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Base for statue of 'Imperial Victory' (Victoria Augusta). Cirta (Numidia). 320-326

INSCRIPTION
In seven lines:

Victoriae / Aug(ustae), / [[Fl(avio) Valerio]] / [[Crispino]], / (5) nob(ilissimo) Caes(ari); / Constanti/nianenses.

'To the Victory Augusta [of ] Flavius Valerius Crispinus, most noble Caesar; the Constantinians [set this up].'

Letter height : 8-9 cm.

Lines 2-3, with the names of Crispus, have been superficially erased after his murder and his damnatio memoriae in 326.

DESCRIPTION (from Pflaum)
Rectangular base : H. 106, W. 62, D. 49. On the opposite face was carved a later dedication to Valens (LSA-2235).

PROVENANCE AND CURRENT LOCATION
Found during roadworks, just west of Ahmed-Bey palace.
It remains now in Constantine/Cirta museum.

HONORAND, AWARDER AND DATE
Our base was dedicated to the victory of Crispus (Caesar, 317-326). He celebrated two victories, one over the Franks in 320, and another over the Alamanni in 323. Pflaum supposes that our base was erected to commemorate the first.

Gabriel de Bruyn

Main Reference

Pflaum H.-G., Inscriptions latines de l'Algérie. 2, Inscriptions de la confédération cirtéenne, de Cuicul et de la tribu des Suburbures. [1, Rusicade et région de Rusicade, Cirta, Castellum celtianum, Caldis, Castellum tidditanorum], Paris, 1957, no. 533

Lepelley, C., Les cités de l'Afrique romaine au Bas-Empire, t. 2, Notices d'histoire municipale, Paris 1981, p. 390, no. 4