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A Synnadic Copy of the Edict of Diocletian

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 September 2012

Extract

Among a number of inscriptions which I recorded in Turkey in 1950–1951, while travelling as Wilson Fellow of the University of Aberdeen, is the following fragment of the Edict of Diocletian. Brought as long ago as 1937 from Ṣuhut ( = Soǧut Kassaba, Synnada) to the museum at Afyonkarahisar, it is, so far as I am aware, hitherto unpublished. The stone, of white marble, (H. 0.358 m.; W. 0.9; Th. 0.15), was re-used by Byzantine builders, whose diamond-and-circle decoration on the top, and channelling on the underside can be clearly seen. The stone, pitted in places, is broken at the edges, as indicated in the transcription. The inscription (pl. x, 1) is irregularly, sometimes carelessly, but clearly cut in letters 0.013 to 0.02 high, which vary considerably in slope.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © I. W. Macpherson 1952. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

1 Bibliography : Mommsen-Blümner, Maximaltarif d. Diocletian = MB. Journal of Hellenic Studies, 11, 299 ff. (the Megalopolitan fragments, edited by W. Loring) = JHS. Ἀρχαιολογικὴ Ἐφημερίς = Ἀρχ. Ἐφ.. Tenney Frank, Economic Survey of Ancient Rome, v, Appendix (edition of Edict by L. R. Graser) = ESAR. Corpus Glossariorum Latinorum = CGL. To the note on new fragments published in ESAR (p. 308) should be added those published in ᾿Αρχ. Ἐφ.. 1931 (article by Α. Δ. Κεραμόπουλος, pp. 163–164 : two stelae in Σκωλός, now in Thebes Museum), and Guarducci, M. in Rend. Ace. Pont, XVI, 1940, 11 ffGoogle Scholar; and two fragments recently discovered by Mr. E. J. Doyle (of the American School of Archaeology at Athens) in Euboea, one at Aidipsòs, dealing with the price of bronze, orichalc and copper, the other at Alivéri (Tamynae), relative to purple and wool. I am grateful to him for permission to consult and refer to these texts, which he will publish in a forthcoming article.

2 My thanks are due to Bay Suleyman Gönçer, Director of the Museum, for his kind co-operation and generosity.

3 I am very much indebted to Professor A. Cameron, who advised and assisted me in the interpretation of the text.

4 The columns are designated A, B and C, and numbered independently; where there are uncertainties of reading the ‘epigraphic’ copy has been retained. References in square brackets are to the text as published by E. R. Graser in ESAR.

5 See footnote 1.

6 JHS, 308.

7 The … do not indicate exactly the number of letters missing.

8 See footnote 7.

9 JHS, 340.

10 ‘Ich halte dies für einen Term, techn. der Webereien, durch den man die Qualität und Quantität der zu den eingewebten Streifen verwandten Purpurwolle bezeichnete. Man sagte also : haec tela clavat sex uncias blattae, d.h. zu den clavi diesei tela sind sechs Unzen blatta verwandt.’