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Location

ZOOR0054

Negev. Zoora. January 13, 387 CE. White and purple sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Ὠρίων ΚλυδίουΚλαυδίου, ἀποθανόντος μετὰ καλοῦ ὀνάματοςὀνόματος + ἐτῶν λʹ, + ἔτους σπαʹ, ἐν μηνὸς Ἀδωνέου κηʹ. Θάρσιθάρσει, οὐδὶςοὐδείς ἀθάνατος. Ἡμέρᾳ Ἄρεως.

Translation

Monument of Orion, (son) of Claudius, who died having a good name (at the age) of 30 years, in (the) year 281, on the 28th (day) of (the) month Audynios. Be of good cheer, no one (is) immortal. (He died) on (the) day of Mars (Tuesday).

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The inscription provides the date as the 28th day of the month Audynaios in the year 281 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, January 13, 387 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 tombstone, which is almost rectangular and concave in the middle, is curved at the bottom and chipped at the edges. The inscription includes both spelling and grammatical errors. The round-oval script of the text is set within incised guidelines. Several figures are engraved on the smoothed surface of the tombstone. A centered cross-rho figure flanked by two horizontally placed palm-branches appears above the first line of the text. A similar cross-rho flanked by two crosses is centered below the last line of the text. A cross appears at the end of line five. In line six, the age numeral is flanked on the left by a simplified palm branch and the right by a cross. In line seven, the year numeral is flanked on the left by an angular decorative motif. In line nine, the month day numeral is flanked by a cross-rho figure on the left and an angular motif on the right. The author notes that the name κλαύδιος is a very common cognomen in the Christian epigraphy of Ghor es-Safi, having nine attestations.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 57 cm; W: 30.5 cm; D: 10 cm

Date

387 CE to 387 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Angular decorative motif to the left of the year numeral in line seven

  • Simplified palm-branch to the left of the age numeral in line six

  • Cross (see note)

  • Guide lines between the lines of text

  • Palm-branch flanking the centered cross-rho above the inscription

  • Cross-rho (see note)

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," ZOOR0054, 13 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89