V 62. Cherson. Epitaph of Anastasios, Mary and Thais, VIth century C.E.

Monument

Type

Panel. 

Material

Local limestone. 

Dimensions (cm)

H. 67.0, W. 31.0, Th. 18.0.

Additional description

Panel in the shape of Latin cross with widening arms and rectangular projection at the top. Chipped at the bottom; weathered surface. 

Place of Origin

Cherson. 

Find place

Sevastopol (Chersonesos). 

Find context

Necropolis by the Quarantine Bay, Burial vault 2281. 

Find circumstances

1907, excavations of K.K. Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich. 

Modern location

Sevastopol, Ukraine. 

Institution and inventory

National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 4144. 

Autopsy

Май 1999, август 2001, сентябрь 2002, сентябрь 2003, сентябрь 2004, сентябрь 2005, сентябрь 2006, сентябрь 2007. 

Epigraphic field 1

Position

Left and right arm of the cross. 

Lettering

Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.5–2.0.

Text 1

Category

Demonstrative. 

Date

VIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

Unpublished. 

Edition

Α Ω̣.

Diplomatic

Α.

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/>Α <unclear>Ω</unclear>.
      </ab>
   </div> 

Translation

Alpha, omega.

 

Commentary

The monument was found in the earth infill of a burial vault (Kostsyushko-Valyuzhinich 1911, 52). We are dealing with a family burial: apparently the wife and relatives of the man who set up the tombstone were buried there.

On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.C.d.

On tombstones in the shape of a cross, see commentary to V 61. An addition of "servant of God," instead of the typical "your servant" is attested only in an Attic inscription - IG III, 3536.

 

Images

Epigraphic field 2

Position

The intersection, and all arms of the cross except the bottom. 

Lettering

Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, lunate epsilon and sigma, У-shaped and V-shaped upsilon. 

Letterheights (cm)

1.5–2.0.

Text 2

Category

Epitaph. 

Date

VIth century C.E. 

Dating criteria

Palaeography. 

Editions

L1. Latyshev 1908, 28–29, № 22. 

Edition

Κύριε, ἀνάπαυσο[ν]
[τὸν] δοῦλον τοῦ θ(εο)[ῦ]
Ἀν̣αστασίου,
[Μ]α̣ρήας κ̣αὶ
5[Θ]α̣[ΐ]δος, τῖς Συμ̣-
όνου συμ̣β̣ήου, τοῦ.

Diplomatic

ΚΥΡΙΕΑΝΑΠΑΥΣΟ[.]
[...]ΔΟΥΛΟΝΤΟΥΘ[.]
Α.ΑΣΤΑΣΙΟΥ
[.].ΡΗΑΣ.ΑΙ
5[.].[.]ΔΟΣΤΙΣΣΥ.
ΟΝΟΥΣΥ..ΗΟΥΤΟΥ

EpiDoc (XML)

<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
      <ab>
      <lb n="1"/><roleName>Κύριε</roleName>,
      ἀνάπαυσο<supplied reason="lost">ν</supplied>
      <lb n="2"/><supplied reason="lost">τὸν</supplied> δοῦλον
      τοῦ
      <roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr><supplied reason="lost">ῦ</supplied></abbr></expan></roleName>
      <lb n="3"/>Ἀ<unclear>ν</unclear>αστασίου,
      <lb n="4"/><supplied reason="lost">Μ</supplied><unclear>α</unclear>ρήας
      <unclear>κ</unclear>αὶ
      <lb n="5"/><supplied reason="lost">Θ</supplied><unclear>α</unclear><supplied reason="lost">ΐ</supplied>δος,
      τῖς Συ<unclear>μ</unclear><lb n="6" break="no"/>όνου συ<unclear>μβ</unclear>ήου,
      τοῦ.
      </ab>
   </div> 
 
Apparatus criticus

2: δούλον Σου Latyshev
3: Ἀναστάσιον Latyshev
4-6: ....ας.η....ὅστις.......συ[νβ]ήου... Latyshev

Translation

Lord, grant rest to the servant of God Anastasios, to Mary, and to Thais, the wife of Simon.

 

Commentary

1–2. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.b.

3-6. The names take their genitive form (instead of accusative) probably under the influence of the preceding θεοῦ. The name Anastasios is securely attested in the Christian calendar (Delehaye 1902, 161, 281, 413; 56), as well as Christian names Simon (see commentary to V 206) and Mary (V 227 and V 235), which are also known in the Byzantine epigraphy of the Northern Black Sea region. The name Thais is attested in Christian epigraphy only once, in Syracuse (Ferrua 1941, 235, № 129).

6. The text is apparently unfinished.

The script of our inscription is close to that of V 60, and alpha in Text 1 bears affinity to V 60. On tombstones in the shape of a cross, see commentary to V 61.

 

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