Images

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Location

ZOOR0043

Negev. Zoora. August 17, 383 CE. White sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Σολέμου Παύλου, ἀποθανόντος λʹ ἐτῶν, ἔτους σοηʹ ηʹ, μηνὸς Λῴου κθʹ. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, οὐδὶςοὐδείς ἀθάνατος.

Translation

Monument of Solemos, (son) of Paulus, who died (at the age) of 30 years, in (the) year 278, on (the) 29th (day) of (the) month Loos. Be of good cheer, no one (is) immortal.

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The inscription provides the date as the day of Venus, the 29th day of the month Loos in the year 278 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, August 17, 383 CE. The tombstone is one of about 700 discovered in Byzantine Zoora. The majority of the Greek tombstones from this location have been identified as Christian. The inscribed surface is flaked off at the upper right corner and the lower part. The text is engraved in a mixture of round and square script that was painted red. The letters are smaller and more crowded in the first line than the rest of the text. The abbreviation of the word ἐτῶν is denoted by a horizontal bar above, while the abbreviation of ἔτους is denoted by a double dot on both sides of the τ. A decorative plant sprout motif follows this word. The placement of the first η in line five, the units figure, is a mistake which the engraver tried to correct by rewriting the η underneath the year numeral at the end of line four. Two cross-rhos appear in the text, the first in the middle of line five and the second at the end of the text in line nine.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 48 cm; W: 30 cm; D: 07 cm

Date

383 CE to 383 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Plant motif one at the end of line four

  • Cross-Rho one in the fifth line and another at the end of the last line of text

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

  • Meimaris, Yiannis, and Kalliope Kritikakou-Nikolaropoulou. Inscriptions from Palaestina Tertia Vol. Ia: The Greek Inscriptions from Ghor Es-Safi (Byzantine Zoora). Athens, Greece: National Hellenic Research Foundation, 2005.
    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," ZOOR0043, 7 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89