Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

An expanding collection of inscriptions, papyri, and other sources in translation (run by Philip A. Harland)

[192] Letter of Emperor Marcus Aurelius to the Synod of Dionysos Breiseus (158 CE) Smyrna - Ionia


Smyrna (Ionia, Asia Minor — Pleiades map), 158 CE
AGRW 192 = ISmyrna 600, lines 1-18 only = Jaccottet 2003, vol. 2, no. 122 = SEG 34 (1984), no. 1191 = PHI 254910 = AGRW ID# 1433
Copenhagen Inventory info: 1325


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Fragmentary slab of marble with two imperial letters (on the same stone as ISmyrna 731). Only the first, complete letter (lines 1-18) is presented here. Only the opening of another letter (ISmyrna 600, lines 19-26) from Antoninus Pius to the “synod of initiates in Smyrna” is preserved.

Marcus Aurelius Caesar, son of emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrian Antoninus Augustus, father of the fatherland, with tribunician power, consul for the second time, to the synod (synodos) which is gathered around Breiseus Dionysos, greetings.  Your goodwill which you displayed in sharing with me the birth of a son—even though (10) this turned out badly—became no less evident.  Statilius Maximus, the greatest proconsul and our friend, sent the decree.  I wish you good health.  March 28th, from Lorium.  M. Antonius Artemas had this inscription engraved as a gift when Sulpicius Rufinus was treasurer.

Translation by: Harland



Μᾶρκος Αὐρήλιος Καῖσαρ, Αὐτοǀκράτορος Καίσαρος Τίτου Αἰλίου ǀ Ἁδριανοῦ Ἀντωνείνου Σεβαστοῦ ǀ πατρὸς πατρίδος υἱός, δημαρχιǀǀκῆς ἐξουσίας, ὕπατος τὸ βʹ, συνόǀδῳ τῶν περὶ τὸν Βρεισέα Διόνυσον ǀ χαίρειν· ǀ εὔνοια ὑμῶν, ἣν ἐνεδείξασθε συνǀησθέντες μοι γενηθέντος υἱοῦ, εἰ καὶ ǀǀ ἑτέρως τοῦτο ἀπέβη, οὐδὲν ἧττον φαǀνερὰ ἐγένετο. vac. τὸ ψήφισμα ἔπεμψεν ǀ Στατείλιος Μάξιμος ὁ κράτιστος ἀνǀθύπατος καὶ φίλος ἡμῶν. ἐρρῶσθαι ὑǀμᾶς βούλομαι. πρ(ὸ) εʹ καλ. Ἀπρειλ., ἀπὸ ǀǀ Λωρίου. ǀ τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν ποιήσαντος Μ. Ἀντωǀνίου Ἀρτεμᾶ δωρεᾶς, ταμιεύοντος ǀ Σουλπικίου Ῥουφείνου.

Item added: December 28, 2011
Item modified: November 6, 2020
ID number: 1433
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=1433

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