_........ntes _Ossiano Hieroclete_, V. P. Præs. Provinciæ D. N. M. O. Eorum._ The Name of _Maximianus Hercules_, who was Partner in the Empire with _Dioclesian_ which should have followed in the Inscription, seems to have been on purpose scratch'd out, and defaced, for what reason I cannot guess. The rest is lost by the breaking of the Stone. [Sidenote: The Palace.] In the West side of the great Piazza are several openings for Gates leading into the Court of the Palace: Two whereof, one would easily believe when they were in their Perfection, were the most Magnificent and Glorious in the World, both for the Elegancy of the Work in general, and particularly for those stately Porphyry Pillars with which they were adorned. Each Gate had four, not standing in a Line with the others of the Wall, but placed by couples in the Front of the Gate, facing the Palace, two on one Hand, and two on the other. Of these remain two entire, and but one standing in its place. They are about 30 Foot in length, and 9 in circumference; of a Substance so exceeding hard, that it was with great difficulty we broke off a few shivers to bring home with us for a pattern of the Stone, the Art of making which, I think is quite lost. We saw several other broken pieces of Porphyry, but neither of so accurate a Mixture and Composition, nor so large as the former. The hard Fate of one I could not but lament, when I saw it debased to support the corner of a little Hut, scarce good enough for a Dog-Kennel, or a Hogsty. The Palace it self is so entirely ruined, that no Judgment can be made what it was in its Ancient Splendor, either for the Figure or Workmanship thereof. There is only here and there a broken piece of a Wall remaining, beat into pieces by Violence, and consumed by Time to that degree, that without the help of Tradition we could hardly be well assured, that a Royal Palace did once fill that Space. We may guess however that it fronted the Famous Piazza before mentioned, and was surrounded with rows of Pillars of different Orders, many of which are still standing, some plain, and some wrought and channell'd, as those immediately encompassing the Temple. And upon those little Pedestals which stood out of the middle of some of them, I observed several Inscriptions, but could not conveniently take more than one, which together with the Pillar that supported it was fallen to the Ground. 'Twas this. ΜΑΡΘΕΙΝ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΠΑΔΗΤΟΥ ΟΥΑΒΑΛΛΑΘΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΣΥΜΩΝΟΥ ΣΟΡΑΙΧΟΣ ΑΙΡΑΝΟΥ ΑΝΗΡ ΑΥΤΗΣ ΜΝΗΜΗΣ ΕΝΕΚΕΝ ΜΗΝΕΙ ΔΥΣΤΡΩ ΤΟΥ Ϟ Υ ΕΤΟΥΣ. If the rest were of a like Nature with this, we have lost no great matter by not taking them, this being only a Memorial, which a kind Husband caused to be set up in Honour of his Wife. The Month _Dystrus_, answers our _March_, and the Year 490 from the Death of _Alexander_ the Great, the Year of our Lord 166.