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ZOOR0182

Negev. Zoora. January 12, 448 CE. Tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Κασσιανοῦ Σάβα, παυσάμενος μετὰ καλοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ καλῆς πίστεως ἐτῶν κζʹ, ἐν ἔτιἔτει τμβʹ μηνὸς Αὐδοναίου κζʹ, ἡμέρᾳ Κυρίου βʹ. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, οὐδεὶςοὐδὶς ἀθάνατος.+ +

Translation

Monument of Cassianus, (son) of Sabas, who died having a good name and good faith (at the age) of 27 years, in the year 342, on the 27th (day) of (the) month Audynaios, on (the) 2nd day of (the) Lord (Monday). Be of good cheer, no one (is) immortal.

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The inscription provides the 2nd day of the Lord (Monday), the 27th day of the month Audynaios in the year 342 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, January 12, 448 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 broken at the edges and chipped all around. Written predominantly in round script with a few square exceptions, the text is engraved upon a smoothed surface, which is now badly chipped in the lower section and flaked off in many places. Some text has been lost as a result of this damage. A scene consisting of a central cross flanked by two birds appears twice below the inscription. The crosses are filled with chi signs, and the birds are filled with trellis and linear patterns. The figures are engraved. A horizontal bar appears above the age numeral in line five, the month day numeral in line six, the abbreviation of Κυρίου as well as the weekday numeral in line seven. A serpentine motif appears before the year numeral in line five. The editor suggests that the deceased, Cassianus, seems to have been the son of Sabas, who was in turn the son of the Cassianus who appears in inscription no. 142. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 53 cm; W: 37 cm; D: 0.4 cm

Date

448 CE to 448 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Cross (see note)

  • Birds flanking the crosses

  • Serpentine motif preceding the year numeral in line five

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," ZOOR0182, 7 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89