Support: Upper and lower part of a white carefully polished marble naiskos; the upper part (w: 1.13 × h: 0.10) has a low triangular pediment with acroteria at each angle (the left one broken off), surmounting a small plain moulding of eggs and darts and a plain architrave (the right end of which is broken off). The lower part (w: 0.94 × h: 0.22 × d: 0.31) is constituted of a rectangular low base with four moulded feet; on the base rested a sculptured group of which the only vestiges are at both front angles the legs of a kneeled person and in the middle two webbed feet of an animal, perhaps a swan.

Layout: Very lightly inscribed on the architrave below the gable, the letters being then painted alternately in yellow, red and blue; the very frail epidermis of the marble is lost at some places and the reddish color due to a long stay in the local earth makes the reading difficult if not under low light.

Letters: 0.045; space between each letter 0.05; small circular letters, slantering sigma, higher stroke for phi, slightly curved triangular letters.

Date: Second half of third century BC (lettering).

Findspot: Found before 1983 at Cyrene ➚: to the South of the city, in the area of the Wadi El-Aish.

Place of origin: Cyrene ➚: unknown place (see commentary).

Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum, no inv. number. Seen by C. Dobias-Lalou in 2001 in Shahat: Cyrene Museum.

Text constituted from: Transcription from stone (CDL).

Apparatus

French translation

Theukhrestos fils de Philothalès.

English translation

Theuchrestos son of Philothales.

Italian translation

Theuchrestos figlio di Philothales.

Commentary

The first editors, although conscious of the typological uniqueness of this monument, admitted its funerary nature on the idea that it was found in Wadi el-Aish, a small valley tributary of the Wadi Bil Gadir where a great part of the South Necropolis developed. However, some items said to come from there probably belonged to other areas.

So it is much more probable that this monument was a votive offering. We should wait at least some additional mention with the deity (probably Apollo) to whom the monument was offered. Whereas no inscription can be seen on the base, it is possible that something was written on the sides, that are now lost.

The dating of the lettering 'probably fourth century' by the first editors is not convincing. And, given that Θεύχρηστος is a very common name at Cyrene, the possible prosopographic link cautiously put forward with the well-known Mnasarchos' family is impossible, although one argument against it, the situation of the tomb, seems now out of the question. For new cautious proposals see Rosamilia 2023.

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All citation, reuse or distribution of this work must contain a link back to DOI: https://doi.org/10.60760/unibo/igcyrgvcyr2 and the filename (IGCyr000000 or GVCyr000), as well as the year of consultation.

Images

Fig. 1. Drawing of igcyr086900 Epitaph

Fig. 2. Face of igcyr086900 Epitaph

Maps