E01065: Labels of tombs at Korykos/Corycus (Cilicia, south-east Asia Minor), owned by a charitable institution named after *Konon (one of the several homonymous martyrs of Anatolia, probably that of Isauria, S00430), and perhaps affiliated to a church dedicated to the saint. Probably late 5th or 6th c.

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posted on 2016-01-08, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

Inscription 1:

On the lid of a sarcophagus. The inscription is written within a frame. Letter height 0.045-0.055 m. Recorded in 1925.

+ σοματοθήκη δηαφέ-
ρουσα τοῦ εὐαγοῦς
πτωχίου τοῦ
ἁγίου Κόνωνος

'+ Sarcophagus belonging to the reverend charitable institution of Saint Konon'

Text: MAMA III, no. 783.

Inscription 2:

A sarcophagus. Letter height 0.04-0.06 m. Recorded in 1914.

+ σοματοθίκη
τοῦ πτοχίου τοῦ ἁγ(ίου)
Κόνω̣νος

'+ Sarcophagus of the charitable institution of Saint Konon.'

Text: MAMA III, no. 784.

Inscription 3:

The lid of a sarcophagus. The inscription is framed a tabula ansata. Letter height 0.055 m. Recorded in 1914.

+ σωματοθή-
κη τῶ πτοχ-
ίω τοῦ ἁγί-
ου Κόνω(νος)

'+ Sarcophagus of the charitable institution of Saint Konon.'

Text: MAMA III, no. 785.

History

Evidence ID

E01065

Saint Name

Konōn, gardener martyr in Magydos of Pamphylia : S00177 Konōn, martyr in Iconium of Lycaonia (central Asia Minor) : S00429 Konōn, martyr in Isauria (south-eastern Asia Minor) : S00430

Saint Name in Source

Κόνων Κόνων Κόνων

Related Saint Records

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Funerary inscriptions

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

450

Evidence not after

600

Activity not before

450

Activity not after

600

Place of Evidence - Region

Asia Minor

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Korykos

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

Korykos 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

Discussion

The inscriptions label tombs owned by a charitable institution (πτωχεῖον) named after Saint Konon, and perhaps affiliated to a church dedicated to the saint. There are three Anatolian saints who bore the name Konon, and we don't know which one is referred to. *Konon, martyr of Isauria (south-eastern Asia Minor) was said to have lived in the times of the Apostles (1st/2nd c.). He enjoyed the special protection of *Michael the Archangel and led a life of holiness. He was credited with working many miracles. *Konon of Magydos (Pamphylia, southern Asia Minor) was a gardener and martyr under the emperor Decius. *Konon, martyr of Iconium (Lycaonia, central Asia Minor), died under the emperor Aurelian (270-275). The Konon of Isauria, which bordered on Cilicia, is the most likely. Charitable institutions, called πτωχεῖα, were concerned with providing shelter and free burial service for the poor. Procopius (On Buildings V 9; see E05099) says that the emperor Justinian restored a charitable institution (πτωχεῖον) dedicated to Saint Konon at Corycus: πόλεως Κουρίκου λουτρὸν <καὶ> πτωχεῖον ἀνενέωσε· τὸ πτωχεῖον τοῦ ἁγίου Κόνωνος, ‘At the city of Corycus, he restored a bath and a poor-house; the poor-house of Saint Conon.' We may assume that the same institution is mentioned in our inscriptions. Dating: probably late 5th or 6th c. (based on the style of the lettering and sarcophagi).

Bibliography

Edition: Inscription 1: Hagel, St., Tomaschitz, K., (eds.), Repertorium der westkilikischen Inschriften (Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Denkschriften der philosophisch-historischen Klasse 265, Ergänzungsbände zu den Tituli Asiae Minoris 22, Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1998), no. Kry 514. Monumenta Asiae Minoris Antiqua III, no. 783 Inscription 2: Hagel, St., Tomaschitz, K., (eds.), Repertorium der westkilikischen Inschriften (Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Denkschriften der philosophisch-historischen Klasse 265, Ergänzungsbände zu den Tituli Asiae Minoris 22, Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1998), no. Kry 238. Monumenta Asiae Minoris Antiqua III, no. 784. Inscription 3: Hagel, St., Tomaschitz, K., (eds.), Repertorium der westkilikischen Inschriften (Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Denkschriften der philosophisch-historischen Klasse 265, Ergänzungsbände zu den Tituli Asiae Minoris 22, Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1998), no. Kry 245. Monumenta Asiae Minoris Antiqua III, no. 785. Further reading: Destephen, S., "Martyrs locaux et cultes civiques en Asie Mineure", in: J.C. Caillet, S. Destephen, B. Dumézil, H. Inglebert, Des dieux civiques aux saints patrons (IVe-VIIe siècle) (Paris: éditions A. & J. Picard, 2015), 106. Mietke, G., "Monumentalisierung christilcher Heiliger in Kilikien in frühbyzantinischer Zeit", Olba 17 (2009), 121.