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Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 250


DEDICATION OF A PORTICO TO ASTARTE


Original text:   KAI 19
Language:   Phoenician
Provenance:   Maʿṣub
Date:   222/1 B.C. 
Format:   see key to translations

This is the second document that refers to a local era of Tyre (see inscription 249). The synchronisation would put the start of the era in 274/3 B.C.   The portico was located at Umm al-Amad; see E. Bloch-Smith, "Archaeological and Inscriptional Evidence for Phoenician Astarte", p. 187 ( academia.edu ). 

The translation is taken from G.A. Cooke, "A Text-book of North-Semitic Inscriptions", no. 10 ( archive.org ). In Cooke's translation the regnal year of Ptolemy is wongly printed as '50'.  



The portico on the quarter (?) of the sun-rise and the north side of it, which the Elim, the envoys of Milk-ʿAshtart and her servants, the citizens of Ḥammon, built ʿAshtart in the ashērah (?), the god of Ḥammon, in the 26th year of Ptolemy, lord of kings, the noble, the beneficent, son of Ptolemy and Arsinoē, the divine Adelphoi, in the 53rd year of the people of [ Tyre ] ; as also they built all the rest . . . which . in the land, to be to them for . . . ever.

inscription 251


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