Scythopolis/Beth Shean - ABBA JUSTINUS

Church/Monastery name: 
Scythopolis/Beth Shean - ABBA JUSTINUS
Inscription number: 
1
Selected bibliography: 
148, fig. XI (ph.)
129-132
555-561
49, no. 335 A
85-86
19, pl. XXII (ed. pr.)
86, no. 17
390-393, no. 102, fig. 134 (ph.)
286-287
Abbreviation for Journals and Series
Epigraphical corpora: 

SEG 8 (1937): 37

Inscription type: 
building
invocation/prayer
Location: 

On an isolated fragment of mosaic floor, east of the cemetery, on the northern bank of Nahal Harod.

Physical description : 

The inscription is set in a rectangular frame 57 cm wide, 160 cm long, the right end of which had been destroyed by a hole dug by tomb-robbers. The frame joins a mosaic carpet, most of which has disappeared; remains of plastered walls were observed on the northern and eastern side of the mosaic floor. The text, oriented to the north, begins with a stylized flower; the letters are square.

Text: 

     ✽ Ἐκτίσθι τὸ μον(αστήριον) τ(οῦτο) τοῦ ἀββ[ᾶ Ἰουσ-]

     τίνου τοῦ ἀποκ(λεισ)τ(οῦ) ἐν χρόν(οις) [ἰνδ(ικτιῶνος)]

     ειʹ ἔτους επφʹ ἐν μη(νὶ) Πανίμ(ου) κ[ .ʹ κ(αὶ) ἐν τǫ̃ α-]

4   ὐτǫ̃ ἐνιαυτǫ̃ ἀπεκ(λείσθη) ἐν μη(νὶ) Σε(π)τ(εμβρίου) [ . . ἰνδ(ικτιῶνος) αʹ].


     Πρ(οσ)φ(ο)ρ(ὰ) Ἀνοισίου σχο(λαστικοῦ). Κ(ύρι)ε, βο(ήθησο)ν. [Ἀμήν. ☩ ]

Translation: 

This monastery of Abba Justin (?) the recluse was built in the time of the 15th indiction on the 2[.]th of Panemos of the year 585, and he was enclosed in the same year, on the [..]th of September [of the 1st indiction]. An offering of Anoisius the advocate. Lord, help. [Amen].

Apparatus: 

L.1 τ(ό) Vincent, Starr, Avi-Yonah,  τ(οῦτο) Alt, SEG, Meimaris;  ll.1-2 [Αὐγουσ]|τίνου Alt, Avi-Yonah;  l.2 ἀπὸ κ´ ? τ´ ? Alt, Avi-Yonah,  ἀποκ(ρισαρίου) τ(ε) Vincent, Starr, Fitzgerald,  ἀποκ(ρισαρίου) τ(οπικοῦ) W.H. Buckler (SEG), Meimaris,  ἀποκ(τίσαντος) τ(οῦτο) Mouterde in SEG,  I prefer ἀποκ(λεισ)τ(οῦ), suggested by ἀπεκ(λείσθη), Buckler's choice for l.4: the abbreviation is basically the same, making allowance for the different form of the verb;  l.3 The horizontal line on Κ continues to the right, indicating the presence of a second digit, now lost;  l.4 ἀπεκ(ατεστάθη), i.e. "(the monsatery) was established"  Vincent, Starr, FitzGerald, Meimaris,  ἀπεκ(αινίσθη), "was inaugerated"  Alt, Avi-Yonah,  ἀπεκ(λείσθη) Buckler (SEG);  l.5 ἐκ πρ(οσ)φ(ο)ρ(ᾶς) Ἀνοισίου Alt, Avi-Yonah,   πρ(οσ)φ(ο)ρᾷ Νοισίου Mouterde,  πρ(οσ)φ(ο)ρ(ᾷ) Ἀνοισίου SEG, Meimaris,  Πρ(οσ)φ(ο)ρ]ὰ Νοισίου FitzGerald,  ⟨Διονυ⟩σίου Egger in Byzantion 20 (1950) 348;  Κ(ύρι)ε βο(ήθει) or βο(ήθησον) Ν[οισίῳ] Mouterde, Fitzgerald,  βο(ήθησον) Ν[ - - ] Alt, Avi-Yonah, Meimaris,  βο(ήθησο)ν [αὐτῷ] Buckler (SEG),  I prefer Κ(ύρι)ε βο(ήθησο)ν, with the common addition Ἀμήν and cross to fill up the rest of the line.

Commentary: 

Year 585 of the city era corresponds to 521/2, and Panemos fell in June-July. The day can be anyone from the 21st to the 29th of the month. July 522 fell in the 15th indiction.

For a discussion on the names and identities, see Di Segni.

Given date: 
year
month
day of the month
indiction
Date: 
September 522
Summary: 

Dated building inscription in a rectangular frame, found on an isolated fragment of mosaic floor, September 522.

Contents
Actions: 
built, erected/was built, was erected
Definitions of building/part of building: 
moné/monasterion
Monastical titles: 
recluse
Epithets of clergy/monks: 
abba
Personal names: 
Anoisius, Iustinus (?)
Professions: 
advocate (scholastikos)
Epigraphical formulae: 
Lord/Christ, help...
offering (prosphorá/karpophoria)
amen
Epigraphical Abbreviations: 
lifted letters, stigma, horizontal stroke over nomen sacrum and for numerals, monograms of ΠΡ and ΦΡ in line 5