Baḥan - ST. STEPHEN

Inscription number: 
1
Epigraphical corpora: 

SEG 32 (1982): 1516; 64 (2014): 1803

Inscription type: 
building
Location: 

In the western part of the lower mosaic pavement of the nave.

Physical description : 

One-line mosaic inscription.

Text: 

[- ? -προσε]νέν[καντος? - ? -] δι(ὰ) [τ]οῦ θεοφ(ι)λ(εστάτου) κ(ε)φ(αλαιωτοῦ) Ἰουλιανοῦ μ(ο)ν(αχοῦ) [ἡ τοῦ] ἁγ(ίου) [ο]ἴκου περίοδ(ος) ἐγένετο.

Translation: 

- - - having offered (?) - - through the most God-loving headman Julian, monk, the periodos (?) of this holy house (church) was built.

Apparatus: 

Abbreviations by S || δι(ά),  Di Segni (ΔΙS, mosaic); ]δις,  ed.pr., SEG || κ(ε)φ(αλαιωτοῦ), ‘headman,’ cf. capitularius, ‘secretary and treasurer of a group of landowners or artisans, acting as tax collector,’ here in an instrumental role but not himself the donor,  Di Segni; κ(ε)φ(αλαίου),  ed.pr., SEG || μ(ο)ν(αχοῦ), Di Segni; ΜΝ,  ed.pr., SEG || περίοδ(ος): possibly ‘monumental entrance’ to the church, cf. IG XI.2.158 A 65 for the sense ‘entrance to a sacred enclosure,’  Di Segni; ‘portico,’  ed.pr.

Commentary: 

Περίοδος may be equivalent to ἔμβολον = aisle, or it may indicates the entrance to a sacred enclosure, in this case the monumental entrance into the church.

Date: 
6th cent.
Summary: 

Long one-line mosaic building inscription in the western part of the nave.

Contents
Actions: 
built, erected/was built, was erected
offered
Definitions of building/part of building: 
embolos (aisle)
oikos
Monastical titles: 
monachos/monazon
Epithets of clergy/monks: 
God-loving (theophiles)
Function descriptions (clergy/monks): 
headman (kephalaiotes)
Personal names: 
Iulianus
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
stigma