Vol. IIL MifcelUnex Curiofa. 105; 



This affords a fufficient confirmation 

 of what I before obferved , that thefe 

 were Honorary Infcriptions in Memory of 

 thofe that had behaved themfelves well in 

 Publick OlBces ; of which we have feveral 

 mentioned here, whereof fome are very well 

 known, but the others not eafie to be met 

 with in Books. By the Word MHTPOKOAey- 

 N£IaC^ we may be aflfured that though the 

 City was reduced by the Romans into the form 

 of a Colony, yet it had a peculiar mark of 

 Honour fet upon it, to fignifie that it was the 

 chief of their Colonies in thefe Oriental Parts. 

 That the Authority alfo of their Senate and 

 - People was continued to them. And befides 

 that there was a Society of Men, either Cu- 

 rators of the Temple of Jupiter Belus (to 

 whom the Temple before defcribed pei'haps 

 was dedicated,) or Overfeers of the Sports 

 and Feftivals that were celebrated in Ho- 

 nour of him J of which Sodality this Septic 

 tnim was, when this Infcription was made, a 

 Sympo/iarch^ perhaps their Chief and Cover- 

 nour. By this too we find they did not wait 

 for the Deaths of thofe they thus honoured, 

 before they provided for the Prefervation of 

 their Memories-, but Famous Men were thus 

 Regiftered for After- Ages even while they 

 were alive. Upon one of thefe Pedeftals be- 

 fore defcribed, not far from the former, was 

 the following Infcription which I valued the 

 more for the little remainder it has preferved 

 of the Name of Palmyra^ by which the Place 

 was known to the Romans. 



