• m14-374-10
    Inscribed Block (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Inscribed Block (Altar?): Honorific Inscription for Emperor Hadrian

Date
Between 128/29 and 132 AD., Roman
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
NoEx71.013
Material
Marble, Stone
Object Type
Altar, Inscription
Inscription Type
Honorific Inscription
Inscription language
Greek
Inscription Text
		Σωτῆρι καὶ κτίσ-
		τῃ Αὐτοκράτορι
		Ἁδριανῷ Ὀλυμ-
	4	           πίωι.
Inscription Translation
“For the Savior and Founder Imperator Hadrianus Olympios.”
Inscription Comment
Site
Keklik Suyu
Findspot
Eastern side of the Pactolus valley.
Description

Block (altar?) of white marble; in order to be reused, the upper and lower moldings have been chiseled off.

Dimensions
H. 0.47, W. 0.30, Th. 0.19, H. of letters 0.03.
Comments

Herrmann’s text. Summary of his commentary:

This is the first altar dedicated to Hadrian that has come to light in Sardis; elsewhere such altars are attested in great quantity; see the commentary on IGSK 24, 1 (Smyrna), no. 625; and TAM V 3, 1653–1654. The fact that the title “Olympios” occurs here, but “Panhellenios” does not, leads to a date between 128/29 and 132 AD (cf. D. Kienast, Römische Kaisertabelle [21996], p. 130). The altar’s erection does not seem to have been caused by Hadrian’s visit to Sardis in 124 AD. For another visit at a later date, perhaps 128/29, there is insufficient evidence; see P. Weiß, Chiron 25 (1995), pp. 213–24; see no. 373 comm. on the date.

For the institution of a penteteric contest at Sardis in honor of Hadrian, νέος Διόνυσος, see Sardis VII 1, nos. 13–14. The inscription no. 319, 1 mentions a Hadrianeion (cf. SPRT, p. 145).

See Also
Bibliography
Unpublished. Herrmann, ms.
Author
GP