Inscriptions from Israel and Palestine
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ZOOR0382

Zoora, 11 July 472 CE. Tombstone. Funerary (Epitaph).
Transcription

+ Εἷς Θεός. ΜνεμῖονΜνημεῖον προτονπρῶτον μὲν Σαμμασέου ὑποδιακόνου, ἀποθανὼνἀποθανόντος πρὸ ἐτῶν κε. Ἔπιταἔπειτα Λουλιανοῦ,ἐτῶν ε, καὶ Στεφάνου, ἀδελφοῦ, ἐτῶν β, υἱῶν ἈντύουἌντυος.Ἐτελεύτησαν δὲ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ὤρᾳμιᾷ, μετὰ καλῆς πίστεως, ἐν ἔτιἔτει τξζ, μηνὸς ΠανέμουΠανήμου κβ, ἠμέρᾳ γ. Θάρσιθαρσεῖτε, οὐδὶςοὐδείς ἀθάνατος. + +

Translation

One (is) the God. Monument (belonging) first to Sammaseos, (the subdeacon), who died 25 years ago; (and) then to Loulianos, 5 years old, and to (his) brother Stephanos, 2 years old, (both) sons of Antys. (The two children) passed away on the same day and hour, having a good faith, in (the) year 367, on (the) 22nd day of the month of Panemos, on (the) 3rd day (Tuesday). Be of good cheer, no one (is) immortal.

Diplomatic

[no diplomatic]

Terminus post quem:
Terminus ante quem:
Notes
This epitaph is significant because it provides valuable information on both Zooran funerary customs and the identity of the tomb owners and their relationships with other people whose epitaphs have been found. The prosopographical and chronological data offered, combined with other published epitaphs, suggest that these three men were members of the same family. There is a strong possibility that Loulianos and Stephanos were the great-nephews of Sammaseos. It is quite possible that their father Antys outlived his two sons and did not yet have his own tomb, impelling him to bury them with his uncle.

Languages

Greek

Dimensions

H: —; W: —; D: —

Date

472 CE to 472 CE

Current location

Department of Antiquities of Jordan

Figures

  • Rectangular heavily red painted frame, with small triangles decorating its corners around the inscription

  • Outlined cross engraved and painted red, flanked by two red heraldic birds below the frame

  • Red cross beginning and end of the epitaph

  • Linear cross with forked serifs, the lower corners of which are occupied by the symbolic letters alpha and omega above the frame, in the middle

Bibliography

Source of diplomatic

  • Meimaris, Yiannis E., and Kalliope Kritikakou-Nikolaropoulou. Inscriptions from Palaestina Tertia Vol. 1b. The Greek Inscriptions from Ghor Es-Safi (Byzantine Zoora) (Supplement), Khirbet Qazone and Feinan. Vol. 1b. Athens, 2008.
    Zotero

Source of transcription

  • Meimaris, Yiannis E., and Kalliope Kritikakou-Nikolaropoulou. Inscriptions from Palaestina Tertia Vol. 1b. The Greek Inscriptions from Ghor Es-Safi (Byzantine Zoora) (Supplement), Khirbet Qazone and Feinan. Vol. 1b. Athens, 2008.
    Zotero

Source of translation

  • Meimaris, Yiannis E., and Kalliope Kritikakou-Nikolaropoulou. Inscriptions from Palaestina Tertia Vol. 1b. The Greek Inscriptions from Ghor Es-Safi (Byzantine Zoora) (Supplement), Khirbet Qazone and Feinan. Vol. 1b. Athens, 2008.
    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," ZOOR0382, 5 December 2025. https:doi.org/10.26300/pz1d-st89