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Location

ZOOR0176

Negev. Zoora. September 30, 444 CE. Purple and yellowish sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

Εἷς Θεός. ἀμήν. ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Θεοφίλου Σιλανοῦ, ἀποθανόντος μετὰ καλοῦ ὀνόματος ἐτῶν μεʹ ἐν μηνὶ ὙπερβερετέουὙπερβερεταίου ιγʹ, ἔτους τλθʹ, ἡμέρᾳ ΕαμβάτῳΣαββάτω. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, Θεόφιλε, οὐδὶςοὐδεὶς ἀθάνατος. +

Translation

One (is) the God, amen. Monument of Theophilos, (son) of Silanus, who died having a good name (at the age) of 45 years, on (the) 13th day of the month Hyperberetaios, in (the) year 339, on Saturday. Be of good cheer, Theophilos, no one (is) immortal.

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The inscription provides the date as Saturday, the 13th day of the month Hyperberetaios in the year 339 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, September 30, 444 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 nearly rectangular tombstone is curved at the corners, chipped in the upper right section, and broken at the lower right side. Written in predominantly round script with a few square exceptions, the text is engraved upon a smoothed surface, which is weathered in the lower section and has an accumulation of salt crystals. Lines two, five, eight, and eleven are painted over in red. The inscription is framed on its left and write by vertical zigzag lines. Red-painted dots appear on both sides of the zigzag lines. An engraved, red-painted cross-rho figure is centered above the text. An outlined cross with an incised, red-painted chi in its center appears below the inscription. Three serpentine motifs appear before the age numeral in line six. A horizontal bar appears above the month day numeral in line seven. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 39 cm; W: 29 cm; D: 07 cm

Date

444 CE to 444 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Dots alternating with zigzags on each side of the frame

  • Serpentine motif before age numeral in line six

  • Cross-rho centered above the text

  • Frame left and right of the text

  • Chi center of bottom cross

  • Cross centered below 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.
    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," ZOOR0176, 7 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89