Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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Location

ZOOR0252

Negev. Zoora. October 22, 499 CE. Purple and goldish sandstone tombstone. Epitaph.
Transcription

+ Εἶς Θεάςθεός, ὁ πάντων Δεσπότης. ΜνημῖανΜνημεῖον ΟὐαιβάνηηΟὐαιβάννη Ἀβραμίου, ἀπoθανώνταοἀποθανόντος μετὰ καλοῦ ἀνώματοςὀνόματος καὶ καλῆς πίστεως ἐτῶν κεʹ, τοῦ ἔτους τϟδʹ, ἐν μηνὶ Δίου εʹ, ἡμήρᾳἡμέρᾳ Κυρίου ζʹ. ΘάρσιΘάρσει, οὐδὶςοὐδείς ἀθάναταςἀθάνατος. +

Translation

One (is) the God, the Lord of all. Monument of Ouaibannes, (son) of Abra(a)mios, who died having a good name and good faith (at the age) of 25 years, in the year 394, on (the) 5th (day) of the month Dios, on (the) 7th day of the (the) Lord (Saturday). 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 7th day of the Lord (Saturday), on the 5th day of the month of Dios, in the year 394, according to the Era of the Province of Arabia, that is October 22, 499 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 tombstone is rectangular in shape, with some chipping and flaking on the smoothed, inscribed surface. An incised and red painted frame surrounds the text. The text is engraved, and lines 1, 3, 7 and 10 as well as the numerals in lines 8 and 9 preserve red paint. A cross with linear serifs ends the final line of text. The word Κυρίου in line eleven is abbreviated as ΚΥ, with two lines forming a frame to its left side and top. The author notes that the year numeral's units figure was engraved as a δ but painted over with an α. She also observes that both names recorded here also appear elsewhere at Ghor es-Safi. The text includes spelling and grammatical errors.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: 30 cm; W: 22.5 cm; D: 10 cm

Date

499 CE to 499 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Cross end of last line of text

  • Frame around 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," ZOOR0252, 18 November 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89