Sirin - Church

Inscription number: 
1
Selected bibliography: 
65, fig. 30 (ph.) (ed. pr.)
71-72 (dr.)
48
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Epigraphical corpora: 

SEG 8 (1937): 7

Inscription type: 
building
Location: 

"In the yard of a house behind the mosque I found a basaltic stone [...] provided with a Greek inscription from the Christian Age." (Saarisalo)

Physical description : 

According to Saarisalo, "a basalistic stone, 105 cm in height and 80 cm in breadth. [...] There is a sign of the cross and the letters follow in two lines". Alt adds that the stone is obviously the left end of a massive door-lintel, and that when he saw it, it was 78.5 cm in high and 114 cm in breadth, the two lines separated by a space of 22 cm, and the letters 14.5 cm high in the first line and 11 cm in the second.

Text: 

☩ Ἐν χρ(όνοις) Ἰωάνν[ου - - ]

τὸ ἔρ(γον) τ(οῦ) φρ(ον)τ(ιστηρίου) 
ἐγ(ένετο) [ - - ]

Translation: 

In the times of John ... the work of the monastery was done.

Apparatus: 

L.2  φρ(ον)τ(ιστηρίου) Di Segni,  Ρ/Φ/☩ SEG.

Commentary: 

The formula ἐν χρόνοις typically comes with the name of a bishop, and Alt suggests that this is John, metropolitan of Scythopolis (536-548). As for the epigraphical use of φροντιστήριον, "a place of meditation" and a well-known literary term for a monastery (see Lampe, Patristic Lexicon, s.v.), see e.g. IGLS 5, no. 2160, and SEG 56:1851.

Date: 
mid. 6th cent.
Summary: 

Fragmentary two-line building inscription of John the bishop (?) mentioning a monastery, on a broken door-lintel of basalistic stone.

Contents
Actions: 
the work was done
Definitions of building/part of building: 
phrontisterion (monastery)
Personal names: 
Ioannes
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
stigmas, small diagonal stroke for χρ(όνοις) and ἔρ(γον), ΦΡ (or ΦΡΤ) in ligature