Shivta - St. George (North Church)

Inscription number: 
6
Selected bibliography: 
50-51, no. 49, ph. 44, fig. 2 (ed. pr.)
296, no. 501
147, no. 12
833-835, no. 333, figs. 383 A-B (ph., dr.)
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Epigraphical corpora: 

SEG 31 (1981): 1427

Inscription type: 
epitaph
Location: 

Findspot: On tombstone in the narthex.

Pres. loc.: IAA, Inv. no. 36.1268, neg. no. 19.741.

Physical description : 

The epitaph is engraved on a rectangular tombstone. The stone is badly worn and the photo almost useless; some details and suggestions can be extracted from the drawing.

Text: 

     ☩ Κα[τετ]έθ[η ὁ μακ(άριος)]

     Μακάριος Ζα-

     χαρίου Οβοδια-

4.  νοῦ (?) μη(νὶ) Γορπιαί-

     ου ηʹ ἰνδ(ικτιῶνος) ιεʹ ἔτους

     ☩ φλςʹ. ☩

Translation: 

The blessed Macarius (son) of Zacharias (son) of Obodianos (? -- or the subdeacon?), was laid to rest on the 8th of the month of Gorpiaios of the 15th indiction, year 536.

Apparatus: 

Ll.1-3 ὁ μακ(άριος)] Μακάριος Ζαχαρίου Colt Expedition (dr.),  [ὁ τρισ]|μακάριος Ζα|χαρίου Negev followed by SEG and Meimaris;  ll.3-4  Δ̣Μ̣|Η̣Ν̣Ο̣ΣΜ Colt Expedition,  Ο - - ΔΙΑ| μη(νί) Negev (ignoring the gap at the beginning of l.4),  Ὀ[βο]δία Bingen,  Ὀβοδια|νοῦ μηνί Gatier,  [ὑπο]διά|κονος μηνί also possible.

Commentary: 

Year 536 of the era of Arabia fell in 641/2. Gorpiaios in the Arabian calendar began on 19 August, which brings us to 26 August 641, just six days short of the beginning of the 15th indiction. Meimaris is possibly right in ascribing the discrepancy to a blunder of the stonecutter, who would have incised the epitaph after the 15th indiction had started.

The editors took μακάριος for the usual attribute of the deceased, and Ζαχαρίου for his name, mistakenly written a a genitive. This is possible, especially if we read Ὀβοδιανοῦ in ll.3-4. However, Μακάριος could well be the name of the dead man, and Ζαχαρίου his patronymic. This may still be true even if another patronymic followed. The reading ὁ [ὑπο]δια|κονος cannot also be excluded: subdeacons of the Palestinians and Egyptian churches are known from inscriptions and papyri.

Given date: 
year
month
day of the month
indiction
Date: 
26 August 641
Summary: 

Dated epitaph of Macarius son of Zacharias (?), on a rectangular tombstone found in the narthex, 26 August 641.

Contents
Actions: 
was laid to rest
Ecclesiastical titles: 
subdeacon
Titles/epithets of patrons/dedicators: 
blessed (makarios)
Personal names: 
Macarius (?), Obodianus (?), Zacharias
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
horizontal stroke for ἰνδ(ικτιῶνος)