Support: White marble fragmentary panel broken away on top and below; cramp sinkings on back (w: 0.645 × h: 0.57 × d: 0.095).

Layout: Inscribed on at least two columns.

Letters: 0.007-0.009; carefully cut, slightly apicated letters.

Date: 108 BC (internal date).

Findspot: Found before 1936 at Cyrene ➚: agora, north-west of Temple of Demeter and Kore.

Place of origin: Findspot.

Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum, 137. Seen by C. Dobias-Lalou for the last time on June 13th, 2010 in Shahat: Cyrene Museum. Seen by E. Rosamilia in 2010 at the same place.

Text constituted from: Transcription from stone (CDL).

Apparatus

French translation

(A) [Il a été décidé ---] que les [---], lors des [fêtes annuelles] prescrites, s'avancent vêtus de blanc et accomplissent sur les [autels] édifiés [sur l'agora des sacrifices et libations] et prononcent des voeux et [invocations], pour la santé et le [salut] du roi, de la reine [et de leur fils] Ptolémée, en manifestant leur reconnaissance pour les avantages accordés par eux à la cité. Que les prêtres et les prêtresses ouvrent les temples, les garnissent de guirlandes et accomplissent des sacrifices. Que les collèges de magistrats ornent de guirlandes leurs édifices respectifs. Que les démiurges et les hiarothytes fassent décorer le prytanée et les portiques et offrent des sacrifices au nom de la cité au roi Ptolémée, à la reine Cléopatre, sa soeur, Dieux Sôtères, et à leur fils Ptolémée, à leurs parents, à leurs ancêtres, ainsi qu'à tous les dieux et toutes les déesses, à chacun le sacrifice réglementaire. Que les collèges de magistrats fournissent les victimes et que les préposés mensuels aux [sacrifices ---] et des délais de paiement des ventes [---]. Que toutes ces dispositions [soient publiées dans les endroits?] les plus en vue [---].

(B.1) [---] contre ceux à qui l'accomplissement de leur charge a valu une couronne [il ne soit pas possible de porter une condamnation?] de quelque façon que ce soit, pas plus que contre ceux qui sont portés dans le corps des gerontes. Et s'il appert que certains des susdits sont sous le coup de certaines plaintes, que leurs personnes relèvent des peines définies par les prostagmata royaux et par les lois, mais que leurs biens reviennent à leurs héritiers naturels.

(B.2) Le vingt du mois Theudaisios. Le roi Ptolémée et la reine Cléopatre sa soeur, aux Cyrénéens, salut ! Nous joignons ci-dessous les copies des lettres que nous avons envoyées aux gouverneurs des cités et du prostagma que nous avons jugé bon de rendre, afin que vous vous y conformiez. Attendu que nous nous attachons à ce que nul des sujets du royaume ne soit maltraité sans raison, que l'esprit du prostagma soit également introduit dans le régime judiciaire en vigueur chez vous, afin qu'en s'y conformant à l'avenir les requérants n'obtiennent pas satisfaction arbitrairement. Portez-vous bien. An 9, le 24 Gorpieios, le 24 Phamenoth.

(B.3) Ordonnance du roi et de la reine: si certains parmi les préposés aux affaires ou parmi les autres sujets du royaume réclament des biens sans propriétaire ou litigieux, ne pas mettre sous scellé les biens des mis en cause et ne pas emprisonner ni eux-mêmes ni leurs serviteurs sans avoir obtenu des khrematistai leurs décisions [et d'avoir ---] aux gouverneurs des cités nommés par [les rois] Dieux Sôtères [---].

English translation

(A) [It has been decided ---] that the [---], by the prescribed [annual feasts] should step forward dressed in white and carry out on the [altars] built [on the agora sacrifices and libations] and utter wishes and [vows] for the health and [safety] of the king, the queen [and their son] Ptolemy, while expressing gratitude about the privileges granted by them to the city. That the priests and priestesses should open the temples, adorn them with wreaths and accomplish sacrifices. That the bodies of magistrates should adorn with wreaths their respective buildings. That the damiergoi and the hiarothytes let the prytaneion be decorated and accomplish sacrifices on behalf of the city for king Ptolemy, queen Cleopatra, his sister, Gods Soteres, and for their son Ptolemy, for their parents, for their ancestors, as well as for all gods and all goddesses, for each the regular offering. That the bodies of magistrates should provide the victims and that [---] those in charge each month of the [sacrifices ---] and postponements for paying the sales [---]. That all those arrangements [should be published in places] with the best view [---].

(B.1) [---] those having been entitled by a past charge to bear a crown [it should not be possible to condemn ?] in whatever manner and also not those who are inscribed in the body of gerontes. And if it appears that some of the designated are incurring some complaints, they should personally be exposed to the penalties defined through the royal prostagmata and the laws, whereas their belongings should fall to their natural heirs.

(B.2) On the twentieth of month Theudaisios. King Ptolemy and queen Cleopatra his sister, to the Cyrenaeans, hail! We join here below copies of the letters which we sent to the governors of the cities and of the prostagma which we decided to deliver, in order that you comply with it. Given that we endeavour that none of the individuals subject to the kingdom should be groundlessly molested, the spirit of the prostagma should also be introduced into your judicial system, so that, complying henceforth with it, someone requesting will not get satisfaction at random. Farewell. Year 9, Gorpieios 24th, Phamenoth 24th.

(B.3) Prostagma of the king and the queen: if some amongst the men in charge of the affairs or amongst the other individuals subject to the kingdom lay claim to properties that are not owned or contentiously owned, they should not seal off the belongings of the defendants nor put into jail either themselves or their slaves without having received from the chrematistai their decisions [and having ---] to the governors appointed by [the kings] Gods Soteres [---].

Italian translation

(A) [Si è deciso ---] che i [---], in occasione delle [feste annuali] prescritte, procedano vestiti di bianco e compiano sugli [altari] eretti [sull'agora dei sacrifici e delle libagioni] e pronuncino dei voti e delle [invocazioni], per la salute e la [salvezza] del re, della regina [e del loro figlio] Tolemeo, manifestando riconoscenza per i benefici accordati da loro alla città. Che i sacerdoti e le sacerdotesse aprano i templi, li adornino di ghirlande e compiano sacrifici. Che i collegi di magistrati adornino di ghirlande la loro rispettiva sede. Che i damiurghi e gli hiarothytes facciano decorare il pritaneo e i portici e offrano dei sacrifici a nome della città al re Tolemeo, alla regina Cleopatra, la sorella, Dèi Soteri, e al loro figlio Tolemeo, ai loro genitori, ai loro antenati, così come a tutti gli dèi e a tutte le dee, a ciascuno il sacrificio prescritto. Che i collegi di magistrati forniscano le vittime e che i preposti mensili ai [sacrifici ---] e ritardi dei pagamenti delle vendite [---]. Che tutte queste disposizioni [siano pubblicate nei luoghi?], più in vista [---].

(B.1) [---] contro coloro i quali al compimento della loro carica sono stati onorati con una corona [non sia possibile emettere una condanna?] in alcun modo, come pure contro quelli che sono iscritti nel corpo dei gerontes. E se appare con evidenza che alcuni dei suddetti siano colpiti da qualche accusa, essi incorrano personalmente nelle pene definite dai prostagmata regi e dalle leggi, ma i loro beni vadano agli eredi naturali secondo la legge.

(B.2) Il venti del mese Theudaisios. Il re Tolemeo e la regina Cleopatra, la sorella, ai Cirenei, salute. Alleghiamo qui di séguito per voi le copie delle lettere che abbiamo inviato ai governatori delle città e del prostagma che abbiamo giudicato opportuno emanare, in modo che voi vi conformiate. Dato che, dunque, noi ci preoccupiamo che nessuno dei sudditi del regno sia maltrattato senza ragione, che lo spirito del prostagma sia parimenti introdotto nel diagramma giudiziario in vigore presso di voi, in modo che in futuro, conformandosi ad esso, coloro che hanno delle accuse da muovere non intraprendano alcuna azione in modo arbitrario. State bene. Anno 9, il 24 di Gorpieios, il 24 di Phamenoth.

(B.3) Prostagma del re e della regina: se alcuni tra i preposti agli affari o tra gli altri sudditi del regno reclamano dei beni senza proprietario oppure oggetto di contenzioso, non si mettano sotto sigillo i beni degli accusati e non si conducano in prigione né loro né i loro servitori senza aver ottenuto dei mandati dai chrematistai [e senza aver ---] ai governatori delle città incaricati dai [re] Dèi Soteri [---].

Commentary

Most of the restorations are Oliverio's. Only the readings that differ from his are registered in apparatus.

As Oliverio clearly put it, column/area B bears three documents. The content of B.1 has generally not been recognised. The text is in koine and cannot be the end of the Cyrenaean decree engraved on column/area A (so Fraser, Laronde, Marquaille) nor of a Cyrenaean law (Lenger) or civic diagramma (Arangio-Ruiz, Roussel). The date with a Dorian month mentioned after its end should rather be joined with B.2, to which it is nearer (so also Musti). It is thus probably the date when both letter and prostagma (B.2 and B.3) were archived by the Cyrenaeans. Hence B.1 might be the end of another earlier prostagma.

Roussel doubted that the sacrifices mentioned at line a.19 might take place on the agora and supposed that altars were settled before the houses, because such was the use at Magnesia of the Meander. However, monumental altars were in fact built (cf. ἱδρυμένος) on the agora in honour of the royal family and the other gods.

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