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Discussion

Base for statue of Flavius Macedonius Patricius, military commander (comes et dux) of Tripolitania and patron of Lepcis. Lepcis Magna (Tripolitania). Late fourth to early fifth century.

INSCRIPTION
In 13 lines :

Patricii v(iri) c(larissimi) / virtute praestanti, /aequitate miravili, / temperantia moderato, /(5) defensori iustitiae, / innocentium vindici, / Fl(avio) Macedonio Patricio / v(iro) c(larissimo), comiti et duci p(rovinciae) T(ripolitanae), /(9) ordo splendidus et po/pulus universus Lep(cis) / Mag(nae) civitatis digno / patrono decrevit ad(que) / constituit.

'[Statue of] Patricius, of clarissimus rank. Outstanding by virtue, admirable for his fair-mindedness, moderate through his temperance; to the defender of justice, the vindicator of the innocent, Flavius Macedonius Patricius, of clarissimus rank, military commander (comes et dux) of the province of Tripolitania. The splendid council (ordo) and the entire people of the city of Lepcis Magna have decreed and set this up to their worthy patron.'

Letter height 3.5–8 cm.

DESCRIPTION
Monolithic base of Proconnesian marble, with mouldings at top and bottom; H 150, W 71, D 84 cm. The lateral faces are decorated with a concentric moulded frame. On the front face this frame has been worked back in order to increase the epigraphic field; furthermore, the uppermost of the top mouldings has been worked back for the insertion of a tabula ansata to carry the signum of the honorand.

Our inscription is probably the third re-use of the base. Traces of two earlier inscriptions, now erased, are still visible; one on the right side, and one on the front face. This earlier inscription on the front face already makes use of the extended epigraphic field that is also filled by our inscription; like the erased text on the secondary lateral face it cannot be the original text. It is therefore highly probable that the first use inscription was carved on the front face with the original decoration intact. This first use was most probably the Severan era when the base was produced.

Of the inscription that filled the extended epigraphic field before our inscription (the last in the sequence) was carved, numerous traces of letters are visible in the inner part of the epigraphic field. Moreover, four signa carved vertically on the left and right margins must be attributed to that inscription. The signum of our inscription in the tabula ansata is carved over an erased earlier line, probably also a signum; a further line, possibly yet another signum belonging to the earlier inscription, was erased from the moulding below the tabula ansata when our inscription was carved. The use of signa in that earlier inscription suggests a date in the late 3rd or 4th century (LSA-2218).

PROVENANCE AND CURRENT LOCATION
The inscription was first recorded in 1953 on the Severan forum, on the eastern part of the square, where it is still standing (Tantillo & Bigi 2010 map I).

HONORAND, AWARDER AND DATE
Flavius Macedonius Patricius, the honorand, is otherwise unknown (PLRE I, 527 Macedonius 8). He was a military commander (comes et dux) in the province of Tripolitania; however, the inscription does not refer to military achievements, unless in line 2 (virtute praestanti) (see below, ‘Further Discussion’). Patricius was patron of the city and is honoured as such (digno patrono, lines 11-12).

The office of comes et dux first appears in Tripolitania in the late 4th century. Patricius’ time in office is datable between that of the dux et corrector Silvanus who held office in 393 (PLRE I, 841 Silvanus 5) and Flavius Ortygius who was comes et dux in 408/23 but of spectabilis rank.

FURTHER DISCUSSION
Strikingly in this inscription to a military commander, allusions to ‘civic’ virtues prevail (lines 3-6). The military commanders were accompanied by provincial governors who were to maintain the civic administration of the province. However, in Tripolitania, as in other border provinces, the military office holder was superior in rank and in effective control, and so tended to usurp the governor’s role and authority.

Ignazio Tantillo & Francesca Bigi

Main Reference

Tantillo, I. and F. Bigi (eds.), Leptis Magna. Una città e le sue iscrizioni in epoca tardoromana, Cassino 2010, 367-9, no. 30, figs. 7.14, 10.35, pl. X

Reynolds, J. M. & J. B. Ward-Perkins, The Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania. In collaboration with S. Aurigemma, R. Bartoccini, G. Caputo, R. Goodchild, P. Romanelli, Roma 1952, no. 529