A new bronze honorific inscription from Halaesa, Sicily, in two copies

This paper presents a full critical edition of two bronze tablets from the ancient city of Halaesa (Tusa, ME, Sicily), excavated in 2004, and only partially published in earlier editions. The two tablets are near identical copies of the same text, recording honours for an individual (Nemenios) awarded by a previously unknown association of the priests of Apollo. The paper presents the archaeological context, Greek text, English translation of the bronzes, together with extended discussion of key aspects and problems of the texts within the context of Hellenistic Sicilian epigraphy. The texts contain a number of features, linguistic and cultural, without clear parallels, as well as one of the earliest references in Greek to a basilica; in particular the relationship of the association of priests to the city of Halaesa is unclear and various possibilities are considered.