Nessana - Central Church

Inscription number: 
1
Selected bibliography: 
232*-235*, no. 6, fig. 6 (ph.) (ed. pr.)
737, no. 480 (Feissel)
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Epigraphical corpora: 

SEG 54 (2004): 1649

Inscription type: 
dedicatory
invocation/prayer
Location: 

"Found fragmented in several pieces among the debris of one of the twin churches excavated on the plain by the Urman-Sherewsky expedition." (Figueras)

On a moveable object: 
altar base
Physical description : 

Fragments of a plain rectangular white-grey marble slab (78 x 100 x 3-5 cm), curved on the two sides of the framework. Letters 3.5 cm high. According to Figueras, "This slab cannot be a chancel screen, but rather the platform upon which a four-leg stone altar was standing, as is obvious by the small squares (c. 15 x 15 cm each) left unpolished near the two preserved corners. A small hole in the center of each square was destined to hold the iron pin that fastened the base of the colonnette to the platform."

Text: 

[Μνήσθητι, Κύριε ?] τῶν κα]ρποφ[ορησ(άντων) κ]αὶ Γαδίμου.

☩ Επὶ τοῦ ἁγιωτ(άτου) Βίκ[τορος ἐπι]σκ(όπου) κ(αὶ) Παύ[λου ? - - - ]

Translation: 

[Lord, remember ?] those who have donated, and Gadimos. Under the most holy bishop Victor and Pau[lus? ... ] 

Apparatus: 

[- - - ]Ρ̣ΠΟΦ̣[ - - -]ΑΙΓΑΔΙΜȣ | ☩ΕΠΙΤ̣ΟΥΑΓΙԜΤSΒΙΚ[ - -]ΣΚ̷Κ̷ΠΑΙ̣ - - - Di Segni;   l.1: κα]ρποφορο[ύντων Figueras;   l.2: ]ΣΚ̷Κ̷ΠΑΤ̣ = [τοῦ ἡμῶν ἐπι]σκ(όπου) κ(αὶ) πα[τρός] Figueras.

Commentary: 

Gadimos may be the stonecutter, rather than an important villager, pace Figueras.

Summary: 

Commemorative (?) dedicatory inscription mentioning the bishop Victor, on fragments of a white-grey marble slab.

Contents
Ecclesiastical titles: 
bishop
Epithets of clergy/monks: 
most holy (hagiotatos)
Personal names: 
Gadimus, Paulus (?), Victor
Epigraphical formulae: 
Lord/Christ, remember...
those who offer/have offered/will offer
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
stigma, Κ̷, ΟΥ in ligature