Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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ZOOR0114

Negev. Zoora. April 28, 417 CE. White sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.
Transcription

Εἷς Θεός. ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Ἀμάθα Ὀγέζωνος, τοῦ βίου παυσομένη μετὰ καλοῦ ὀνόματος ἐτῶν ιεʹ, ἐν ἔτιἔτει τιβʹ, μηνὸς Ἀρτεμισίου ηʹ. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, οὐδὶςοὐδεὶς ἀθάνατος.

Translation

One (is) the God. Monument of Amatha, (daughter) of Ogezon, who ceased to live having a good name (at the age) of 15 years, in (the) year 312, on (the) 8th (day) of (the) month Artemisios. 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 8th day of the month Artemisios in the year 312 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, April 28, 417 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 rectangular tombstone is curved at the corners and broken in multiple places on the right side. The smoothed, inscribed surface of the stone is chipped in many places. The engraved text, written in oval script, is painted in red throughout. The inscription is set within painted guide-lines, which are discernible throughout the text. While the spacing of the first line is very generous, the letters of the last line are crowded. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors. A horizontal bar appears above the age numeral in line seven. Both the year and month day numerals in line eight are topped with a horizontal stroke. The month name is abbreviated with its first five letter and the sign S. The personal name Ἀμάθα is otherwise unattested in Palestine and Arabia. It is probably a Greek rendering of the Arabic word 'amat, meaning "female servant." The genitive patronymic Ὀγέζων is the Greek rendering of the Arabic root meaning, "to grow old."

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 64 cm; W: 26 cm; D: 08 cm

Date

417 CE to 417 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

No figures described.

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. insc 114.
    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," ZOOR0114, 3 April 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89