48, no. 47, ph. 42, fig. 1 (ed. pr.) | |
272, no. 419 | |
831-832, no. 331, figs. 381 A-B (ph., dr.) |
SEG 31 (1981): 1425
Findspot: On a tombstone in the narthex.
Pres. loc.: IAA, Inv. no. 36.1270, neg. no. 19.731.
The epitaph is engraved on a tombstone decorated with a carved double frame and a band with three crosses below the inscription. At the end of l.2 a curvilinear mark rather like a stigma is introducted to fill a gap for the sake of symmetry. The eta at the end of l.3 has a sloping bar, rather like a nu. The cursive omega in l.3 is noteworthy, as is the upsilon, which has drooping tips, and in one case, decorative "epaulets". The text begins and ends with crosses.
☩ Ἐνθάδε κατε[τέθ]⟨η⟩ ὁ
μακάριος Ῥωμανὸς
Ἰωάννου μηνὶ Αὐδ(υναίῳ)
κδʹ ἰνδ(ικτιῶνος) ιεʹ ἔτους υϙαʹ. ☩
Here was laid to rest the blessed Romanus (son) of John, on the 24th in the month of Audynaios of the 15th indiction, year 491.
L.1 κατετέθη Negev, SEG, κατε̣[τέθ]⟨η⟩ Meimaris; l.3 stigma at the end missing from dr. but visible in ph., same for horizontal mark on digits indicating the year in l.4.
Dated epitaph of Romanus son of John, on a decorated tombstone found in the narthex, 9 January 597.
Year 491 of the era of Arabia fell in 596/7. Audynaios in the Arabian calendar began on 17 December. The date thus corresponds to 9 January 597, in the 15th indiction.