V 48. Cherson. Invocation of Nicholas, Nikandros and Nikon, 1202–1203 C.E.

Monument

Type

Base of cross. 

Material

Spongy yellowish limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H. 32.0, W. 47.0, Th. 16.0.

Additional description

Stone slab, its front cut in the shape of a semicircular niche, with a framing band in high relief (Depth 0.02m). There are traces of ochre inside the frame. Damaged on all sides except the bottom. The right of the back side is broken off. The front surface is worn and chipped. 

Place of Origin

Cherson. 

Find place

Sevastopol (Chersonesos). 

Find context

Necropolis near the Extramural Cruciform Church, in front of Burial vault 2131, earth infill. 

Find circumstances

1906, excavations of K.K. Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich. 

Modern location

Sevastopol, Crimea. 

Institution and inventory

National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 80/36504. 

Autopsy

May 1999, August 2001, September 2002, September 2003, September 2004, September 2005, September 2006, September 2007. 

Epigraphic field

Position

Within a frame. 

Lettering

Lapidary. Late minuscule beta, minuscule lambda and nu; abbreviations. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.5–3.

Text

Category

Invocative inscription. 

Date

1202–1203 C.E. 

Dating criteria

Explicit date. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev 1907, 38–39, № 21; 2. Vinogradov 2009, 246–247. 

Edition

+ Χ(ριστ)έ, βοήθ(ει) Νι[κ]όλ[αον κα]ὶ Νί[καν-]
δρον καὶ [Ν]ίκον[α]. [...] ιγ´.
+ Ἔτ(ους) ͵ςψια´.

Diplomatic

+ΧΕΒΟΗΘΝΙ[.]ΟΛ[.....]ΙΝΙ[...-]
ΔΡΟΝΚΑΙ[.]ΙΚΟΝ[.···]ΙΓ
+ΕΤΣΨΙΑ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
   <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> <expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστ</ex><abbr>έ</abbr></expan>, 
    <expan><abbr>βοήθ</abbr><ex>ει</ex></expan>
      Νι<supplied reason="lost">κ</supplied>όλ<supplied reason="lost">αον</supplied> 
    <supplied reason="lost">κα</supplied>ὶ
      Νί<supplied reason="lost">καν</supplied><lb n="2" break="no"/>δρον καὶ
      <supplied reason="lost">Ν</supplied>ίκον<supplied reason="lost">α</supplied>.
      <gap reason="lost" quantity="3" unit="character"/> <date><num value="13">ιγ</num>.
      <lb n="3"/><g ref="#stauros"/> <expan><abbr>Ἔτ</abbr><ex>ους</ex></expan>
      <num value="6711">ςψια</num></date>.
   </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

1: ιγ´: om. Latyshev

Translation

Christ, help Ni[colaos], Ni[kandros] and N[ikon].

 

Commentary

1. On the formula, see IV.3.E.a. Although the stone was found at the entrance to a burial vault, it is not a tombstone: the stone could have fallen in when Burial vault 2131 was dug up by robbers, and this scenario is the more likely because the stone is not preserved in full. It may well have been taken from the nearby Extramural Cruciform Church, and for some random reason, which we cannot guess.

The name Nicholas occurs in Cherson also in V 4, V 67, V 82.2, V 90.5.

2. Christian names Nikandros and Nikon are not otherwise known in Crimea. The combination of names suggests a group of monks. It is possible that a monastery associated with the Extramural Cruciform Church and mentioned in the Passion of Pope Martin I (VIIth centiury) continued to exist up to the early XIIIth century. In any case, is the last piece of evidence connected to this particular church.

2-3. The numeral 13 should be the day of the month (apparently, judging by the size of lacuna, expressed by a numeral: cf. V 60,V 89.3, V 151), since the year 6711 since Creation corresponds to the 13th, not the 6th indiction.

The shape of the monument is similar to that of V 45.

 

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.)