E01080: Greek inscription commemorating the construction of a building dedicated to *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) as the God-Bearer, probably a village church. Found near Flaviopolis (Cilicia, south-east Asia Minor). Very probably 590.

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posted on 2016-01-15, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

+ ἐπληρώθη τ-
ὸ ἔργον τῆς Θε-
οτόκου ἐπὶ Στεφ-
άνου ἐργολάβου ὑ-
πουργήσι τῆς κώ-
μης Σιφῶν, ἔτους θχ'

1-2. τ|ὸ Dagron and Feissel (after a photograph), τοῦτο <τὸ> Dagron & Marcillet-Jaubert, τοῦτο SEG

'+ The building of the God-Bearer (Theotokos) was completed under the contractor Stephanos with the assistance of the village Siphoi, in the year 609.'

Text: I. Cilicia, no. 113.

History

Evidence ID

E01080

Saint Name

Mary, Mother of Christ : S00033

Saint Name in Source

Θεοτόκος

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

590

Evidence not after

590

Activity not before

590

Activity not after

590

Place of Evidence - Region

Asia Minor

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Flaviopolis

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

Flaviopolis Nicomedia Νικομήδεια Nikomēdeia Izmit Πραίνετος Prainetos Nicomedia

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - unspecified

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Construction of cult buildings

Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Merchants and artisans Peasants

Source

A limestone block found at Çemkale-Farnas near ancient Flaviopolis. H. 0.31 m; W. 0.61 m; letter height 0.04 m. When recorded, it had been reused in the wall of a medieval fortress, in a section adjacent to the road leading to the main gate. The text is contained within a frame.

Discussion

The inscription commemorates the completion of a building, probably a church or a monastery, dedicated to Mary as the God-Bearer (Θεοτόκος). Stephanos, a contractor (ἐργολάβος) mentioned in lines 3-4, was the founder or entrepreneur rather than a common worker or architect. The phrase 'with the assistance of the village of Siphoi' suggests this was a village church. Dating: 590 (if the date, the year 609, is given according to the era of nearby Anazarbos, which began in 19 BC).

Bibliography

Edition: I. Cilicia - Dagron, G., Feissel, D. (eds.), Inscriptions de Cilicie (Paris: De Boccard, 1987), no. 113. Dagron, G., Marcillet-Jaubert, J., "Inscriptions de Cilicie et d'Isaurie", Belleten Türk Tarih Kurumu 42 (1978), no. 23. Reference works: Bulletin épigraphique (1979), 600. Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 28, 1260.