Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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Location

BIRS0006

Negev. Birsama (Be'er-Shema), 450 CE - 500 CE. Mosaic Floor. Dedicatory.
Transcription

Ἀρχιποιμήν ἐκ Θεοῦ γέγονεν ἡμῖν ΜακαιδόνιοςΜακεδένιος ὁ ὁσιώτατος ἐπίσκοπος ὅθεν ἐπαὐτοῦ ναοὶ ἀνεγείρονται καὶ λαμπροίνονται καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι κοσμοῦνται καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἀγάλλεται διαμεῖναι τῇ ἀγέλῃ αὐτοῦ.

Translation

By God has become our chief-shepherd Makaid[onios] the pious bishop, so that in [his] time churches are e[rected] and are graced and the saints are adorned and the people rejoice dwelling in its flock.

Diplomatic

ΑΡΧΙΠΟΙΜΗΝΕΚΘΥΓΕΓΟΝΕΝ Ν ΜΑΚΑΙΔ ϹΙΩΤSΕΠΙ ΟΘΕΝΕΠ ΝΑΟΙΑΝ ΚΑΙΛΑΜΠΡΟΙΝΟΤΑΙΚΑΙΟΙΑΓΙΟΙΚΟϹΜΟΥΝΤΑΙΚΑΙΟΛΑΟϹΑΓΑΛΛΕΤSΔΙΑΜΕΙΝΑΙΤΗΑΓΕΛΗΑΥΤΟΥ

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
Dedicatory inscription on the floor in the eastern part of the prayer hall. The text of the inscription is located in two squares of equal size which are surrounded by a rectangular framework of artistic diamonds and circles. The mosaic has black letters set into the smaller white square backgrounds. The inscription is split between two squares of 6 lines each, beginning with the first six in the square on the left and ending with the last six on the right. There is also another equally sized square in between these two which contains geometric art. There is damage to right side of the lines 2 through 6 as well as below the square on the right. The inscription found in Birs0007 was located right about this one. The editor suggests that these two inscriptions be viewed as forming a continuous text and that the word Ἀρχιποιμήν (chief-shepherd) must refer to the title of Bishop. He also indicates that the phrase "the saints are adorned" likely refers to the colored mosaic pavements and the patron saint of the church and that the name Makedonios is common at this time, particularly for members of the clergy. The inscription makes use of lunate sigmas as well as large miniscule omegas (in the place of majuscule omegas). Finally, the editor's diplomatic records the abbreviation for ὁσιώτατος on line 4 with a superscript S, while the abbreviation of ἀγάλλεται on line 10 is marked with a full sized S.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: —; W: —; D: —

Date

450 CE to 550 CE

Current location

No provenance provided.

Figures

  • Artistic diamond and circles border between and around the three squares

  • Square with geometric art between the halves of the inscription

Bibliography

Source of diplomatic

No bibliography available for diplomatic transcription.

Source of transcription

No bibliography available for transcription.

Source of translation

No bibliography available for translation.

Other sources

  • Tzaferis, Vassilios. “The Greek Inscriptions from the Early Christian Church at ’Evron.” Eretz-Israel 25 (1996).
    Zotero
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The project can be cited as:

Satlow, Michael L., ed. 2002 - . “Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine.” Brown University. https://doi.org/10.26300/PZ1D-ST89

This inscription can be cited as:

"Inscriptions of Israel/Palestine," BIRS0006, 7 June 2026. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89