Now found in front of the Palazzo Montecitorio in Rome, this obelisk was transported from Egypt by Augustus and used as the gnomon (pointer) for a monumental sundail. Originally erected near the Ara Pacis, the obelisk cast a shadow toward the Ara on Augustus's birthday.
The Latin inscription on the base of the obelisk read as follows:
IMP · CAESAR · DIVI · F · AUGUSTUS · PONTIFEX · MAXIMUS · IMP · XII · COS · XI · TR · POT · XIV · AEGYPTO · IN · POTESTATEM · POPULI · ROMANI · REDACTA · SOLI · DONUM · DEDIT