E00862: Greek invocation of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) by Modestos, perhaps archbishop of Myra (Lycia, south-west Asia Minor). Found in Myra. Probably 6th c.
Upper part of a limestone block with a carved cross. Lines 1 and 2 are on the left and right side of the upper branch of the cross. Line 3 is on the left and right of the lower branch. Found in the church of *Nicholas of Myra in Myra (Lycia, southern Asia Minor).
Discussion
The inscription must postdate the reconstruction of the church of *Nicholas of Myra in 520. Modestos is otherwise unknown; he was certainly a priest, that he was archbishop or abbot is much less certain, given the poor state of preservation of the inscription.
Bibliography
Edition:
Ötüken, Y., "1996 Yılı demre – Aziz Nikolas Kiisesi Kazısı [Excavations in the church of Saint Nicolas in Myra in 1996 – published in Turkish]", Kazi Sonuçlari Toplantısı 19/2 (1997), 545.
Further Reading:
Destephen, S., Prosopographie du Diocese d'Asie (325-641) (Prosopographie chrétienne du Bas-Empire 3, Paris: Association des amis du centre d'histoire et civilisation de Byzance, 2008), Modestos 4.
Reference works:
Chroniques d'épigraphie byzantine, 343, 733.
Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 47, 1817.