Inscriptions of the Northern Black Sea - new IOSPE

Online edition of the corpus of ancient and medieval inscriptions from the Northern Coast of the Black Sea. This database is part of an ongoing international collaborative project under the aegis of the International Union of Academies and represents a dynamic digital resource.

The present database was launched in 2013 under the title IOSPE: Ancient Inscriptions of the Northern Black Sea, which referred to the original first edition of the corpus Inscriptiones antiquae Orae Septentrionalis Ponti Euxini graecae et latinae (IOSPE), edited by V.V. Latyshev and published in 1885-1901. The second edition of IOSPE (1916) was not completed, and to distinguish this current project from its predecessors, the new publication and database were defined as the third edition and recommended for citation as IOSPE³.

The three volumes published on this site between 2015 (volume V. Byzantine Inscriptions) and 2017 (volume I. Inscriptions of Tyras and volume III. Inscriptions of Chersonesos) should continue to be cited with the abbreviation IOSPE³, followed by the volume (Roman numeral) and inscription (Arabic numeral) numbers, and a relevant URL, as noted on the landing page for each volume.

From 2021, the corpus and the database are being published under the new name Inscriptions of the Northern Black Sea. The recommended citation format is INBS, followed by the volume number (Roman numeral or a combination of Roman and Arabic numerals) and inscription number (Arabic numeral). In January 2024, the Ukrainian interface of the database was launched, and Ukrainian translations for all resources of the site will be gradually added over time. In the interim, users will be directed to the corresponding pages of the English edition.

Currently available volumes:

In preparation:

  • II.1 Graffiti and Dipinti of Borysthenes/Berezan

The database was built with the generous financial support of the A. G. Leventis Foundation. In previous years, the project was also sponsored by other organizations.

  • A. G. Leventis Foundation
  • King's College London
  • International Union of Academies