V 15. Cherson. Building inscription of Chersakoi, VIII – 1st third of IXth century C.E.

Monument

Type

Block. 

Material

Limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H. 42.0, W. 37.0, Th. 23.0.

Additional description

On the front - rectangular inset panel bearing relief Latin cross with arms ending in serifs. The cross and the letters are painted with ochre. The front surface is weathered. 

Place of Origin

Cherson. 

Find place

Unknown. 

Find context

Unknown. 

Find circumstances

Unknown. 

Modern location

Sevastopol, Crimea. 

Institution and inventory

National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 81/36504. 

Autopsy

May 1999, August 2001, September 2002, September 2003, September 2004, September 2005. 

Epigraphic field 1

Position

In the top left corner. 

Lettering

Lapidary. Alpha both with broken and slanting crossbar; lunate epsilon; lunate and rectangular sigma; bowl-shaped upsilon. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.5–2.3.

Epigraphic field 2

Position

In the top right corner. 

Lettering

The same as Text 1. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.5–2.3.

Epigraphic field 3

Position

In the bottom left corner. 

Lettering

The same as Text 1. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.5–2.3.

Text

Category

Invocative, demonstrative, building inscription. 

Date

VIII – 1st third of IXth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography, formula, terminology. 

Editions

L1. Vinogradov 2011, 224–227, № 5. 

Edition

1
῏Ο θ(ε)έ,
β̣ο̣ήθ̣η̣.
2
[Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς] Χ̣(ριστὸ)[ς]
ν̣ι̣κ̣ᾷ.
3
+ Ἀ̣ν̣έ̣θ̣η̣-
σαν̣ ο̣ἱ̣ Χ-
ερσά̣κ̣ε̣ς
τοῦ̣το.

Diplomatic

1
᾿ΟΘΕ
..Η..
2
[..].[.]
...Α
3
+.....
ΣΑ...Χ
ΕΡΣ...Σ
ΤΟ.ΤΟ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1"> <ab> <lb n="1"/>῏Ο <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>ε</ex><abbr>έ</abbr></expan></roleName>, <lb n="2"/><unclear>βο</unclear>ή<unclear>θη</unclear>. </ab> </div>
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2"> <ab> <lb n="1"/><supplied reason="lost"><expan><abbr>Ἰ</abbr><ex>ησοῦ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan></supplied> <expan><abbr><unclear>Χ</unclear></abbr><ex>ριστὸ</ex><abbr><supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied></abbr></expan> <lb n="2"/><unclear>νικ</unclear>ᾷ. </ab> </div>
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="3"> <ab> <lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> <unclear>Ἀνέθη</unclear><lb n="2" break="no"/>σα<unclear>ν</unclear> <unclear>οἱ</unclear> Χ<lb n="3" break="no"/>ερσ<unclear>άκε</unclear>ς <lb n="4"/>το<unclear>ῦ</unclear>το. </ab> </div>

Translation

1

O God, help.

2

[Jesus] Christ is victoroius.

3

Chersakes dedicated this.

 

Commentary

The side-by-side use of two types of alpha (with broken crossbar and with slanting crossbar), as well as the use of semicircular epsilon occur in Cherson only in the Xth century (V 67). This dating is supported by the formula used in Text 2 (see IV.3.C.e.).

The invocation "O God, help" is attested in Christian inscriptions thirteen times, according to PHI7 Database.

Concerning the formula, see IV.3.C.e.

1-2. This type of building formula is widely attested, including, as here, the incorrect use of the verbal form (see Studia Pontica 13; Helenopontus), although in our case we cannot exclude a variant - ἀνέστησαν.

2-3. In this inscription, as well as in V 122, the residents of Cherson are called Chersakes/Chersakoi (see commentary to V 122).

The fact that the building inscription is made in the name of the town residents fits well with the textual evidence on the self-governance of Cherson (Sorochan 2005). The most plausible date for the setting up of this inscription is before the creation of the thema. Unfortunately, because its find spot is unknown, it is impossible to tell to which structure the inscription was referring.

 

Images

(cc) © 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
You may download this inscription in EpiDoc XML. (This file should validate to the EpiDoc schema.)