Farasan Kabir / Ferresanus Portus in the Red Sea yielded a Latin inscription referencing Emperor Antoninus Pius in his 7th year of tribunician authority. Dedicated by the Legio II Traiana, the dedicator served as Prefect of the Ports of Farasan and the Sea of Hercules around 138-161 AD. This Roman outpost helped tax Indian Ocean trade and may have later been taken by the Axumite Empire.
Roman legion inscription discovered on Farasan Kabir / Ferresanus Portus in Red Sea
Key facts
- Farasan Kabir / Ferresanus Portus are located ~1,000 km from Berenike, the southernmost port of Roman Egypt
- The Farasan Kabir / Ferresanus Portus are under 4,000 km from Rome
- A weathered Latin inscription on the islands references Emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius in his seventh year of tribunician authority, three times consul, father of his country
- The inscription was dedicated by a detachment of the Legio II Traiana and its auxiliary troops, with the dedicator named as Prefect of the Ports of Farasan and the Sea of Hercules
- The Legio II Traiana was stationed in Egypt during the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161 AD)
- Berenike has yielded artifacts suggesting an expatriate Buddhist community
- The Farasan outpost may have eventually been taken over by the Axumite Empire
- The islands controlled Red Sea maritime traffic, generating tax revenue from Indian Ocean trade
Site mentioned
📍 Farasan Kabir / Ferresanus Portus🌍 Show on the globe
Sources
CILIII 549 Dedication of the Aqueduct of Hadrianatticinscriptions.com
Latin Text: Emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrian Antoninus Augustus Pius, consul 3 times, tribunician power 2 times (139 AD?), father of the ...
Antoninus Piusen.wikipedia.org
Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius was Roman emperor from AD 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty and ...
Dedication; Edict of Governor (Latin and Greek); Two Honorifics; Lettersardisexpedition.org
The findspot of IGRR IV 1349 is the ancient site of Asartepe (Hisartepe), north of Urganlı, southwest of the Gygaean Lake.
Farthest part of Roman Empireimperiumromanum.pl
... Farasan Islands in Saudi Arabia discovered an ancient Latin inscription. ... To Emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius ...
Historia Augusta • Life of Antoninus Piuspenelope.uchicago.edu
An English translation, linked to the original Latin text. Part of a very large site on classical Antiquity, with many other ancient works.
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