V 189. Theodoro.Epitaph of Stephanos, 1456 C.E.
Monument
Type
Sarcophagus tombstone.
Material
Limestone.
Dimensions (cm)
H.50.0, W.182.0, Th.56.0.
Additional description
Tombstone in the shape of saddleback sacrophagus lid, in Russian known as "single-horned tombstone," on a base. Broken in two parts, with some edges and corners damaged. The surface is chipped.
Place of Origin
Theodoro.
Find place
Mangup.
Find context
Basilica, outside, by the wall of the apse.
Find circumstances
1912, excavations of R.Ch. Loeper.
Modern location
Sevastopol, Crimea.Bakhchisaray, Crimea.
Institution and inventory
National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 35124.
Institution and inventory
Bakhchisaray State Historical and Cultural Preserve, A‐B–1354.
Autopsy
May 1999, August 2001, September 2002, September 2003, September 2004, September 2005, September 2006, September 2007.September 2005.
Epigraphic field
Position
On the "horn" and the body.
Lettering
Lapidary style; elongated, ornate letters cut in relief, while the date is carved. Ligatures, abbreviations.
Letterheights (cm)
4.2–6.0.
Text
Category
Epitaph.
Date
1456 C.E.
Dating criteria
Explicit date.
Editions
L1. Vinogradov2000, 445; 1.1. Bayer2002, 220.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Ἐκημήθι ὁ δοῦλο<supplied reason="lost">ς</supplied>
<lb n="2"/>τοῦ <roleName><expan><abbr>Θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName> Στέφανος
<lb n="3"/>ἀναγνόστης, σύμβιον
<lb n="4"/>καὶ τέκνον αὐτοῦ ἐν <date><expan><abbr>μη</abbr><ex>νὶ</ex></expan>
<rs type="month" ref="nou">Νοεβρίο</rs> <num value="9">θ</num>, ἔτους <num value="6965">ςϠξε</num></date>.
</ab>
</div>Apparatus criticus
4: τέκνον λιπὼν (?)Bayer
Translation
Fell asleep: a servant of God, Stephanos, his wife and children, on the 9th of November, in the year 6965.
Commentary
Loeper (1913, 149, fig. 4; Loeper 1914) was the first to offer a reading of the inscription and to reproduce its content. The difference between the script of the text and of the date might have to do with the latter being added to the previously prepared text after the lector Stephanos' death. Thus, the date of death only dates Stephanos, and not everyone else mentioned in the text.
1–2. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.e.
2. On the name, see commentary to V 61.
3.Lectors are mentioned in several inscriptions from Mangup V 181 and V 183). We should note the ungrammatical use of cases (accusative in place of nominative) in the word σύμβιον. Bayer's conjecture has no basis: he was unaware of the common misuse of cases in Crimean inscriptions.
Images
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
You may download this inscription in EpiDoc XML. (This file should validate to theEpiDoc schema.)