Ancient Greek Inscriptions

Letters in ligature:
2 ωκ;
4 ηρ.
Apparatus:
The layout is marked with incised horizontal guidelines. Such were made for 9 lines but the last two remained without text. The stone-cutter spaced the letters in the first 5 lines more tightly, but then realised that there was enough place on the stone and left wider spaces in lines 6-7.
The letters, as well as the hollows at the corners of the tabula ansata are painted red.
4 A short cognomen for Gaius Veranius is missing.
6-7 [διοι]κήσαντα or [ἐκδι]κήσαντα.

Artemisias (Ἀρτεμισιάς) was one of the ten phylai (tribes, administrative districts) in Roman Philippopolis, attested also in IGBulg 902; IGBulg 903; IGBulg 1445; IGBulg 5437. The other nine were named Artemisias, Asklepias, Dionysias, Eumolpeis, Hebreis, Herakleis, Kendriseis, Orpheis, Philippeis, Rhodopeis (Ἀσκληπιάς, Διονυσιάς, Εὐμολπηΐς, Ἑβρηΐς, Ἡρακληΐς, Κενδρισηΐς, Ὀρφεΐς, Φιλιππηΐς, Ῥοδοπηΐς). Each phyle had president (φύλαρχος), priest (ἱερεύς), legal representative (ἔκδικος) and common assembly (κοινόν). Each phyle had its own section, marked with an inscription in the theatre of Philippopolis, where the city assembly took place (IGBulg 5412, cf. Шаранков 2004).

Honouring a magistrate with a seat on the front row (προεδρία) during performances in the theatre and contests in the stadium was typical in Ancient cities. Inscriptions on seats, marking this privilege, are attested in Philippopolis, including one for a phylarch (Claudius Dorzinthes, in the theatre, cf. Шаранков 2004).

Since the inscription is on a slab, and not on a pedestal, it is unknown whether the portrait mentioned in the text as εἰκών refers to a bronze statue or a painted image.

The name of Gaius Veranius shows him as a Roman citizen, as were all the other phylarchs attested in Philippopolis.

Other honorary inscriptions for phylarchs are IGBulg 1473; IGBulg 1474.

Mihailov, Georgius. Inscriptiones Graecae in Bulgaria repertae. Vol. V, 1997.

Sharankov, Nicolay. Бележки и допълнения към няколко надписа от Филипопол. In: Годишник на Археологически музей Пловдив Vol. IX/2, 2004, p. 146-159.