Three New Inscriptions from Late Roman and Early Byzantine Eleutherna

Abstract

The study presents three new inscriptions from late Roman and early Byzantine Eleutherna, in the light of four other inscriptions already published. None were found in their original location, but they provide important evidence for Eleutherna before and after the earthquake of 365 AD, which caused a major, but not total, catastrophe in the city. The excavations at sector I of Eleutherna have brought to light the largest number of imperial dedications and Latin inscriptions from a single city in the western half of the island. The inscriptions commented on in this article are Latin, and together with one more they constitute the total of six known Latin inscriptions from Eleutherna. Latin inscriptions are relatively rare in Roman Crete, and the most likely explanation for the large number of imperial dedications and Latin inscriptions in Eleutherna or elsewhere in western Crete appears to have been the development of the Roman road network. Editorial Note Volume 13-14 of Eulimene is devoted to the east sector (I) of the ancient Eleutherna, which was dug systematically by prof. Petros Themelis from 1985 until 2003. In three extensive articles, Petros Themelis, Yorgos Brokalakis and Martha W. Baldwin Bowsky, publish sculptures, tools and inscriptions respectively, unearthed during the excavations conducted during the above period and which date from the Hellenistic period (2nd century BC) to the early byzantine era (mid7th cent. AD). Many of these artifacts are now exhibited in the newly completed Museum of Ancient Eleutherna, which opened its gates to the public in June 2016. The publishing directors Nikos Litinas – Manolis I. Stefanakis