Decree honoring Diophantos

Inscription honoring the emperor Zeno

Civic Oath of Chersonesos

Decree honoring Syriskos the historian

Base of statue for Agasikles

Proxeny decree for an ambassador from Mithridates Eupator

Decree honoring ambassadors from Herakleia

Base of statue for Aristonos

Treaty of alliance with the king Pharnakes I

List of those who won sport competitions

Inscription about the tax on prostitution

Fragment of a decree about the fortress of Napites

Inscription about construction of a city gate

Dedication to the goddess Nemesis

Inscription regarding the liberation of Kalos Limen

Decree honoring the emperor Marcus Aurelius

Decree honoring Gaius Julius Satyrus

Proxeny for a citizen of Sinope

Epitaph in verse on stele for Xanthos

Inscription on the stele set up by doctor

Epitaph in verse on stele for Oinanthe

Short epitaphs

Inscription about the tax on prostitution from Chersonesos

Originally published by Latyshev; commentary by Svetlana Ivanovna Kurganova and Solomonik

This slab of Prokonnesos marble was broken into five fragments; it was found in the southern area of the necropolis in 1891 and 1892. The inscription contains several documents being the correspondence between the governor of Moesia Inferior and the government of Chersonesos and the commanders of the Roman garrison which was stationed there. Three documents were written in Greek, one in Latin, and one is bilingual.

Text of the letter message is not supplied because this part of the inscription was considerably fragmented. The rest for the text is given with in Vasiliy Latyshev's reconstruction.

Text:

"II. Before, we (that is the Chersonesites) believed in king's rescripts, consulari's memoranda, and tribunes' court orders regarding (...) tax on prostitution and reckoned that we could be in a firm belief, taking into consideration that everything concerning our civil rights was confirmed by the divine (...) rescript of those who reign (that is Roman emperors) and secured the decision of those who judge, for our rights would not be violated in anything for the bad of all.

When those who are now in our garrison started violate so firm establishments and not only made some unjust and violent deeds in what was restricted for them but also dared to declare to you (the governor of Moesia Inferior), by a petition, their unjust claim, we sent you, our benefactor, a message asking to confirm the firmness of the rights, donated and condemned to us (...); it was not possible to make any delay of the message against those who accused us in order to stop those who are striving for the novelties, from their very beginning, by your benevolence. And in order to make investigation of this affair easier from the beginning and (...), we presented to you our petition to the kings and premised a copy of the rescript that was good for us, consulari's memoranda and tribune's order, because the case got, from the kings who donated, such a direction, being given to the tribune who was ordered to state a court order about it.

In this connection, we hope that you will become our patron, will guard what was stated with such a (...) and circumspection for it will have force in areas being subject to this tax, and will kindly accept the petition presented to you, as there is nothing more necessary for the people who understand the profit of prudent life and are striving for keeping decency (of manners).

III. What was sent by me (that is by the governor) to Atilius Primianus (the Roman tribune in Chersonesos) regarding the tax on prostitution, I ordered to be placed below looking after that neither you (that is the Chersonesites) would not be dejected in contrast to instructions, nor the officials would transgress the limit ordered.

IV. Letter copy. Which are the duties of the soldiers who compose Chersonesos vexillatio, regarding the tax on prostitution, will be shown by the attached copy of decision by Arrius Alcibiadis, who was, in those days, a tribune and commander of the same vexillatio, for the soldiers do nothing in defiance of both his opinion and clearly stated part that belongs to the court. And because it can not be imagined that the same Alcibiadis will accept the intention to raise the rate of the tax in the future and by his own will, as he stated his resolution already in a legal form (...) before, proposed and in all years brought the tax to treasury in the established amount, there is no doubt that this amount of the tax should be kept and held in accordance to discipline. Take care of a copy of his resolution should be written in a good script and be shown at (...), where it can be read correctly from a level place.

V. Letter copy. What was written by me to Atilius Primianus tribune (...) of collaborators' memorandum, which the same tribune sent to me, I attach here and order you to act, in all respects, according to the form of resolution stated by the former tribune Arrius Alcibiadis for they will not dare making something in contrast to discipline or violating the rights of or offending the local dwellers.

VI. Letter copy. What was written by me in response to the decree from the Chersonesites with their complaint against soldiers, and was ordered to be attached here, I remind anew: take notice that they, with a pretext of (...) will not raise the rate of the tax which was established and confirmed before, for the bad of your authority, will not disturb the citizens, and will not dare introducing any novelty.

Set up (?) during the archontes headed by Markos Aurelios Basileidianos Alexandros.

Ambassadors were T(itus) Flaouios Aristonos and Oualerios Germanos."



Commentary:

It is the case of tax from the houses of prostitution. This tax was collected by the Roman military administration, so a part of the tax was given to the city, and a part to the Roman garrison. The correspondence between Chersonesos and the governor of Moesia Inferior province appeared because the Chersonesites were not satisfied with the Romans' attempt to raise their part of the income voluntary.

Vexillatio – refers to a Roman army detachment.

Consulari and tribunes – were the officials in the Roman administration.

Archontes - were elective members of the city government headed by the first archon.

Meosia inferior - was the Roman province covering the area between Danube and the Balkans (from the late 1st century A. D.).