I 2. Tyras.Decree honouring Cocceius, April 27, 181 C.E.
Monument
Type
Panel.
Material
Grey marble.
Dimensions (cm)
H.147.4, W.91.2, Th.19.4-20.4.
Additional description
Bottom part of a panel. The front is carefully worked: the epigraphic field is polished and framed by a polished relief border. At the bottom of the front, outside the epigraphic field, the surface is summarily treated, showing tooth chisel marks. This part was apparently meant to be fitted in a base. The back is roughly worked and partly chipped off, probably as a result of secondary use. The sides of the preserved sections of the panel are treated summarily, the bottom - roughly. In lower part of the left side, there are dowel holes. The panel is broken. 10 fragments had originally arrived at the Odessa Archaeological Museum, but one was lost already by Latyshev's time. Of 9 fragments inspected by Latyshev, 8 are still in the museum's collection, while fragment f, with remains of lines 14-16, is missing. Fragment b has split into two pieces (b1 and b2), and fragment g into three (g1, g2, g3).
Place of Origin
Tyras.
Find place
Cioburciu, Slobozia district, Transnistria, Moldova; near Slobozia, 100km from Belgorod-Dnestrovsky (Akkerman).
Find context
In the yard of a peasant's house. Secondary use.
Find circumstances
Random find in 1881.
Modern location
Odessa.
Institution and inventory
Odessa Archaeological Museum, 50723 (fr. a), 50720 (fr. b1+2), 50719 (fr. c), 50717a (fr. d), 50716 (fr. e), 50681 (fr. g1), 50667 (fr. g2), 50678 (fr. g3), 50671 (fr. i), 54786 (fr. k).
Autopsy
August 2006.
Epigraphic field
Position
On the front. The top is broken off, the bottom right area is chipped and pitted. Inside the relief border. Margins: left 1,7-2,1; right 1,8; bottom 7,0cm. H.101.8, W.69.4
Lettering
Letters are carefully and deeply cut, lines are straight, although there is no trace of ruling. Large serifs. Ypsilon with decorative crossbar. Ligatures are frequent; word dividers: mostly in the shape of small triangles placed at mid-letter height, but in line 31 - an ivy leaf. Omicron is of the same size as other letters, except in line 23 in Μόκκα and in line 25 in Σεπτού, where it is much smaller. In line 28, alpha appears in the margin and is also much smaller. Two shapes of sigma are used: rectangular (rarely not in ligatures) and four-bar (predominates). Average distance between lines: 0,6cm.
Letterheights (cm)
1.9-2.4
Text
Category
Honorific decree.
Date
April 27, 181 C.E.
Dating criteria
Explicit date.
Editions
L1. Yurgevich1883, 7-16 (= Yurgevich1883a, 83-88); 2. IOSPE I, 2; 2.1. IGR I, add. n° 1438; 2.2. Minns1913, 639, n° 3; 2.3. IOSPE I2, 2.
• Λ̣[---]
ΚΑ̣[---]
ΣΕΡ̣[---]
χρησα̣[---]
5θειότ̣α̣[τ αὐτοκρατ --- ὑπε-]
ρηύξη[[σ[ε]] ---]
| ΕΙΣΤΑΚΑΤΕ[---]
ΝΑ ἡμεῖν ΕΘ.[---]
διὰ τῆς τῶν Δ[---]
10παρὰ τοὺς ἡγο[υμένους? --- περὶ τῶν]
συμφερόντω[ν ἡμεῖν resp. τῷ δήμῳ (vel sim.) --- ἀν-]
δρὸς γεγονότ̣[ος --- δε-]
δόχθαι τῇ βουλῇ καὶ̣ τ̣ῷ̣ δήμῳ Κο̣[κκήιον ---] |
νον τετειμῆσθαι̣ χ̣ρυσῷ στεφάνῳ [[κα̣ὶ̣]] [[τ̣]][ύπ]ῳ ἐπι[χρύσῳ?], |
15τό τε ψήφισμα̣ τελειωθὲν ὑπὸ [[τοῦ]] γραμμα[τέως]
τῆς πόλεως Οὐα̣λ̣ερίου ῾Ρούφου δοθ̣ῆναι τῷ π̣[ατρὶ]
αὐτοῦ Κοκκηίῳ Οὐάλεντι καὶ τὸ ἀντίγραφον ἀ[ποτ]ε-
θῆναι εἰς τὰ δημ̣όσια. • ἐγένητο ἐν Τύρᾳ πρὸ • ε´ • κα̣[[λ(ανδῶν)]] [[•]] [[Μα]]-
ΐων Αὐτοκράτο̣ρι Κομόδῳ τὸ • γ´ • καὶ Ἀντιστίῳ Β[[ούρ]]-
20ρῳ ὑπάτοις, ὡς δὲ Τυρανοὶ ἄγουσιν, ἔτους • εκρ´ • ἀ[[ρχόν]]-
των δὲ τῶν περὶ Θεόδωρον Βοήθου, μηνὸς Ἀρτεμε̣ισι̣ | -
ῶνος • λ´ • vac. 1 litt. ʼΕσφραγίσαντο· vac. 1 litt. Θεόδωρος Βοήθου πρῶ-
| τ̣ο̣ς̣ ἄ̣ρ̣χ̣ω̣ν̣ • Κα̣ῖ̣σαρ Ζουρη ἄρχων • Λαϊσθένης Μοκκα
ἄρχων • Αἴλιος Λούκιος ἄρχω̣ν̣ • Οὐαλεριαν̣ὸς Πον-
25τικοῦ εἰσηγητής • Τιβ(έριος) • Κλαύδιος Ἀντ[ι]σ̣[θένη]ς • Σε̣πτού̣ | -
| μιος ῾Ιεροσῶντος • Πιδανος Πιτφαρν̣[ακου • Οὐα]λ̣έ̣ρ̣ι̣ο̣ς̣ |
Βασσιανοῦ • ῾Ιερώνυμος Ἀρτεμιδώρ̣ο̣υ̣ • Θε̣οδᾶ̣[ς] Α̣ρ̣τ̣ε̣μ̣ι̣-
δώρου • Χρύσιππος Χρυσίππου • Νίγερ Ἀρτεμιδώρου • Μα-
κάριος Ἀρτεμιδώρου • Διονυσόδωρος Ἀχιλλαίου
30Λούκιος Σατορνείλου • Φιλόκαλος Φιλοκάλου • Διο-
νύσιος Πίσκα • Ἡρακλέων Σωμᾶ • Δελφὸς Δελφοῦ ❦
Οὐαλέριος Ῥοῦφος γραμματεὺς ἐτελειώσατο
• <τὸ> ψήφισμα. •
33: orig.
•.[---]
Κ.[---]
ΣΕ.[---]
ΧΡΗΣ.[---]
5ΘΕΙΟ..[.........---...-]
ΡΗΥΞΗ[[Σ[.]]---]
| ΕΙΣΤΑΚΑΤΕ[---]
ΝΑΗΜΕΙΝ ΕΘ·[---]
ΔΙΑΤΗΣΤΩΝΔ[---]
10ΠΑΡΑΤΟΥΣΗΓΟ[.......---.......]
ΣΥΜΦΕΡΟΝΤΩ[.............---..-]
ΔΡΟΣΓΕΓΟΝΟ.[..---..-]
ΔΟΧΘΑΙΤΗΒΟΥΛΗΚΑ...ΔΗΜΩΚ.[......---] |
ΝΟΝΤΕΤΕΙΜΗΣΘΑ..ΡΥΣΩΣΤΕΦΑΝΩ[[Κ..]][[.]][..]ΩΕΠΙ[.....] |
15ΤΟΤΕΨΗΦΙΣΜ.ΤΕΛΕΙΩΘΕΝΥΠΟ[[ΤΟΥ]]ΓΡΑΜΜΑ[....]
ΤΗΣΠΟΛΕΩΣΟΥ..ΕΡΙΟΥ῾ΡΟΥΦΟΥΔΟ.ΗΝΑΙΤΩ.[....]
ΑΥΤΟΥΚΟΚΚΗΙΩΟΥΑΛΕΝΤΙΚΑΙΤΟΑΝΤΙΓΡΑΦΟΝΑ[...]Ε
ΘΗΝΑΙΕΙΣΤΑΔΗ.ΟΣΙΑ•ΕΓΕΝΗΤΟΕΝΤΥΡΑΠΡΟ•Ε•Κ.[[Λ]][[•]][[ΜΑ]]
ΙΩΝΑΥΤΟΚΡΑΤ.ΡΙΚΟΜΟΔΩΤϕÕΚΑΙΑΝΤΙΣΤΙΩΒ[[ΟΥΡ]]
20ΡΩΥΠΑΤΟΙΣΩΣΔΕΤΥΡΑΝΟΙΑΓΟΥΣΙΝΕΤΟΥΣ•ΕΚΡ•Α[[ΡΧΟΝ]]
ΤΩΝΔΕΤΩΝΠΕΡΙΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΝΒΟΗΘΟΥΜΗΝΟΣΑΡΤΕΜ.ΙΣ. |
ΩΝΟΣ•Λ• ʼΕΣΦΡΑΓΙΣΑΝΤΟ ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΣΒΟΗΘΟΥΠΡΩ
| ........•Κ..ΣΑΡΖΟΥΡΗΑΡΧΩΝ•ΛΑΙΣΘΕΝΗΣΜΟΚΚΑ
ΑΡΧΩΝ•ΑΙΛΙΟΣΛΟΥΚΙΟΣΑΡΧ..•ΟΥΑΛΕΡΙΑ.ΟΣΠΟΝ
25ΤΙΚΟΥΕΙΣΗΓΗΤΗΣ•ΤΙΒ•ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΣΑΝΤ[.].[....]Σ•Σ.ΠΤΟΥ. |
| ΜΙΟΣ῾ΙΕΡΟΣΩΝΤΟΣ•ΠΙΔΑΝΟΣΠΙΤΦΑΡ.[........]...... |
ΒΑΣΣΙΑΝΟΥ•῾ΙΕΡΩΝΥΜΟΣ ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΩ...•Θ.ΟΔ.[.]......
ΔΩΡΟΥ•ΧΡΥΣΙΠΠΟΣΧΡΥΣΙΠΠΟΥ•ΝΙΓΕΡΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΩΡΟΥ•ΜΑ
ΚΑΡΙΟΣΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΩΡΟΥ•ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΔΩΡΟΣΑΧΙΛΛΑΙΟΥ
30ΛΟΥΚΙΟΣΣΑΤΟΡΝΕΙΛΟΥ•ΦΙΛΟΚΑΛΟΣΦΙΛΟΚΑΛΟΥ•ΔΙΟ
ΝΥΣΙΟΣΠΙΣΚΑ•ΗΡΑΚΛΕΩΝΣΩΜΑ•ΔΕΛΦΟΣΔΕΛΦΟΥ❦
ΟΥΑΛΕΡΙΟΣ ΡΟΥΦΟΣΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΕΥΣΕΤΕΛΕΙΩΣΑΤΟ
•ΨΗΦΙΣΜΑ•
33: orig.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="0"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="line"/>
<lb n="1"/><g ref="#stop"/> <orig><unclear>Λ</unclear></orig><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<lb n="2"/><orig>Κ<unclear>Α</unclear></orig><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<lb n="3"/><orig>ΣΕ<unclear>Ρ</unclear></orig><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<lb n="4"/><w part="I">χρησ<unclear>α</unclear></w><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<lb n="5"/><w part="I">θειό<unclear>τα</unclear><supplied reason="lost">τ</supplied></w>
<w part="I"><supplied reason="lost">αὐτοκρατ</supplied></w> <gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<w part="I"><supplied reason="lost">ὑπε</supplied>
<lb n="6" break="no"/>ρηύξ<hi rend="ligature">η<del rend="erasure">σ</del></hi><del rend="erasure"><supplied reason="lost">ε</supplied></del></w>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<lb n="7"/><milestone unit="block" n="a"/><orig>ΕΙΣΤΑΚΑΤΕ</orig><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<lb n="8"/><orig>ΝΑ</orig> ἡμεῖ<hi rend="ligature">ν</hi>
<orig>Ε</orig><orig>Θ</orig><gap reason="illegible" quantity="1" unit="character"/><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<lb n="9"/>διὰ τῆς τῶν <orig>Δ</orig><gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<lb n="10"/>παρὰ τοὺς ἡγο<supplied reason="lost" cert="low">υμένους</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/> <supplied reason="lost">περὶ τῶν</supplied>
<lb n="11"/>συμφερόντω<supplied reason="lost">ν</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost"><app type="editorial"><lem>ἡμεῖν</lem><rdg>τῷ δήμῳ</rdg></app> <note>vel sim.</note></supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/> <supplied reason="lost">ἀν</supplied>
<lb n="12" break="no"/>δρὸς γεγονό<unclear>τ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ος</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/> <supplied reason="lost">δε</supplied>
<lb n="13" break="no"/>δόχθαι τῇ
βουλῇ κα<unclear>ὶ</unclear>
<unclear>τῷ</unclear> δήμῳ
Κ<unclear>ο</unclear><supplied reason="lost">κκήιον</supplied>
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character"/>
<milestone unit="block" n="b"/>
<lb n="14"/><w part="F">νον</w>
τετειμῆσθα<unclear>ι</unclear>
<unclear>χ</unclear>ρυσῷ στεφάνῳ
<del rend="erasure">κ<unclear>αὶ</unclear></del> <del rend="erasure"><unclear>τ</unclear></del><supplied reason="lost">ύπ</supplied>ῳ
ἐπι<supplied reason="lost" cert="low">χρύσῳ</supplied>, <milestone unit="block" n="c"/>
<lb n="15"/>τό τε ψήφισμ<unclear>α</unclear>
τελειωθὲν ὑπὸ <del rend="erasure">τοῦ</del>
γραμμα<supplied reason="lost">τέως</supplied>
<lb n="16"/>τῆς πόλεως
Οὐ<unclear>αλ</unclear>ερίου ῾Ρούφου
δο<unclear>θ</unclear>ῆναι τῷ <unclear>π</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ατρὶ</supplied>
<lb n="17"/>αὐτοῦ Κοκκηίῳ Οὐάλεντι
καὶ τὸ ἀντίγραφον ἀ<supplied reason="lost">ποτ</supplied>ε
<lb n="18" break="no"/>θῆναι εἰς τὰ δη<unclear>μ</unclear>όσια.
<g ref="#stop"/> ἐγένητο ἐν
Τύρᾳ πρὸ <g ref="#stop"/> <num value="5">ε</num>
<g ref="#stop"/> <expan><abbr>κ<unclear>α</unclear></abbr><del rend="erasure"><abbr>λ</abbr><ex>ανδῶν</ex></del></expan>
<del rend="erasure"><g ref="#stop"/></del> <del rend="erasure">Μα</del>
<lb n="19" break="no"/>ΐων Αὐτοκράτ<unclear>ο</unclear>ρι Κομόδῳ
τὸ <g ref="#stop"/> <num value="3">γ</num> <g ref="#stop"/>
καὶ Ἀντιστίῳ Β<del rend="erasure">ούρ</del>
<lb n="20" break="no"/>ρῳ ὑπάτοις, ὡς δὲ Τυρανοὶ ἄγουσιν,
ἔτους <g ref="#stop"/> <num value="125">εκρ</num> <g ref="#stop"/>
ἀ<del rend="erasure">ρχόν</del>
<lb n="21" break="no"/>των δὲ τῶν περὶ
Θεόδωρον
Βοήθου,
μηνὸς Ἀρτεμ<unclear>ε</unclear>ισ<unclear>ι</unclear>
<milestone unit="block" n="i"/>
<lb n="22" break="no"/>ῶνος <g ref="#stop"/> <num value="30">λ</num> <g ref="#stop"/> <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
ʼΕσφραγίσαντο· <space quantity="1" unit="character"/>
Θεόδωρος Βοήθου πρῶ
<lb n="23" break="no"/><milestone unit="block" n="g"/><unclear>τος</unclear> <unclear>ἄρχων</unclear> <g ref="#stop"/>
Κ<unclear>αῖ</unclear>σαρ Ζουρη
ἄρχων <g ref="#stop"/> Λαϊσθένης
Μοκκα
<lb n="24"/>ἄρχων <g ref="#stop"/> Αἴλιος Λούκιος
ἄρχ<unclear>ων</unclear> <g ref="#stop"/> Οὐαλερια<unclear>ν</unclear>ὸς
Πον
<lb n="25" break="no"/>τικοῦ εἰσηγητής <g ref="#stop"/>
<expan><abbr>Τιβ</abbr><ex>έριος</ex></expan> <g ref="#stop"/>
Κλαύδιος
Ἀντ<supplied reason="lost">ι</supplied><unclear>σ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">θένη</supplied>ς
<g ref="#stop"/> Σ<unclear>ε</unclear>πτου<unclear>́</unclear><milestone unit="block" n="e"/>
<lb n="26" break="no"/><milestone unit="block" n="d"/>μιος
῾Ιεροσῶντος
<g ref="#stop"/> Πιδανος
Πιτφαρ<unclear>ν</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ακου</supplied>
<supplied reason="lost"><g ref="#stop"/></supplied>
<supplied reason="lost">Οὐα</supplied><unclear>λέριος</unclear><milestone unit="block" n="k"/>
<lb n="27"/>Βασσιανοῦ <g ref="#stop"/>
῾Ιερώνυμος
Ἀρτεμιδώ<unclear>ρου</unclear> <g ref="#stop"/>
Θ<unclear>ε</unclear>οδ<unclear>ᾶ</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied>
<unclear>Αρτεμι</unclear>
<lb n="28" break="no"/>δώρου <g ref="#stop"/>
Χρύσιππος
Χρυσίππου
<g ref="#stop"/> Νίγερ
Ἀρτεμιδώρου <g ref="#stop"/>
Μα
<lb n="29" break="no"/>κάριος Ἀρτεμιδώρου
<g ref="#stop"/> Διονυσόδωρος Ἀχιλλαίου
<lb n="30"/>Λούκιος Σατορνείλου
<g ref="#stop"/> Φιλόκαλος Φιλοκάλου <g ref="#stop"/>
Διο
<lb n="31" break="no"/>νύσιος Πίσκα <g ref="#stop"/>
Ἡρακλέων
Σωμᾶ
<g ref="#stop"/> Δελφὸς
Δελφοῦ <g ref="#leaf"/>
<lb n="32"/>Οὐαλέριος
Ῥοῦφος γραμματεὺς
ἐτελειώσατο
<lb n="33"/><g ref="#stop"/> <supplied reason="omitted">τὸ</supplied> ψήφισμα. <g ref="#stop"/>
</ab>
</div>Apparatus criticus
1:
Α̣IOSPE
3:
ΣΕΙYurgevich1883a,IOSPE
4:
χρήσ[ιμος vel εὔχρηστος ἐγένετο τῇ πατρίδι]Yurgevich1883a
ΗΣ in ligatura
4-5:
πλ]εῖστα κα⁽τε⁾[σκεύασε Mordtmann apud LatyshevIOSPE
5-6:
θειότ[ατος - - - ῥωμαίων αὐτοκράτω]|ρ ηὔξησε [τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν]
6:
ρηύξησ[εIOSPE
ΗΣ in ligatura
7:
ΤΕ in ligatura
7-8:
τὰ κοι]νὰ ἡμεῖν ἔθ[η Mordtmann apud LatyshevIOSPE
8:
ΗΜΕ, ΝΕ in ligatura
9:
δ[ημοσίων ἐνδείας Mordtmann apud LatyshevIOSPE
ΤΗΣ in ligatura
10:
ΗΓ in ligatura
11:
ΝΤ in ligatura
10-11:
τῷ δήμῳ συμφερόντω[ν - - - ὠφελίμου ἀν-]Yurgevich1883a
13:
ΤΗΒ, ΗΚ, ΗΜ in ligatura
14:
καὶ [ὅπλ]ῳ ἐπι[χρύσῳ]Yurgevich1883a
ΝΤΕ, ΤΕ, ΜΗΣ, ΤΕ in ligatura
15:
γραμμ[ατέως]IOSPE
ΤΕ, ΤΕ, ΜΜ in ligatura
16:
ΤΗΣ, ΗΝ in ligatura
17:
ΝΤ, ΝΤ in ligatura
18:
ΗΝ, ΝΗ, ΝΤ, ΠΡ in ligatura
19:
ΝΤ in ligatura
20:
ΝΕ in ligatura
21:
Ἀρτεμισι-Yurgevich1883a
ΝΠΕ, ΝΒ, ΜΗΝ, ΤΕ, ΜΕ in ligatura
22:
ΝΤ, ΠΡ in ligatura
23:
Κ[α]ῖσαρIOSPE
ΝΗΣ in ligatura
25:
Ἀν[τέρωτο]ς Σ.πτου-Yurgevich1883a
ΗΣ, ΝΤ in ligatura
26:
Πιτφαρ . . . . . . . . οςYurgevich1883a;
Πιτφαρ[νάκ]ο[υ Οὐα]λ[έρ]ιοςIOSPE
ΝΤ in ligatura
27:
Θεόδ[ωρος Θεο]-Yurgevich1883a;
Θεοδ[ᾶς Ἀρτε]μι-IOSPE
ΤΕ in ligatura
28:
ΠΠ, ΠΠ, ΤΕ in ligatura
29:
ΤΕ in ligatura
30:
Σατορνείλου Fr. f, h Latyshev desuntYurgevich1883a
ΝΕ in ligatura
31:
ΗΡ, ΝΣ in ligatura
32:
ΟΥ, ΜΜ, ΤΕ, ΤΕ in ligatura
Translation
[- - -] divin[e emperor inc]reased [- - -] us [- - -] the rule[rs? - - - of be]nefici[al for us? or the People? - - - the m]an who became - - - the Council and the People shall deem it good that Co[cceius - - -] should be honoured with a gold crown and a gilded relief. This decision, edited by the secretary of the polis Valerius Rufus, is to be given to his father, Cocceius Valens, and a copy is to be deposited in the public archive. This took place in Tyras, 5 days before the calends of May, when the consuls were emperor Commodus, for the third time, and Antistios Burrus, or as the citizens of Tyras hold, in the year 125, when archons were under the leadership of Theodoros Boethos, in the month of Artemision, on the 30th. Applied their seals: Theodoros, (son of) Boethos, first archon, Caesar, (son of) Zoures, archon, Laisthenes, (son of) Mokkas, archon, Aelius Lucius, archon, Valerianus, (son of) Pontikos, presenter, Tib(erius) Claudius Antisthenes, Septumius, (son of) Hieroson, Pidanos, (son of) Pitpharnakos, Valerius, (son of) Bassianos, Hieronymos, (son of) Artemidoros, Theodas, (son of) Artemidoros, Chrysippos, (son of) Chrysippos, Niger, (son of) of Artemidoros, Makarios, (son of) Artemidoros, Dionysodoros, (son of) Achillaios, Lucius, (son of) Satourneilos, Philokalos, (son of) Philokalos, Dionysios, (son of) Piskas, Herakleon, (son of) Somas, Delphos, (son of) Delphos. Valerius Rufus, the secretary, edited the decision.
Commentary
The monument had apparently been moved from Akkerman to the village of Cioburciu in modern times, as Yurgevich rightly surmised. According to him, all ten fragments were, upon discovery, turned over to the Odessa Museum, but already Latyshev was not able to locate Fragment (h) there, and I could not locate Fragment (f). The restorations of lines 5-9 were suggested to Latyshev by Mordtmann after the publication of editio princeps (see Latyshev 1890, 141-142; IOSPE IV, p. 263; IOSPE I2, p. 5). The restorations of lines 10-12 were proposed by Yurgevich, but most are doubtful and find no parallels in known inscriptions. One thing that is clear is that in the lines listing the good deeds of Cocceius, there was a mention of an emperor or emperors, as well as, most likely, an embassy to the Roman officials (possibly at provincial level) with the aim of attaining something useful for the polis. Yurgevich believed that it was about the exemption from taxes for the citizens of Tyras, a privilege mentioned in I 12.
13. Latyshev thought that the cognomen of the honorand may have been Οὐαλεντινιανός, on the basis of his father's name Valens, but this speculation has no support. In the IInd century, in the Greek world, cognomen served as a given name in contrast to the inherited praenomen and nomen, and we may be dealing with any name, ending in -νος.
16. The restoration of the word π̣[ατρί] at the end of the line is secure, the first letter pi is beyond any doubt. This might mean that the decree honouring Cocceius was passed posthumously.
18-22. These lines contain the dating formula, as well as valuable information on the local count of years and calendar. The emperor Commodus served as consul for the third time, together with Antistios Burrus, in 181 C.E. The date of the decree is 27th of April (the fifth day before the calends of May) in 181. As has been shown by Latyshev, this inscription, together with I 12, attests to the simultaneous use in Tyras in the II-III centuries C.E. of the Julian solar calendar and of the ancient lunar calendar, brought from Miletus by the original city founders (Latyshev 1887, 66-69 = 1909, 37-40); according to that calendar, the decree was dated to the 30th of Artemision. Alongside the ancient way of counting years by eponyous officials, the inscription also attests the use in Tyras of the local year count. Year 181 C.E. corresponds to the 125th year of the local era, which means that the latter began in 56/57 C.E. It is probable that the inception of this new era count began with the inclusion of Tyras in the Roman province of Lower Moesia (see already Borghesius apud Henzen 1854, 70; Karyshkovsky, Kleiman 1985, 90-92, with bibliograpy, and somewhat differently: Son 1993, 21-31).
21-32. The inscription provides important details about the political organisation of Tyras in the IInd century C.E. At the head of the polis was a college of four archons led by the First Archon, who was eponymous (the year count by archons continued alongside with the use of the new era). Other persons listed here as applying their seals were apparently members of the Council, including the presenter who proposed the decree and the secretary who prepared the final text.
The list of names provides extensive onomastic data on the city elite. As is to be expected, Greek names predominate: Θεόδωρος, Βόηθος, Λαϊσθένης, Ποντικός, Ἀντισθένης, ῾Ιεροσῶν (the name specific to Olbia and Tyras),῾Ιερώνυμος, Ἀρτεμίδωρος (four times), Θεοδᾶς, Χρύσιππος (twice), Μακάριος, Διονυσόδωρος, Ἀχιλλαῖος (unique), Φιλόκαλος (twice), Διονύσιος, Ἡρακλέων, Σωμᾶς Δελφός (twice). In contrast to the neighbouring Olbia, Latin names are widely attested, and some belong to Roman citizens: Κοκκήιος Οὐάλε(ντο)ς (Cocceius Valens), Αἴλιος Λούκιος (Aelius Lucius), Τιβέριος Κλαύδιος Ἀντισθένης (Tiberius Claudius Antisthenes), Οὐαλέριος Ῥοῦφος (Valerius Rufus). Other individuals apparently used Roman names casually, not following the system of tria nomina: Καῖσαρ (Caesar, might be the only such use of the emperor's cognomen), Οὐαλεριανός (Valerianus), Σεπτούμιος (Septumius, archaic form of the nomen Septimius), Οὐαλέριος (Valerius), Βασσιανός (Bassianus), Νίγερ (Niger), Λούκιος (Lucius), Σατορνεῖλος (Saturnilus). By contrast with Olbia, non-Greek names are quite rare among the elite of Tyras: in this inscription, two names are Thracian (Ζουρης, Μοκκας) and two are Sarmatian (Πιδανος, Πιτφαρνακος), and in the latter case, they belong to a father and son. The ethnic origin of the name Πισκας is unclear.
Images
© 2017 Askold Ivantchik (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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