File:Letter of the Emperor Hadrian addressed to the inhabitants of Pergamum (SEG 59-1424), Inscribed marble, Greek script, found in the Trajaneum on the Upper Acropolis, dated 22 December AD 137, Pergamon Museum, Berlin.jpg

English: Twenty-three marble fragments found during excavations in the ‘Traianeum’ and belonging to a large plaque (1.42 m high; 68.5 cm wide), which was probably attached to a wall in the temple precinct.

Letter in response to the city’s request to build a third temple for the provincial emperor cult.

After thanking the Pergamenes for their zeal, the emperor points out that the city already has two large temples (for Roma and Augustus, and for Trajan and Zeus Philios), contests, and exemption from taxes during the festivals. The cost for a third temple would endanger the funds for the existing temples and contests (δύο] τε γὰρ ναοὺς [παμμεγ]ε̣θ̣εστ̣[άτους] καὶ ἐνδοξοτ[άτους ἔ]χετε κα[ὶ ἀγῶ]νας δύο καὶ ἀ̣[τέλεια]ς δύο̣· εἰ δ̣[ὲ π]ροσθήσετε ναὸ̣[ν ἄλλο]ν̣ κ̣α̣ὶ̣ τ̣ὰς τούτω[ν κ]τήσε[ις εἰς καινόν (?)] τ[ι] π̣ρᾶγμα προδ̣[ώσ]ετε). Instead, the emperor allowed them to set up his statue in Trajan’s temple next to Trajan’s statue (ἔστιν ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ τοῦ πατ[ρὸς ἐμοῦ] νεῷ παρ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον κ̣[αθιδρῦσ]α̣ι κἀμέ). He adds that Trajan’s temples are cause of greater joy for him than his own (ἐγὼ τ[οῖς ἐκεί]ν̣ου ναοῖς πολὺ πλέον ἢ τοῖ̣ς [ἐμοῖς ἥδ]ομαι).

Source: journals.openedition.org/kernos/2337

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