  We report the X/gamma-ray spectrum of GRB971214 and of its afterglow. The
afterglow was measured few hours after the main event and for an elapsed time
of more than two days. The measure of this GRB and afterglow is relevant due to
its extreme, cosmological distance (z=3.42). The prompt event shows a hard
photon spectrum, consistent with a broken power law with photon indices
Gamma_X~0.1 below ~20 keV and Gamma_g~1.3 above 60 keV. The afterglow spectrum,
measured with the MECS and LECS BeppoSAX telescopes, is consistent with a power
law with spectral photon index Gamma=1.6. Within the statistical accuracy of
our measure no spectral evolution is detected during the observation of the
afterglow. When integrated during the time span covered by BeppoSAX
observations, the power in the afterglow emission, even with very conservative
assumptions, is at least comparable with the power in the main event. The
IR-to-X rays broad band spectrum is also presented, collecting data from the
literature and adding them to the BeppoSAX measure. It shows that the
predictions from synchrotron emission models is qualitatively confirmed. The
BeppoSAX measurement of the X and gamma ray spectrum of this GRB/afterglow is
discussed in the framework of current theoretical models.
