Images

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Location

ZOOR0186

Negev. Zoora. March 22, 449 - March 21, 450 CE. White sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.

Transcription

+ Εἷς Θεός. ΜνημῖονΜνημεῖον Ἀλεξάνδρου Σαμιράββου, ἀποθανόντος ἐτῶν ξʹ, ἐν ἔτους τμδʹ, ἐν μηνὶ

Translation

One (is) the God. Monument of Alexandros, (son) of Samirabbos, who died (at the age) of 60 years, in the [year] 344, in (the month)...

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
The broken inscription provides the date as the year 344 according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is, between March 22, 449 and March 21, 450 CE. A more specific date is lost due to a break in the stone. 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 originally rectangular tombstone is suffers damage all around, and has been mended from two fragments. Written in square script, the text is engraved upon a smoothed surface, which is flaked off in places and particularly in the lower section, causing a loss of text. Lines one and five are also painted over in red. A simple cross is incised above and to the right of the inscription. A horizontal bar appears above the age numeral in line five. The editor suggests that the inscription originally appears to have had approximately four additional lines, now lost due to the fracture. The proposed dating is tentative, as the last two digits of the year numeral are unclear. The text contains both spelling and grammatical errors.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 32 cm; W: 20 cm; D: 0.05 cm

Date

449 CE to 450 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Cross above and to the right of 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," ZOOR0186, 7 February 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89