Corinth, Roman Forum. Remains of an inscription showing the partially erased names and titulature of a Roman Emperor. The text is thought to have read:
Imp(erator) Caesar divi M(arci) Antonini Pii Ger[m(anici) f(ilius) divi Pii n(epos) divi Hadriani pron(epos) divi Traiani Parthici abn(epos)] / divi Nervae adnepos [[M(arcus) Aurel(ius) Comm[odus 3]]] / ex testamento Cornel(iae) Baebiae fecit cur[avitque 3] (AE 1947, 90)
The emperor whose main name is removed is thought to have been Commodus, who was murdered in 192 CE, triggering a major succession crisis that eventually would bring to power Septimius Severus. What is interesting, here, is that only part of the name is erased. The text now essentially reads ‘That guy, the son of Marcus, grandson of Pius, great grandson of Hadrian, great great grandson of Trajan, great great great grandson of Nerva, whose name shall go unmentioned, …’
Miko Flohr, 07/02/2020