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Location

ZOOR0158

Negev. Zoora. November 30, 438 CE. Purple sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

+ Εἷς Θεός. ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Ἀριάδνης Σαμιράββου, ἀποθανούσης μετὰ καλοῦ ὀνόματος ἐτῶν ἐτῶν λθʹ, ἐν ἔτιἔτει τριακοσσιοστοῦ τριακοστοῦ τρίτου, μηνὶ Ἀπελλέου ιδʹ, ἡμέρᾳ Κυρίου δʹ. Θάρσι, οὐδὶς ἀθάνατος. +

Translation

One (is) the God. Monument of Ariadne, (daughter) of Samirabbos, who died having a good name (at the age) of 39 years, in the three hundred and thirty-third year, on (the) 14th (day) of the month Apellaios, on (the) 4th day of (the) Lord (Wednesday). 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 4th day of the Lord (Wednesday), the 14th day of the month Apellaios in the year 333 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, November 30, 438 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 broken at the upper left and right as well as the lower right corners. Written predominantly in round script with a few square exceptions, the text is engraved upon a smoothed surface, which is chipped all around. Lines one, four, seven, and ten are painted green, while lines three, six, nine, and eleven are painted red. An engraved, outlined cross, filled with green paint and a chi-letter, is centered above the text. The cross is flanked by two birds drawn in red paint. An incised cross with triangular serifs painted red and green appears below the text. Two red dots appear in the upper left and lower right corners of the cross. Both the text and the decorative figures are surrounded by a double incised frame. The outer line of the frame is painted red, while the inner line and the space between them is painted green. In line five, the word ἐτῶν is written twice. A horizontal bar appears above the age numeral in line six, the month day numeral in line nine, and the abbreviation of Κυρίου in line ten. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors. The personal name Ἀριάδνης is a mythological name, which is new to the nomenclature of Palestine and Arabia.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 46.5 cm; W: 32 cm; D: 08 cm

Date

438 CE to 438 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Bird flanking the cross above the text

  • Frame surrounding the text

  • Cross (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," ZOOR0158, 12 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89