Inscribed Cylindrical Altar: Honorific Inscription for Gaius Caesar Germanicus, by Hermogenes
- Date
- 37–41 AD., Roman
- Museum
- Manisa, Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum
- Museum Inventory No.
- Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
- Manisa (M14 No. 331)
- Material
- Marble, Stone
- Object Type
- Altar, Inscription
- Inscription Type
- Honorific Inscription
- Inscription language
- Greek
- Inscription Text
Γαΐῳ Καίσαρι Γερμανικοῦ υἱῷ Γερμανικῷ Σεβαστῷ, αὐτοκράτορι, νέῳ θεῶι 4 ⟦Ἑρμ̣ογένη[ς] Χ̣αρι̣ξ̣έ⟧- ⟦νου ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀ[χ]θεί⟧- ⟦σης Α̣ὐ̣γου̣σ[τείο]υ̣ (?) ὑ̣πὲρ⟧ τοῦ Σεβαστοῦ ὑπὸ τῆς 8 Ταγηνῶν κατοικίας ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου βίου τὸν βωμὸν κατεσκεύα- σεν.
- Inscription Translation
- “Hermogenes, son of Charixenos, has erected the altar at his personal expense for Gaius Caesar Germanicus Augustus, imperator, the new (or: “young”) god, son of Germanicus, on behalf of the Augusteios(?) (birth)day?, (festivity?), that had been celebrated by the village of (the) Tagenoi on behalf of the Augustus.”
- Inscription Comment
- Site
- Ahmetli
- Findspot
- From Ahmetli.
- Description
Cylindrical altar of marble with moldings at bottom; the upper part is damaged without affecting the inscription. Under the inscription, a garland of two olive branches is depicted in relief.
- Dimensions
- H. 1.10, Diam. 0.55, H. of letters 0.025.
- Comments
The Greek text as given by Herrmann and Malay, New Documents.
3 νέῳ θεῶι (iota adscript only in the latter word): A. Balland, Fouilles des Xanthos VII (1981), pp. 48–49 discusses the title νέος θεός bestowed on Gaius Caesar who died in 4 AD (cf. his no. 25 and IGRR IV 1094 = IG XII 4, 2, 637 [Halasarna, Cos]). In the present inscription the emperor Gaius (Caligula) bears this title; he is elsewhere known as θεός (see no. 332) and as νέος Ἥλιος (Syll.3 798 = IGRR IV 145 [Cyzicus]). Caligula’s father Germanicus was called θεὸς νέος (IG XII 2, 212 [IGRR IV 74] and 213 [IGRR IV 75], Mytilene).
4–6 These lines have intentionally been deleted.
4 ⟦ - - Ἑρμ̣ογένη[ς]: SEG; Herrmann and Malay’s reading seems to be correct.
5–6 “On the occasion of the celebration of (the panegyris?) Augusteios for Augustus…” (Herrmann and Malay).
6 Α̣ὐ̣γου̣σ[τείο]υ̣: judging by the photograph, the reading and supplement are not beyond doubt. ἡ Αὐγούστειος, sc. (γενέθλιος) ἡμέρα? / ἑορτή? / πανήγυρις? (Herrmann and Malay). Cf. Sardis VII 1, no. 15 (“about the middle of the 2nd century A.D.”), mentioning “a subsidy toward their [i.e., of “certain persons”] loyalty to the Augusti.”
7–8 The Ταγηνῶν κατοικία is attested here for the first time.
9 For the expression ἐκ τοῦ ἰδίου βίου in Sardis, cf. no. 305, 6ff. and Sardis VII 1, no. 27, 12.
- See Also
- Bibliography
- Herrmann and Malay, New Documents, pp. 67–68, no. 43, pl. 24, fig. 43 (AE 2007, 1352; SEG 57, 1216).
- Author
- GP