Images

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Location

ZOOR0178

Negev. Zoora. January 22, 445 CE. Brownish sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Θέης Ὀβόττου, ο ἀπαθονοῦσαἀποθανοῦσα μετὰ καλοῦ ἀνάματοςὀνόματος τλθʹ, ἐν μενὶμηνὶ ἐτῶν λβʹ, Περιτίου ζʹ, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ βʹ. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, οὐδὶςοὐδεὶς ἀθάνατος.

Translation

Monument of Thee, (daughter) of Obottos (Obodas), who died having a good name (in the year) 339, (at the age) of 32 years, on (the) 7th (day) of the month Peritios, on (the) 2nd day (Monday). 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 2nd day (Monday), the 7th day of the month Peritios in the year 339 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, January 22, 445 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 square tombstone is chipped along its edges. Written in round script, the text is engraved upon a smoothed surface, which is damaged in a few places. An angular motif appears before the year numeral in line four. A horizontal bar appears above the month day numeral in line six and the weekday numeral in line seven. The dipthong ου at the end of line seven is written in red paint. The editor suggests that line five, which records the age of the deceased, seems to have been squeezed in between lines four and six as an afterthought. The omicron which begins the second line may have originally been intended as the first letter of ἀπαθονοῦσα, but was abandoned in favor of the proper alpha. The inscription contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 35.5 cm; W: 35.5 cm; D: 08.5 cm

Date

445 CE to 445 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.
    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," ZOOR0178, 12 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89