[ 3°3 ] 
as appears by the inferiptions ; they plainly (hew 
in what fenfe thofe characters are to be taken here. 
The concluding letters V. S. L. M. which (land 
for 'votum fol-vit libens merito , contain the ufual 
form of dedicating votive monuments. 
But the thing dedicated is not mentioned here, 
which was moft probably a ftatue or an altar ; and 
1 rather think the latter, from the number of fuch 
inferiptions in Gruter-, and other collectors of an- 
tient monuments, taken from altars. Whereas we 
hear of few images of any fort relating to this deity. 
Fliny indeed mentions a ftatue of Flora at Rome , 
which was made by Fraxiteles m. And Montfaucon 
has given the draughts of three or four others, which 
have been thought to reprefent that godefs n . Her 
head alfo is found upon two coins, one of the Clan - 
dian °, and the other of the Serviltan family p. How- 
ever thefe are but very few, comparatively with 
what we meet with of other deities. Befides, the 
age of this infeription ( which feems further con- 
firmed by its brevity and ftmplicity ) as likewife the 
place where it was difeovered, fuit much better 
with an altar; for altars were erected in all parts 
of the country, and very early. I fuppofe there- 
fore, that this plate was fixed into the front of fome 
altar confecrated to Flora ; for which purpofe both 
m Nat. Hijf. Lib. XXXVi. cap. v. §. 5. 
n L. Antiq. expliq. Tom. i. par. 2. chap. 30. 
0 See Vaillant Fam. Rom. num. 13. 
f Ibid. num. 17., 
Q.q 2 
the 
