V 79. Cherson.Epitaph of Peter, Christopher and Sisinios, VI–VIIth centuries C.E.
Monument
Type
Stele.
Material
Limestone.
Dimensions (cm)
H.40.0, W.23.0, Th.7.0.
Additional description
Stele with rounded top. On the front is a relief, vertically stretched cross. On the back is a relief four-petal rosette. Broken at the bottom, chipped on the sides.
Place of Origin
Cherson.
Institution and inventory
National Preserve of Tauric Chersonesos, 101/36504.
Epigraphic field 1
Position
In the semicircle, at the top.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, rectangular epsilon, diamond omicron, rho, and phi, lunate sigma. Ligatures: omicron-diamond rho, mu-nu-eta, eta-nu-eta.
Letterheights (cm)
1.2–2.7.
Text 1
Category
Epitaph.
Date
VI–VIIth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Soznik, Turovsky, et al.1997, 64-74; 1.1. SEG 47.1172; 2. Vinogradov2009, 242-244.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Μνῆμα
<lb n="2"/>Πέτρου ναύτου.
<lb n="3"/>Μνῆμα Χριστο<lb n="4" break="no"/>φόρου κὲ <supplied reason="lost">Σ</supplied>ηση<surplus>ν</surplus>νήου.
</ab>
</div>Apparatus criticus
4: ΗΣΗ.ΗΟΥ resp. ΚΥΡΙΕ ΒΟΗΘΕ (sic!) (?) Soznik
Translation
Monument of Peter, a sailor. Monument of Christopher and Sisinios.
Commentary
Despite the consistency of script throughout the text, the absence of a conjunction between lines 1-2 and 3-4 raises a possibility that the two sentences were not inscribed simultaneously, but "monument of Peter, a sailor" first, and "monument of Christopher and Sisinios" later.
1, 3. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.h.
3-4.On the name Christopher, see commentary to V 61. The name Sisinios (here Seseneos) is attested in the Northern Black Sea region twice: in Bulgaria, Beševliev 1964, № 100 (VIth century, Odessos) and № 181а ((VIII–IXth century, Sozopol) - in the former case, the name is accompanied by a profession, leatherworker.
The script of our inscription is similar to that of V 60, V 62 and V 78. It most likely comes from a burial vault of the Necropolis by the Extramural Church.
Images
Epigraphic field 2
Position
Below the rosette, crosswise.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, rectangular epsilon, diamond omicron, rho, and phi, lunate sigma. Ligatures: omicron-diamond rho, mu-nu-eta, eta-nu-eta.
Letterheights (cm)
1.7–3.5.
Text 2
Category
Demonstrative.
Date
VI–VIIth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Soznik, Turovsky, et al.1997,1 64-74; 1.1. SEG 47.1172.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Φῶς,
<lb n="2"/>ζωή.
</ab>
</div>Translation
Light, life.
Commentary
On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.C.b.
Epigraphic field 3
Position
Below the rosette, crosswise.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with broken crossbar, rectangular epsilon, diamond omicron, rho, and phi, lunate sigma. Ligatures: omicron-diamond rho, mu-nu-eta, eta-nu-eta.
Letterheights (cm)
2.2–7.8.
Text 3
Category
Demonstrative.
Date
VI–VIIth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Soznik, Turovsky, et al.1997, 1 64-74; 1.1. SEG 47.1172.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="3">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Φῶς,
<lb n="2"/>ζωή.
</ab>
</div>Translation
Light, life.
Commentary
On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.C.b.
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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