Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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ZOOR0171

Negev. Zoora. February 18, 443 CE. Purple sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.
Transcription

+ ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Ἄλφιος Καϊάμου, ἀποθανούταςἀποθανόντος μητὰμετὰ καλοῦ ἀνόματοςὀνόματος ἐτῶν ιηʹ, ἐν ἤτουςἔτει τλζʹ, ἐν μηνὶ Δύστρου δʹ, ἡμέρᾳ εʹ. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, οὐδὶςοὐδεὶς ἀθάνατος. Εἷς Θεὸς μάνοςμόνος. +

Translation

Monument of Alphios, (son) of Kaiamos, who died having a good name (at the age) of 18 years, in the year 337, on (the) 4th (day) of the month Dystros, on (the) 5th day (Thursday). Be of good cheer, no one (is) immortal. (There is) only one God.

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The inscription provides the date as the 5th day (Thursday), the 4th day of the month Dystros in the year 337 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, February 18, 443 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 lower left and right sides and chipped all around its edges. Written in round script, the text is engraved upon a smoothed surface. The text is surrounded by a square frame and set within guide-lines, both of which are drawn in red paint. A large, outlined cross with serifs is incised above and below the text. Two cross-rho monograms flank the upper cross and are drawn in heavy red paint. The cross below the text is painted over in red, flanked on the left by a bird, and on the right by seated animal (resembling, according to the editor, a camel or ox). Both the seated animal and the bird are outlined in red. A serpentine motif appears after the year numeral in line five, the month day numeral in line six, and the weekday numeral in line seven. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 50 cm; W: 32 cm; D: 08 cm

Date

443 CE to 443 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Seated animal to the right of the lower cross

  • Frame surrounding the text

  • Serpentine motif (see note)

  • Bird to the left of the lower cross

  • Cross centered above and below the text

  • Cross-rho flanking the upper cross

  • Guide-lines set within the 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. insc 171.
    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," ZOOR0171, 30 July 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89