Ancient Greek Inscriptions

Letters in ligature:
2 με, νκ;
4 ησ;
7 μπρ, τη;
8 μη, τρ, ησ, ωνε;
9 ησ, με, νησ;
10 ην, ησ;
12 πρ;
14 με (-μένου), ων, πε;
15 ων, ημ, ων, ωσ.
Apparatus:
The text of the inscription follows the edition of Sharankov with some additional clarifications.
3, 6 well executed damnatio memoriae of the personal names;
6-7, 9-10 the last examination of the stone in 2022 revealed a damage which had affected a few letters at the beginnings of the lines;
7 ΗΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΗ: the stone-cutter has omitted the letter Λ before the similar letter Α.

Gaius Iulius Verus Maximus, son of Emperor Maximinus Thrax, bears the title of Augustus, although he was officially only Caesar (proclaimed in the first months of AD 236). The authorities in Philippopolis probably flattered the imperial family, since they titled Maximus as Augustus in other inscriptions as well: IGBulg 1515; AE 2006, 1248; AE 2006, 1251; and IGBulg 1374.

Marcus Aurelius Apollonides, son of Apollodorus, is attested as first archon of Philippopolis in two more inscriptions with almost identical text: one from the same findspot in Philippopolis - AE 2006, 1248, and the other from Cillae - IGBulg 1515. The text of these two inscriptions differs only in the name of the provincial governor, which is T. Clodius Saturninus. The change of the provincial governor apparently took place during the archonship of Apollonides. Simonius Iulianus must have been succeeded by Clodius Saturninus, who was seemingly the last governor of Thrace under Emperor Maximinus, because a milestone with his name was prepared but never used (AE 2006, 1251).

Aurelius Apollonides was also archpriest of Philippopolis according to an inscription from Hissar (IGBulg 1476).

We should mention the use of the verb ὑπερπαίω, attested only in some inscriptions from the territories of Philippopolis and Augusta Traiana dated to the second quarter of the III c. AD, always in the same formula (IGBulg 1510; IGBulg 1515; IGBulg 1564; IGBulg 1565; IGBulg 1566; AE 2006, 1248). The city authorities, which erected these inscriptions, were probably trying to avoid accusations of dissipation in a period of economic crisis.