Marnas

In the 16th century a dedication in Greek to Gordianus by the city of Gaza was discovered in Portus. It has disappeared since. The person responsible for the dedication, Tiberius Claudius Papirius, appears in a second dedication from Portus, on a short granite column. In both inscriptions we encounter the main protective deity of Gaza, Marnas, and we may safely deduce the presence of a shrine of Marnas in Portus. Apart from that there may also be a link between Gaza, a harbour city and traffic node, and a Persian war waged by Gordianus.

Ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ Αὐτοκράτορα Καίσαρα Μ(ᾶρκον) Ἀντώνιον Γορδιανὸν Εὐσεβῆ Εὐτυχῆ Σεβαστὸν τὸν θεοφιλέστατον κοσμοκράτορα ἡ πόλις ἡ τῶν Γαζαίων ἱερὰ καὶ ἄσυλος καὶ αὐτόνομος, πιστή, εὐσεβής, λαμπρὰ καὶ μεγάλη, ἐξ ἐνκελεύσεως τοῦ πατρίου θεοῦ τὸν ἑαυτῆς εὐεργέτην διὰ Τιβ(ερίου) Κλ(αυδίου) Παπειρίου ἐπιμελητοῦ τοῦ ἱεροῦ For Good Luck. Imperator Caesar Marcus Antonius Gordianus Pius Felix Augustus, the most god-beloved ruler of the world, (is honoured by) the city of the Gazaeans, (which is) holy, providing refuge, autonomous, loyal, pious, glorious and great, on the strength of an order of their ancestral god. (She honours) her benefactor, through Tib(erius) Cl(audius) Papirius, warden of the sanctuary. Greek dedication to Agathe Tuche for Gordianus III by the city of Gaza. 238-244 AD. EDR118501. Translation Gerard Mussies (ANRW).

(Aramaic letter for Marnas) Τιβ(έριος) [Κ]λ(αύδιος) Παπείριος ἐπιμελητεύσας ἐκ [τ]ῶν ἰδίων ἀνέθηκα To Marnas. Tiberius Claudius Papirius, warden, at his own expense placed this. Greek dedication to Marnas by Tiberius Claudius Papirius. H. 1.26. 231-270 AD. EDR118745. Museo Torlonia. Photo: EDH.

A dedication for the well-being of Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius most likely mentions the citizens of Gaza, rather than Gades (Cadiz, Spain), because in the text is the obscure Greek word anaptoterium. The dedication was found near the Baths of the Small Lighthouse.

[Pro salute Imp(eratoris) Caesaris T(iti) Aeli] HADRIANI AN[tonini] AVG(usti) PII P(atris) P(atriae) ET M(arci) [Aeli Aureli] CAESARIS CAN[delabrum? et] ANAPTOTERIVM [M(arcus) Ulpius] AVG(usti) LIB(ertus) APPIANV[s nomine] SVO ET VLPIAE M[---] FILIAE SVAE [---] CIVIBVS GA[---] DONVM DE[dit]	For the well-being of Emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus, Pious, Father of the Fatherland and of Marcus Aelius Aurelius Caesar, a candelabrum (?) and an anaptoterium Marcus Ulpius, Imperial freedman, Appianus, in his name and in the name of Ulpia M[---], his daughter, to the citizens of Ga[za or Cadiz?] donated.
Marble slab. Rome, Villa Albani. Lanciani 1868, 178. EDR149998.