File:Augustusinscriptieserino.jpg

Until 1938 the construction of the Serino aqueduct was credited to Claudius. Based on the inscription below from the 4th C. AD (317 - 326) it is thought that Augustus was the builder; perhaps Claudius was responsible for the extension to Misenum. The stone of marble was found in 1938 near the Acquaro source and measured 186 x 86 cm and was 17 cm thick. In 1940 the two pieces were built into a wall of a building in Naples but disappeared. It was last seen by Mariniello in 1981.

As it reads on the inscription:

"DD. NN. FL. CONSTAN TINVS MAX. PIVS FELIX VICTOR AVG. ET FL. IVL. CRISPVS ET FL. CL. CONSTANT.N.S NOBB. CAESS. FONTIS AVGVSTEI AQVAEDVCTVM LONGA INCVRIA ET VETVSTATE CONR.PT.M PRO MAGNIFICENTIA LIBERALITATIS CONS.ETAE SVA PECVNIA R.F.CI IVSSER.NT ET VSVI CI.TAT.M INFRA SCRIPTARVM REDDIDERVNT DEDICANTE CEIONIO IVLIANO VC CONS. CAMP. CVRANTE PONTIANO V. P. PRAEP. EIVSDEM AQVAEDVCTVS NOMINA CIVITATIVM PVTEOLANA NEAPOLITANA NOLANA ATELLANA CVMANA ACERRANA BAIANA MISENVM"

CIL X 1805 - Source: SGOBBO I., Notizie degli scavi di Antichita 1938, p. 75ff

As it reads in Latin:

"Dd. nn. Fl. Constantinus Max. Pius Felix Victor Aug. et Fl. Iul. Crispus et Fl. Cl. Constant[i]n[u]s, nobb. Caess. fontis Augustei aquaeductum longa incuria et vetustate conr[u]pt[u]m pro magnificentia liberalitatis cons[v]etae sua pecunia r[e]f[i]ci iusser[u]nt et usui ci[vi]tat[iu]m infra scriptarum reddiderunt, dedicante Ceionio Iuliano uccons. camp. curante pontiano u. p. praep. eiusdem aquaeductus, nomina civitatium Puteolana, Neapolitana, Nolana, Atellana, Cumana, Acerrana, Baiana, Misenum"

Source: De relatie van de keizers Claudius, Nero en Trajanus met de Italische steden", thesis in Dutch of G. Meire (1998) note 234

As it reads in English:

"Our Lords the Emperor Constantine the great, pious, successful and victorious and Flavius Julius Crispus and Flavius Claudius Constantinus, most noble Caesars, have ordered the aqueduct of the Augustean spring that had been ruined by long neglect and old age to be restored on their costs by their usual greatness and generosity, and they have given back its use to the towns described below. Inaugurated by Ceionius Julianus, most noble Lord, consul [governor] of Campania. Carried out by Pontianus, most excellent Lord and overseer of the said aqueduct. The names of the towns are Puteoli, Napels, Nola, Atella, Cuma, Acerra, Baia and Misenum."

Translation: C.W. Passchier

or, an alternative interpretation ^[2]:

As it reads in Latin:

"DD(omini)•NN(ostri)•FL(avius)•CONSTAN

TINVS•MAX(imus)•PIVS•

FELIX•VICTOR•AVG(ustus)•

ET FL(avius) IVL(ius) CRISPVS•ET

FL(avius)•CL(audius) CONSTANTiNvS

NOBB(ilissimi) CAESS(ares)

FONTIS AVGVSTEI

AQVAEDVCTVM

LONGA INCVRIA

ET VETVSTATE CONRvPTVM

PRO MAGNIFICENTIA•

LIBERALITATIS CONSvETAE

SVA•PECVNIA•ReFiCI IVSSERvNT

ET•VSVI•CIviTATivM INFRA

SCRIPTARVM REDDIDERVNT

DEDICANTE•CEIONIO IVLIANO V(iro) C(larissimo)

CONS(ulare)•CAMP(aniae)•CVRANTE

PONTIANO•V(iro)• P(erfectissimo)•

PRAEP(osito)•EIVSDEM

AQVAEDVCTVS NOMINA CIVITATIVM

PVTEOLANA•NEAPOLITANA•NOLANA

ATELLANA•CVMANA•ACERRANA

BAIANA•MISENVM• R"

Source: Sgobbo 1938. The relative sizes of the lettering match those on the inscription. The “R’ is located away from the rest of the text towards the bottom right-hand corner of the block.

As it reads in English:

"Our lords Flavius Constantinus Maximus Pius Felix Victor Augustus and Flavius Julius Crispus and Flavius Claudius Constantinus, most noble Caesars, on account of the greatness of their habitual generosity, ordered the Aqueduct of the Augustan Spring, ruined by long neglect and age, remade out of their own funds and returned it to the use of the communities listed below. Dedicated by Ceionius Julianus, vir clarissimus, consularis of Campania. Overseen by Pontianus, vir perfectissimus, praepositus of the same aqueduct. Names of the communities: Puteoli, Neapolis, Nola, Atella, Cumae, Acerrae, Baiae, Misenum. R"

Translation: Duncan Keenan-Jones