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Location

ZOOR0184

Negev. Zoora. March 6, 449 CE. Tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

+ + + Εἷς Θεός. ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Σαμμασέου Ἄντυος, ὑποδιακόνου, ἀποθανόντος μετὰ καλοῦ ὀνόματος ἐτῶν νʹ, ἐν ἔτιἔτει τμγʹ, μηνὶ Δύστρῳ κʹ. Θάρσει, οὐδεὶς ἀθάνατος.

Translation

One (is) the God. Monument of Sammaseos, (son) of Antys, (the) subdeacon, who died having a good name (at the age) of 50 years, in the year 343, on (the) 20th (day) of (the) month Dystros. 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 20th day of the month Dystros in the year 343 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, March 6, 449 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 irregularly shaped tombstone is curved at the left side and top, chipped all around, and broken in the lower right corner. Written in square elongated script, the text is engraved upon a smoothed surface, which is flaked off in several places. Three incised crosses appear above the inscription. The interior of the first two is decorated with a simple incised cross, while the interior of the third contains partially preserved chi-signs. A horizontal bar appears above and below the age numeral in line six of the text as well as the month day numeral in line eight. The editor suggests that the deceased, Sammaseos, was probably the brother of the Petros mentioned in inscription no. 162. He also notes that the abbreviation of the phrase Θάρσει, οὐδεὶς ἀθάνατος found in this inscription is uncommon. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 48.5 cm; W: 39 cm; D: 0.8 cm

Date

449 CE to 449 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • 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," ZOOR0184, 12 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89