Gholaia (Bu Njem)

Gholaia: Roman fort, part of the Limes Tripolitanus, modern Bu Njem.

Inscriptions

The following inscriptions were found in Bu Njem. They are known to scholars as AE 1988, 1102; CIL 8, 10992; AE 1979, 645. The many erasures betray the damnationes memoriae of Geta (211), Alexander Severus (222-235), and his mother Julia Mamaea, and the disgrace of the Third legion Augusta, which was disbanded in 238. (more...)

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Inscription from the temple of Ammon. Museum of Lepcis Magna (Libya). Photo Marco Prins

Inscription from the Ammon temple (Museum of Lepcis Magna)

Inscription from the Ammon temple (AE 1988, 1102)

VEXILLATIO LEGionis III AVGvstae Piae Vindicis

Severianae

QVAE AT CASTRA GHOLaia AEDIFICanda VENIT
MVCIANO ET FABIANO COnSvlibvs VIIII KALendas

FEBRvarias

ET REVERSA EST ANTONINO II ET GETA CAESare AVGGvstis COnSvlibvs VII KALendas IANvarias

A vexillatio of the Third Severan Legion Augusta, the Faithful Avenger,
which came to build the fortress at Gholaia
on 24 January when Mucianus and Fabianus were consuls,
returned on 26 December when Caracalla (for the second time) and Geta caesar, our emperors, were consuls.

Inscription CIL 8.6 from Bu Njem. Archaeological Museum of Libya (Tripoli). Photo Jona Lendering.

Dedication to the emperors. Archaeological Museum of Libya (Tripoli)

Dedication to the emperor (CIL 8.10992)

IMPeratori CAESari Lvcio SEPTIMIO SEVERO
PIO PERTINACI AVGvsto TRibvnicia Potestate VIIII
IMPeratori COnSvli II Patri Patriae ET IMPeratori CAESari
Marco AVRELIO ANTONINO AVGvsto TRibvnicia Potestate
IIII ET Lvcio SEPTIMIO GETAE CAESari
AVGvsto Qvinto ANICIO FAVSTO LEGato
AVGGvstorvm COnSvlari
LEGionis III AVGvstae Piae Vindicis

To the emperor Lucius Septimius Severus
Pius Pertinax Augustus, in the ninth year of his tribunicial powers,
imperator, twice consul, father of the fatherland, and to imperator caesar
Caracalla, augustus, in the fourth year of his tribunicial powers
and to caesar Lucius Septimius Geta
augustus, [was this dedicated] by Quintus Anicius Faustus, commander
with consular rank on behalf of our emperors
of the Third Severan Legion Augusta, the Faithful Avenger.

Dedication to Canappharis. Museum of Lepcis Magna (Libya). Photo Jona Lendering.

Dedication to Canapphar. (Museum of Lepcis Magna)

Dedication to Canapphar (AE 1979, 645)

DEO MARTI CANAPPHARI AVGvsto
PRO SALVTE ET INCOLVMITATE DOMINI Nostri
IMPeratoris CAESaris DIVI SEPTIMI SEVERI NEPOTIS
DIVI MAGNI ANTONINI FILII
Marci AVRELI SEVERI ALEXANDRI IN-
VICTI PII FELICIS AVGvsti PONTIFICIS
MAXIMI TRIBvniciae POTESTATIS IIII COnSvlis
Patris Patriae ET IVLIAE MAMAEAE AVGvstae MATRIS
AVGvsti Nostri ET CASTRORVM TOTIVSQVE
DOMVS DIVINAE PER VEXILLATIO-
NEM LEGionis III AVGvstae Piae Vindicis SEVERIANAE
CVRANTE Tito FLAVIO APRONIO
centvrione LEGionis EIVSDEM PRAEPOSITO

VEXILLATIONIS

To the august god Mars Canapphar,
for the health and salvation of our lord
the emperor caesar, grandson of the deified Septimius Severus,
son of the great Antoninus (=Caracalla),
Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander, the un-
conquerable, pious, happy, augustus, pontifex
maximus, in the fourth year of his tribunicial powers, consul,
father of the fatherland, and Juliae Mamaea Augusta, mother
of the our emperor, all castles and
the sacred dynasty, by a vexillatio
of the Third Severan Legion Augusta, the Faithful Avenger,
led by the Titus Flavius Apronius,
centurion in the same legion, commander of the vexillatio.

Inscriptions