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E00807: Greek inscription labelling a metaton (probably a hostel for pilgrims) of a church dedicated to *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033). Found in Miletos (Caria, western Asia Minor), probably late antique (5th/8th c.).

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posted on 2015-10-21, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

+ μετᾶτον
τῆς ἁγίας Μα-
[ρ]̣ί̣ας τῆς Θεο-
vacat τ[όκου] +

'+ Hostel (of the church) of Mary the Theot[okos] +'

Text: Milet VI/2, no. 962.

History

Evidence ID

E00807

Saint Name

Mary, Mother of Christ : S00033

Saint Name in Source

Μαρία

Related Saint Records

https://oxford.figshare.com/articles/Mary_Mother_of_Christ/13729186

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

431

Evidence not after

800

Activity not before

431

Activity not after

800

Place of Evidence - Region

Asia Minor

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Miletus

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Miletus Nicomedia Νικομήδεια Nikomēdeia Izmit Πραίνετος Prainetos Nicomedia

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - independent (church)

Cult activities - Places Named after Saint

Hospital and other charitable institutions

Source

Grey marble block, in the local museum of Miletos (Caria, western Asia Minor). H. 0.24 m; W. 0.35 m; Th. 0.19 m. Letter height 0.03-0.04 m.

Discussion

The inscription labels a μητᾶτον owned by a Milesian sanctuary of *Mary (Mother of Christ). The Greek word μετᾶτον is a rendering of the Latin metatum / habitaculum which means garrison or hostel. Several Syrian inscriptions attest to metata called after saints, which are usually considered as garrisons, see E01834 and Key Fowden 1999, 4, 113-114. In our case, in demilitarised western Asia Minor, it is, however, more likely that we are dealing with quarters for pilgrims visiting the mentioned sanctuary, for this meaning of metatum see Kramer 2011, 34-37; cf. E01632; E01834. As Mary is called Θεοτόκος the inscription almost certainly postdates the council of Ephesos 431.

Bibliography

Edition: Herrmann, P. (ed.), Milet. Ergebnisse der Ausgrabungen und Untersuchungen seit dem Jahre 1899, vol. 6: Die Inschriften von Milet, part 2 (Berlin – New York 1998), no. 962. Inscriptiones Christianae Graecae database, no. 1720: http://www.epigraph.topoi.org/ica/icamainapp/inscription/show/1720 Reference works: L'Année épigraphique (1998), 1360. Chroniques d'épigraphie byzantine, 304. Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 48, 1411. For the meaning of the term metatum, see: Key Fowden, E., The Barbarian Plain: St. Sergius between Rome and Iran (Transformation of the classical heritage 28, Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999), 4, 113-114. Kramer, J., Von der Papyrologie zur Romanistik (Archiv für Papyrusforschung. Beiheft 30, Berlin – New York: De Gruyter, 2011), 34-37.

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Keywords

S00033 History

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CC0

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