

Lunate sigmas

On a hill within the Sanctuary of Artemis, behind the temple

Sanctuary of Artemis

Note that Geta's name is erased as a result of his damnatio memoriae by Caracalla in 211 CE.