UNE CRISE FRUMENTAIRE À CHYPRE SOUS LES FLAVIENS ?Une inscription d’époque romaine découverte à Paphos, colline de Fabrika

Résumé En

In 2016, two fragments of an epigraphic document were brought to light during the excavation of the southern wing of the Roman building uncovered by the French archaeological expedition at Paphos, to the north of Fabrika Hill. The document seems to be related to a period of food scarcity once faced by the city of Paphos and of the purchase of barley by benefactors. The study of the epigraphic data, in comparison with other epigraphic texts and of the archaeological context enables us to propose that this honourary text was written in the middle of the 1st c. AD, probably just before the earthquake which destroyed Nea Paphos Sebastè in 77/78 under Vespasian’s rule. This text also brings new evidence regarding the introduction of Roman currency in Cyprus: the denarius mentioned in the text could be used as currency for accounting purposes but could also be a new testimony to the beginning of the circulation of this money in Cyprus under the Flavians. Finally, this text helps to clarify the date of the first two phases of the Roman house found to the north of Fabrika Hill.