Religion in Portus

Serapis

The harbour of Portus is depicted on medallions struck at the end of the reign of Commodus. At the far right is the lighthouse of Claudius. Next to it we see the Emperor, accompanied by a priest, sacrificing at a tripod altar. At the left is a cargo ship under full sail with Serapis seated on the stern, identified by a modius on his head. Four more ships can be seen: another cargo ship, two small boats, and an oared war galley. In the foreground is a dead, sacrificed bull. To the left of the animal is a sacrificial patera.

Portus on a medallion struck in 191 AD, with a laureate and cuirassed bust of Commodus.
M(arcus) COMMODVS ANTONINVS PIVS FELIX AVG(ustus) BRIT(tanicus) | VOTIS FELICIBVS.

Serapis arriving in the harbour of Portus is a reference to the grain from Egypt, brought to Rome by skippers from Alexandria. Many Greek inscriptions related to Serapis and the skippers have been found in Portus, and the Greek language must have been heard often on the quays and in the streets of Portus. The known places of discovery of the inscriptions suggest that a temple of Serapis was situated to the south of Trajan's hexagon. One very wide inscription may well, in view of its size, be related to the erection of the building. It is a dedication by Titus Aelius Felicissimus and his family, from the Hadrianic period or slightly later. A fragment of another inscription seems to contain part of his name.

Διὶ Ἡλίῳ μεγάλῳ ἐπηκόῳ [σωτῆρι εὐεργέτῃ Σα]ράπιδι [---]
Τ(ίτος) Αἴλιος Φηλικίσσιμος σὺν τῇ σ[υμβίῳ καὶ τοῖς τέκν]οις εὖ [εἰδὼς τὰς]
ἀηττήτους αὐτοῦ ἐνεργίας τὸν [ναὸν ---] To Zeus Helios great Sarapis who listens to the prayers, [savior (?), benefactor (?)] [---].
Titus Aelius Felicissimus with his wife and children [consecrated (?) the temple] well-aware
of the invincible power of the god.

Marble slab. Found in the 1970's, reused in the Basilica of Saint Hippolytus.
Date: Hadrianic or slightly later. W. more than 2.00, h. 0.385. Ostia Antica, Castello di Giulio II.
EDR118752. RICIS 503/1201. Photo: RICIS.

[T. Ael]IVS FELI

[cissi]MVS

[--- si]NGVLARI

[Titus Ael]ius

Feli[cissi]mus

[to the ---] unique.

Marble slab. Found in the 1970's, reused in the Basilica of Saint Hippolytus.
Date: Hadrianic or slightly later. W. 0.23, h. 0.32. Ostia Antica, Castello di Giulio II.
EDR078098. RICIS 503/1202. Photo: RICIS.

A statue of Antinous, favourite of Hadrian, must have been standing on an inscribed base. The temple of Serapis must then have been built during the reign of Hadrian.

Ἀντινόωι

συνθρόνῳ

τῶν ἐν Αἰγύ

[πτωι θεῶν]

To Antinous,

enthroned with

the [gods]

of Egypt.

Marble base. Found at the Via Portuensis.
Date: 130-138 AD. W. 0.405, h. 0.40, d. 0.405. Museo Torlonia.
EDR118509. RICIS 503/1203. Photo: RICIS.

Also from the early years of the temple is a dedication with a few fragmentary names:

[Διὶ Ἡλίωι μεγάλω]ι Σαρ[άπιδι ---]
[ὑπὲρ τῶν τέ]κνων [---]
[---]ο Κηνσω[ρῖνος]
[--- Αἰ?]λίου Ζωσίμου Σο[---] [To Zeus Helios great] Sarapis [---],
for his children,
[---] Censo[rinus]
[-- Ae?]lius Zosimus So[---].

Found in Portus in 1863-1869. Disappeared.
Date: late-Trajanic or Hadrianic. W. 0.165, h. 0.17.
EDR119432. RICIS 503/1214.

We regularly hear about a neocorus, a temple warden or overseer of the temple:

Σερῆνος

ὁ πρεσβύτατος

νεωκόρος

ἀνέθηκα

I, Serenus,

senior

overseer of the temple,

dedicated.

Marble base. Found in Portus in 1793-1794, together with RICIS 503/1207.
Date: early third century AD. W. 0.44, h. 0.54, d. 0.38. Gallese (Viterbo), Castello.
EDR119408. RICIS 503/1210. Photo: EDR.

Σερῆνος
Ξιφίδιος
ὁ κράτιστος
νεωκόρος
ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων
ἀνέθηκα I, Serenus
Xiphidius,
the excellent
overseer of the temple,
at my expense
dedicated.

Altar. Found in Portus in 1793.
Date: early third century AD. Disappeared.
EDR119395. RICIS 503/1208.

Many Alexandrians were involved with the temple, especially skippers of the Alexandrian grain fleet. Egypt was Rome's second most important grain supplier, after Tunisia. The fleet originally sailed to Puteoli. The construction date of the temple in Portus, combined with the use of the Greek language, suggests that they changed course shortly after the work of Trajan was finished. We hear of these skippers, navicularii, for the first time during the reign of Commodus (the link with the cult of Egyptian deities is not certain, but plausible):

Ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας καὶ διαμον̂ῆς
τοῦ κυρίου Αὐτοκράτορος
Κομμόδου Σεβαστοῦ
οἱ ναύκληροι τοῦ πορευτικοῦ
Ἀλεξανδρείνου στόλου For the safety and preservation
of our lord Emperor
Commodus Augustus,
the navicularii of the Alexandrian
merchant fleet.

Marble base. Found in Portus, in Rome in the 16th century.
Date: 177-192 AD. W. 0.61, h. 0.285. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, inv. nr. 7878.
EDR116754. RICIS 503/1217. Photo: EDR.

A skipper whose name has not been preserved made a dedication for the safety of the Emperors in the early third century:

[---]ου ναύκληρος ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν κυρίω[ν ἡμῶν]
[Αὐτοκρατόρω]ν σωτηρίας καὶ τοῦ λαμπ[ροτάτου στόλου]
θεῷ ἀνέθηκα I, [... son of ...], navicularius, for the safety of our masters,
Emperors, and of the splendid fleet,
dedicated to the god.

Marble base. Found in Portus in 1863-1864.
Date: early third century AD. Disappeared.
EDR119462. RICIS 503/1215.

To the same period belongs a dedication for Caracalla and his mother Iulia Domna. The text is below a bust that may be of Serapis. The dedicant was Felicissimus, perhaps the grandson of the Felicissimus who was responsible for the erection of the temple.

(in aetomate protome viri barbati)
(corona)
Ὑπὲρ ὑγίας καὶ νίκης Αὐτοκ[ρ(άτορος) Καίσ(αρος) Μ(άρκου) Αὐρηλίου Ἀντωνείνου]
καὶ Ἰουλίας Σεβαστῆς μητρ[ὸς Σεβαστοῦ καὶ στρατοπέδων?]
Φηλικίσσιμος εὐξάμ[ενος ---] (in the tympanum a male, bearded bust)
(wreath)
For the health and victory of Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
and of Iulia Augusta, mother [of the Augustus and the camp?],
Felicissimus dedicated [---], following a granted wish.

Marble slab. Found in Portus in 1863, below the Episcopium.
Date: 211-217 AD. W. 0.43, h. 0.24. Musei Vaticani - Galleria Lapidaria, inv. nr. 6913.
EDR118492. RICIS 503/1216. Photo: RICIS.

Somewhat later is a dedication for Alexander Severus and his mother Iulia Mamaea, in which we hear that the cult of Serapis was also an oracular cult: Aurelius Ephebus and Salonius Theodotus are interpreters of oracles (in 1822 a funerary inscription was found in Portus made by Caius Salonius Theodotus for his wife; EDR148464).

(in fronte, in summo margine)
[Ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας τοῦ κυρίου]
ἡμῶν [Αὐτοκ]ράτορος

(in fronte)
Μάρκου Αὐρηλίου
Σεουήρου Ἀλεξάνδρου
Εὐτυχοῦς Εὐσεβοῦς Σεβ(αστοῦ)
καὶ Ἰουλίας [Μαμα]ί[α]ς
Σεβαστῆς μητρὸς Σεβ(αστοῦ)
Διὶ Ἡλίῳ
μεγάλῳ Σαράπιδι
καὶ τοῖς συννάοις
θεοῖς
Μ(ᾶρκος) Αὐρήλιος Ἥρων
νεωκόρος τοῦ ἐν
Πόρτῳ Σαράπιδος ἐπὶ
Λαργινίῳ Βειταλίωνι
ἀρχιυπηρέτῃ καὶ κα
μεινευτῇ καὶ Αὐρηλίῳ
Ἐφήβῳ καὶ Σαλωνίῳ Θεο
δότῳ ἱεροφώνοις
καὶ καμεινευταῖς καὶ
τῇ ἱεροδουλείᾳ ἀνέ
θηκεν ἐπ’ ἀγαθῷ

(in latere intuentibus sinistro, in summo margine)
[Μ(ᾶρκος) Αὐρ(ήλιος) Ἥρων]
ἀνέθηκεν
ἐπ’ ἀγαθῷ

(in latere sinistro)
ἐπὶ
Γρανίου Ῥωμα
(νοῦ ? ---)
(on the front, on the upper margin)
For the safety of our master,
Emperor

(on the front)
Marcus Aurelius
Severus Alexander,
happy, pious, Augustus,
and Iulia [Mamaea]
Augusta, mother of the Augustus,
to Zeus Helios
great Sarapis
and to the gods
who share the same temple.
Marcus Aurelius Heron,
overseer of the temple in
Portus of Sarapis, with
Larginius Beitalion
as chief minister and
founder, and with Aurelius
Ephebus and Salonius
Theodotus as interpreters of oracles
and founders, and
with the temple-slaves (active),
consecrated with a good intention.

(on the left side, on the upper margin)
Marcus Aurelius Heron
consecrated
with a good intention.

(on the left side)
with
Granius Roma[nus ? ---]
as [---].

Marble base. Found in Portus before 1637.
Date: 222-235 AD. W. 0.30, h. 1.05, d. 0.28. Aix-en-Provence, Musée Granet.
EDR119425. RICIS 503/1211. Photo: RICIS and EDR.

We sometimes hear of "gods who share the temple" with Serapis. One of these may have been the eastern goddess Adrasteia, who was associated with various other deities, such as Nemesis, Diana and Isis. In the Vatican is a dedication in Greek to her by Caius Valerius Serenus, for a safe journey of Septimius Severus, Julia Domna and Caracalla. Serenus was an overseer of the temple of Serapis, and curator of the Alexandrian grain fleet.

Ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας καὶ ἐπανόδου
καὶ ἀϊδίου διαμονῆς τῶν κυρίων
Αὐτοκρατόρ(ων) Σεουήρου καὶ Ἀντωνίνου
καὶ Ἰουλίας Σεβ(αστῆς) καὶ τοῦ σύνπαντος
αὐτῶν οἴκου καὶ ὑπὲρ εὐπλοίας
παντὸς τοῦ στόλου τὴν Ἀδράστιαν
σὺν τῷ περὶ αὐτὴν κόσμῳ
Γ(άϊος) Οὐαλέριος Σερῆνος νεωκόρος
τοῦ μεγάλου Σαράπιδος
ὁ ἐπιμελητὴς παντὸς τοῦ
Ἀλεξανδρείνου στόλου
ἐπὶ Κλ(αυδίου) Ἰουλιανοῦ ἐπάρχου
εὐθενείας For the safety and the return
and the perpetual preservation of our lords,
Emperors Severus and Antoninus
and Iulia Augusta, as well as all
their household, and for the happy navigation
of all their fleet, (dedicated this statue) of Adrasteia,
with all its ornaments,
Caius Valerius Serenus, temple warden
of the great Sarapis,
the curator of the entire
fleet of Alexandria,
Claudius Iulianus being Prefect
of the Annona.

Marble base. Found in Portus in 1794 by Giovanni Maria Cassini, at the locality "Traianello" (Trajan's basin).
Date: 201 AD. W. 0.53, h. 0.945, d. 0.405. Vatican Museums - Museo Chiaramonti, inv. nr. 2011.
EDR118482. RICIS 503/1207. Photo: Mary-Jane Cuyler.

In two other inscriptions Sarapis and Isis are mentioned together:

SERAPI ET ISIDI ONESIMVS
ACTOR FECIT For Serapis and Isis. Onesimus,
agent or actor, made this.

Marble base. Most likely from Portus. Acquired in 1843, together with 503/1204 (see Isis).
Date: second century AD. W. 0.36, h. 0.06, d. 0.17. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Parma.
EDR158440. RICIS 503/1219. Photo: EDR.

Τὸ ξόανον τοῦ
ἁγιοτάτου
θεοῦ Σαράπιδος
[σ]ὺν τῇ Ἴσιδι [τῇ]
[ἐ]ν̣ Μενούθι [---]
[---]ΠΩΛΙ[---] [--- consecrated] the statue of
the most holy
god Sarapis
with that of the Isis
in Menouthis
[name of the dedicant].

Found in Portus. Disappeared.
Date: second or third century AD.
EDR119429. RICIS 503/1212.

Not only skippers from Alexandria favoured the cult in Portus. Members of the city council of Alexandria are documented as well. One of them dedicated a statue "of the ancestral gods", which are Isis and Serapis.

Μ(ᾶρκος) Αὐρ(ήλιος) Δομνίω̣[ν ---]
βουλευτὴς Ἀ[λεξανδρεὺς]
τοὺς πατρίου[ς θεοὺς ἀνέθηκε]
(palma) Marcus Aurelius Domnion [---],
member of the city council of A[lexandria],
[dedicated] (a statue) of the ancestral [gods].
(palm branch)

Marble slab. Found in Portus in 1863-1864.
Date: third century AD. W. 0.40, h. 0.22. Museo Torlonia.
EDR119463. RICIS 503/1213. Photo: EDR.

Yet another dedication was made by a son of a councillor, who together with his father erected a statue of his grandfather, in honour of Serapis and other Egyptian deities. The son was a wrestler, who had achieved a victory at the Chrysanthina, a periodic festival celebrated at Sardis in western Turkey.

Διὶ Ἡλίῳ μεγάλῳ
Σ[αρ]άπιδι καὶ τοῖς
[συν]νάοις θεοῖς
τὸ[ν] θεοφιλέστατον
πά[π]πον Μ(ᾶρκος) Αὐρ(ήλιος)
Σαρ[α]πίων παλαιστὴς
παράδοξος σὺν τῷ
πατρὶ Μ(άρκῳ) Αὐρ(ηλίῳ) Δη[μ]ητρίῳ
τ[ῷ] κ[αὶ Ἁ]ρποκρα[τ]ίωνι
βουλε[υ]τῇ τῆς λαμ
προτάτης πόλεως
τῶν Ἀλεξανδρέων
εὐξάμενοι καὶ εὖ
τυχόντες ἀνεθήκα
μεν ἐπ’ ἀγαθῷ

(in corona)
Χρυ
σάν
θινα To Zeus Helios great
Sarapis and to the
gods who share the same temple, (the statue)
of his grandfather, beloved
by the gods, Marcus Aurelius
Sarapion, extraordinary
wrestler, with his
father Marcus Aurelius Demetrius,
also called Harpokration,
councillor of the
very illustrious city
of the Alexandrians,
in fulfillment of a wish after
their prayer had been answered,
dedicated with a good intention.

(in a wreath next to a palm branch)
(He was
winner at the)
Chrysanthina.

Marble column / base. Found in Portus.
Date: 200-210 AD. H. 1.22, diam. 0.95. Musei Capitolini, inv. nr. NCE 2542.
EDR119419. RICIS 503/1206. Photos: RICIS.

The worshippers of Serapis also built a meeting place, a schola, as documented by an inscription that, surpisingly, is in Latin:

[---]IS [---]
[---] MATRIS
[Augusti et castro?]RVM
[cultores Ser]APIS SCHOLAM
[constituta]M SVA PECVNIA
[dedicave]RVNT PR(idie) ID(us) IVN(ias)
[---] II CO(n)S(ulibus)
[---]O HERACLIDEN
[cura a]GENTIBUS
[---]CTO ET M(arco) METTIO ARPOC[rat]
IONE [---]is [---]
[---] of the mother
[of the Augustus and the camp?],
[the worshippers of Ser]apis, the meeting place
built at their own expense,
[dedicated] on the 12th of June,
[---] being consuls,
[---] Heraclides,
the work being supervised by
[---]ctus and Marcus Mettius
Harpocration.

Marble slab. Found in Portus.
Date: third century AD. Museo Torlonia.
EDR149986. RICIS 503/1218.

The Greek-speaking worshippers of Serapis in Portus were also active in the Serapeum in Ostia (III,XVII,4), where Latin was the preferred language. In one case, a large number of donations required the approval of the authorities of Ostia:

Διὶ Ἡλίῳ μεγάλῳ
Σαράπιδι καὶ τοῖς συννάοις
θεοῖς τὸ κρηπίδειον λαμπάδα
ἀργυρᾶν βωμοὺς τρεῖς πολύλυχνον
θυμιατήριον ἔνπυρον
βάθρα δύο
Λ(ούκιος) Κάσσιος
Εὐτύχης
νεωκόρος τοῦ μεγάλου
Σαράπιδος
ὑπὲρ εὐχαριστίας
ἀνέθηκ[ε]ν ἐπ' ἀγαθῷ

PERMISSV
C(ai) NASENNI
MARCELLI
PONTIFICIS VOLCANI E[t]
AEDIVM SACRARVM [et]
Q(uinti) LOLLI RVFI CHRYSIDIAN[I]
ET M(arci) AEMILI VITALIS
CREPEREIANI IIVIR(um) To Zeus Helios great
Sarapis and to the gods who share the same
temple, the socle, a lamp
of silver, three altars, a lamp with several spouts,
a censer for burnt offerings,
two benches,
Lucius Cassius
Eutyches,
temple-overseer of the great
Sarapis,
with gratitude
dedicated with good intentions.

With the permission
of Caius Nasennius
Marcellus,
Pontifex Volcani and
of the sacred buildings, and
of Quintus Lollius Rufus Chrysidianus
and Marcus Aemilius Vitalis
Crepereianus, duoviri.

Marble altar. Place of discovery unknown, in Rome in the 15th century.
Date: 181-193 AD. Musei Capitolini, inv. nrs. NCE 2682 and 180.
EDR149986. RICIS 503/1205.

An inscription found around 1860 in Ostia mentions Serenus, most likely a Serenus we have already encountered in Portus:

Σερῆνος νεοκόρος ἀνέθηκεν Serenus, temple-overseer, dedicated.

Marble slab. Found in Ostia, reported in 1860 by Pietro Ercole Visconti. The wing may belong to Victoria or a sphinx.
Date: late second or early third century AD. W. 0.63, h. 0.21. Museum Ostia, inv. nr. 773.
EDR135292. RICIS 503/1209. Photo: RICIS.

A funerary inscription mentioning a temple-overseer of Serapis, now in the Louvre, was found in either Portus or Ostia:

[---]
ITEM L(aurenti) L(avinati) [--- scribae?]
AED(ilium) CVR(ulium) SACERD(oti) BIDENTALI
NEOCORI IOVIS MAGNI SARAP(idis)
FUNDANIA P(ubli) F(ilia) PRISCILLA MARITO
OPTIMO ET SIBI FECIT [For ---],
also of the Laurentes Lavinates, [---]
of the Aediles Curules, Sacerdos Bidentalis,
temple-overseer of Jupiter great Sarapis,
Fundania, daughter of Publius, Priscilla for her very good
husband and for herself made it.

Marble slab. From Ostia or Portus, acquired in 1861 from the Campana collection.
Date: second or third century AD. W. 1.19, h. 0.47. Paris, Musée du Louvre, inv. nr. MA 1653.
EDR155930. RICIS 503/1220. Photo: Louvre.

Finally we may mention a terracotta oil lamp with depictions of Isis and Serapis on the handle, and of Serapis-Helios on the disc. It was found in the Isola Sacra necropolis.

Terracotta oil lamp with the stamp of Annius Serapiodorus.
Guida p. 85. Museum Ostia, inv. nr. 2146.
Photo: V. Tran Tam Tinh, Isis et Serapis se regardant, RA 1970, fasc. 1, 55-80, fig. 9.

[jthb - 9-Jun-2023]


Διὶ Ἡλίῳ μεγάλῳ ἐπηκόῳ [σωτῆρι εὐεργέτῃ Σα]ράπιδι [---] Τ(ίτος) Αἴλιος Φηλικίσσιμος σὺν τῇ σ[υμβίῳ καὶ τοῖς τέκν]οις εὖ [εἰδὼς τὰς] ἀηττήτους αὐτοῦ ἐνεργίας τὸν [ναὸν ---]	To Zeus Helios great Sarapis who listens to the prayers, [savior (?), benefactor (?)] [---]. Titus Aelius Felicissimus with his wife and children [consecrated (?) the temple] well-aware of the invincible power of the god.
Marble slab. Found in the 1970's, reused in the Basilica of Saint Hippolytus. Date: Hadrianic or slightly later. W. more than 2.00, h. 0.385. Ostia Antica, Castello di Giulio II. EDR118752. RICIS 503/1201. Photo: RICIS.

	[T. Ael]IVS FELI [cissi]MVS [--- si]NGVLARI
	[Titus Ael]ius Feli[cissi]mus [to the ---] unique.
Marble slab. Found in the 1970's, reused in the Basilica of Saint Hippolytus. Date: Hadrianic or slightly later. W. 0.23, h. 0.32. Ostia Antica, Castello di Giulio II. EDR078098. RICIS 503/1202. Photo: RICIS.

	Ἀντινόωι συνθρόνῳ τῶν ἐν Αἰγύ [πτωι θεῶν]
	To Antinous, enthroned with the [gods] of Egypt.
Marble base. Found at the Via Portuensis. Date: 130-138 AD. W. 0.405, h. 0.40, d. 0.405. Museo Torlonia. EDR118509. RICIS 503/1203. Photo: RICIS.

[Διὶ Ἡλίωι μεγάλω]ι Σαρ[άπιδι ---] [ὑπὲρ τῶν τέ]κνων [---] [---]ο Κηνσω[ρῖνος] [--- Αἰ?]λίου Ζωσίμου Σο[---]	[To Zeus Helios great] Sarapis [---], for his children, [---] Censo[rinus] [-- Ae?]lius Zosimus So[---].
Found in Portus in 1863-1869. Disappeared. Date: late-Trajanic or Hadrianic. W. 0.165, h. 0.17. EDR119432. RICIS 503/1214.

	Σερῆνος ὁ πρεσβύτατος νεωκόρος ἀνέθηκα
	I, Serenus, senior overseer of the temple, dedicated.
Marble base. Found in Portus in 1793-1794, together with RICIS 503/1207. Date: early third century AD. W. 0.44, h. 0.54, d. 0.38. Gallese (Viterbo), Castello. EDR119408. RICIS 503/1210. Photo: EDR.

Σερῆνος Ξιφίδιος ὁ κράτιστος νεωκόρος ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων ἀνέθηκα	I, Serenus Xiphidius, the excellent overseer of the temple, at my expense dedicated.
Altar. Found in Portus in 1793. Date: early third century AD. Disappeared. EDR119395. RICIS 503/1208.


Ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας καὶ διαμον̂ῆς τοῦ κυρίου Αὐτοκράτορος Κομμόδου Σεβαστοῦ οἱ ναύκληροι τοῦ πορευτικοῦ Ἀλεξανδρείνου στόλου	For the safety and preservation of our lord Emperor Commodus Augustus, the navicularii of the Alexandrian merchant fleet.
Marble base. Found in Portus, in Rome in the 16th century. Date: 177-192 AD. W. 0.61, h. 0.285. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, inv. nr. 7878. EDR116754. RICIS 503/1217. Photo: EDR.

[---]ου ναύκληρος ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν κυρίω[ν ἡμῶν] [Αὐτοκρατόρω]ν σωτηρίας καὶ τοῦ λαμπ[ροτάτου στόλου] θεῷ ἀνέθηκα	I, [... son of ...], navicularius, for the safety of our masters, Emperors, and of the splendid fleet, dedicated to the god.
Marble base. Found in Portus in 1863-1864. Date: early third century AD. Disappeared. EDR119462. RICIS 503/1215.


(in aetomate protome viri barbati) (corona) Ὑπὲρ ὑγίας καὶ νίκης Αὐτοκ[ρ(άτορος) Καίσ(αρος) Μ(άρκου) Αὐρηλίου Ἀντωνείνου] καὶ Ἰουλίας Σεβαστῆς μητρ[ὸς Σεβαστοῦ καὶ στρατοπέδων?] Φηλικίσσιμος εὐξάμ[ενος ---]	(in the tympanum a male, bearded bust) (wreath) For the health and victory of Emperor Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and of Iulia Augusta, mother [of the Augustus and the camp?], Felicissimus dedicated [---], following a granted wish.
Marble slab. Found in Portus in 1863, below the Episcopium. Date: 211-217 AD. W. 0.43, h. 0.24. Musei Vaticani - Galleria Lapidaria, inv. nr. 6913. EDR118492. RICIS 503/1216. Photo: RICIS.


Ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας καὶ ἐπανόδου καὶ ἀϊδίου διαμονῆς τῶν κυρίων Αὐτοκρατόρ(ων) Σεουήρου καὶ Ἀντωνίνου καὶ Ἰουλίας Σεβ(αστῆς) καὶ τοῦ σύνπαντος αὐτῶν οἴκου καὶ ὑπὲρ εὐπλοίας παντὸς τοῦ στόλου τὴν Ἀδράστιαν σὺν τῷ περὶ αὐτὴν κόσμῳ Γ(άϊος) Οὐαλέριος Σερῆνος νεωκόρος τοῦ μεγάλου Σαράπιδος ὁ ἐπιμελητὴς παντὸς τοῦ Ἀλεξανδρείνου στόλου ἐπὶ Κλ(αυδίου) Ἰουλιανοῦ ἐπάρχου εὐθενείας	For the safety and the return and the perpetual preservation of our lords, Emperors Severus and Antoninus and Iulia Augusta, as well as all their household, and for the happy navigation of all their fleet, (dedicated this statue) of Adrasteia, with all its ornaments, Caius Valerius Serenus, temple warden of the great Sarapis, the curator of the entire fleet of Alexandria, Claudius Iulianus being Prefect of the Annona.
Marble base. Found in Portus in 1794 by Giovanni Maria Cassini, at the locality "Traianello" (Trajan's basin). Date: 201 AD. W. 0.53, h. 0.945, d. 0.405. Vatican Museums - Museo Chiaramonti, inv. nr. 2011. EDR118482. RICIS 503/1207. Photo: Mary-Jane Cuyler.


SERAPI ET ISIDI ONESIMVS ACTOR FECIT	For Serapis and Isis. Onesimus, agent or actor, made this.
Marble base. Most likely from Portus. Acquired in 1843, together with 503/1204 (see Isis). Date: second century AD. W. 0.36, h. 0.06, d. 0.17. Museo Archeologico Nazionale, Parma. EDR158440. RICIS 503/1219. Photo: EDR.

Τὸ ξόανον τοῦ ἁγιοτάτου θεοῦ Σαράπιδος [σ]ὺν τῇ Ἴσιδι [τῇ] [ἐ]ν̣ Μενούθι [---] [---]ΠΩΛΙ[---]	[--- consecrated] the statue of the most holy god Sarapis with that of the Isis in Menouthis [name of the dedicant].
Found in Portus. Disappeared. Date: second or third century AD. EDR119429. RICIS 503/1212.


Μ(ᾶρκος) Αὐρ(ήλιος) Δομνίω̣[ν ---] βουλευτὴς Ἀ[λεξανδρεὺς] τοὺς πατρίου[ς θεοὺς ἀνέθηκε] (palma)	Marcus Aurelius Domnion [---], member of the city council of A[lexandria], [dedicated] (a statue) of the ancestral [gods]. (palm branch)
Marble slab. Found in Portus in 1863-1864. Date: third century AD. W. 0.40, h. 0.22. Museo Torlonia. EDR119463. RICIS 503/1213. Photo: EDR.


Διὶ Ἡλίῳ μεγάλῳ Σ[αρ]άπιδι καὶ τοῖς [συν]νάοις θεοῖς τὸ[ν] θεοφιλέστατον πά[π]πον Μ(ᾶρκος) Αὐρ(ήλιος) Σαρ[α]πίων παλαιστὴς παράδοξος σὺν τῷ πατρὶ Μ(άρκῳ) Αὐρ(ηλίῳ) Δη[μ]ητρίῳ τ[ῷ] κ[αὶ Ἁ]ρποκρα[τ]ίωνι βουλε[υ]τῇ τῆς λαμ προτάτης πόλεως τῶν Ἀλεξανδρέων εὐξάμενοι καὶ εὖ τυχόντες ἀνεθήκα μεν ἐπ’ ἀγαθῷ (in corona) Χρυ σάν θινα	To Zeus Helios great Sarapis and to the gods who share the same temple, (the statue) of his grandfather, beloved by the gods, Marcus Aurelius Sarapion, extraordinary wrestler, with his father Marcus Aurelius Demetrius, also called Harpokration, councillor of the very illustrious city of the Alexandrians, in fulfillment of a wish after their prayer had been answered, dedicated with a good intention. (in a wreath next to a palm branch) (He was winner at the) Chrysanthina.
Marble column / base. Found in Portus. Date: 200-210 AD. H. 1.22, diam. 0.95. Musei Capitolini, inv. nr. NCE 2542. EDR119419. RICIS 503/1206. Photos: RICIS.

[---]IS [---] [---] MATRIS [Augusti et castro?]RVM [cultores Ser]APIS SCHOLAM [constituta]M SVA PECVNIA [dedicave]RVNT PR(idie) ID(us) IVN(ias) [---] II CO(n)S(ulibus) [---]O HERACLIDEN [cura a]GENTIBUS [---]CTO ET M(arco) METTIO ARPOC[rat] IONE	[---]is [---] [---] of the mother [of the Augustus and the camp?], [the worshippers of Ser]apis, the meeting place built at their own expense, [dedicated] on the 12th of June, [---] being consuls, [---] Heraclides, the work being supervised by [---]ctus and Marcus Mettius Harpocration.
Marble slab. Found in Portus. Date: third century AD. Museo Torlonia. EDR149986. RICIS 503/1218.


Σερῆνος νεοκόρος ἀνέθηκεν	Serenus, temple-overseer, dedicated.
Marble slab. Found in Ostia, reported in 1860 by Pietro Ercole Visconti. The wing may belong to Victoria or a sphinx. Date: late second or early third century AD. W. 0.63, h. 0.21. Museum Ostia, inv. nr. 773. EDR135292. RICIS 503/1209. Photo: RICIS.


[---] ITEM L(aurenti) L(avinati) [--- scribae?] AED(ilium) CVR(ulium) SACERD(oti) BIDENTALI NEOCORI IOVIS MAGNI SARAP(idis) FUNDANIA P(ubli) F(ilia) PRISCILLA MARITO OPTIMO ET SIBI FECIT	[For ---], also of the Laurentes Lavinates, [---] of the Aediles Curules, Sacerdos Bidentalis, temple-overseer of Jupiter great Sarapis, Fundania, daughter of Publius, Priscilla for her very good husband and for herself made it.
Marble slab. From Ostia or Portus, acquired in 1861 from the Campana collection. Date: second or third century AD. W. 1.19, h. 0.47. Paris, Musée du Louvre, inv. nr. MA 1653. EDR155930. RICIS 503/1220. Photo: Louvre.