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View of the flat block that bears the Water Inscription—in Greek. Laodicea, as a growing city was expanding its water supply and secured a loan from Vicirius Martialis (113/13), the Roman governor of Asia, for this purpose. The inscription records his and the elders' decree on how the water lines were to be protected and regulations on how they were to be used—and fines for abuse! Revenue from water use was to be used to repay the loan.
For a translation of sample lines, see Jason Borges, p. 26 of Public Inscriptions at the Seven Churches of Revelation. A free, downloadable PDF is here. Some of the above information was from Borges.
For a description of the monument, its discovery, and an outline of the Water Inscription, see here. The short article includes pictures from the excavation and an outline of the content of the water inscription.
The nymphaeum was completely in ruins and was excavated in 2015. The current structure is a monumental rebuild based on the large building pieces that were found in the excavation. From the inscription on it, and the statuary that was found in the excavation, it is evident that it was constructed during the reign of the Roman Emperor Trajan (r. 98-117). Before excavation, it was known as "the Southern Nymphaeum."
