205-208, no. 2, figs. 1, 3 (phs.) (ed. pr.) |
Findspot: In the mosaic pavement in the middle of the northern aisle, 4.40 m west of the chamber (pastophorium) doorway at the eastern edge of the aisle, facing east. Discovered during the 2019 excavation.
Pres. location: In situ.
Six-line mosaic inscription within a tabula ansata, fully preserved and laid in black tesserae.
Dimensions: Tabula ansata – 1.20 × 0.65 m; inscription maximum dimensions – 0.54 (h) × 0.71 (w) m; average letter height – 6.3 cm (4-5 tesserae).
Ἀβ(β)ᾶς Θεόδο-
ρος καὶ ἀβ(β)ᾶς Πέ-
τρος, ὅτι α(ὐ)τὺ ἔκ-
4 τεισαν τὰ δύω
μετρίδια (?) τοῦ μ-
αρτύριον τοῦτο.
Father Theodoros and father Petros (sc. are remembered here), because they themselves founded/built the two μετρίδια (?) of this sanctuary. (Staab–Eisenberg)
Six-line mosaic inscription of fathers Theodorus and Petrus, in the middle of the northern aisle.
Μετρίδιον is obviously a diminutive based on μέτρον, a word that in patristic Greek may mean also “limit” or “degree”, which in the present context might mean “two partitions” (separation screens?) or “two steps”. For further discussion on the possible meanings of μετρίδια, see Staab–Eisenberg.