E01153: An ostracon with a fragmentary Greek inscription mentioning unnamed *Apostles, and possibly *Philip the Deacon and Evangelist (S00604). Found at Hierapolis (Phrygia, west central Asia Minor). Probably late antique.
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posted on 2016-02-26, 00:00authored bypnowakowski
An ostracon, found near the Byzantine church, to the east of the agora.
Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Discussion
Paul Arthur, the first editor of the inscription, supposed that it mentioned a single, unnamed Apostle, whom he identified as Philip, since Hierapolis was a major place of his cult. However, Ulrich Huttner rightly points out that the word 'Apostle' in line 1 is in the plural form. Therefore, the inscription refers to a group of unspecified Apostles. The purpose of this fragmentary text is unclear.
We hypothetically suggest that, providing that Huttner's reading is correct, line 2 may contain a quotation of Acts 8:10: οὗτός ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ καλουμένη Μεγάλη/'This man is the power of God called Great', here modified as οὗτός ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ δη]μ<ιου>ργοῦ ἡ καλο[υμένη Μεγάλη/'This man is the power of the Creator called Great', instead of the regular form. A possible connection between our ostracon and the passage from Acts 8 is probable, as this chapter describes the encounter of Philip (probably the Deacon and Evangelist) with Simon the Magician. Another possibility, kindly suggested to us by Francesco Guizzi in a letter, is that line 2 contains a personal name.
Bibliography
Edition:
Ritti, T., Storia e istituzioni di Hierapolis. Hierapolis di Frigia IX (Istanbul: Ege Yayınları, 2017), 228 (line 1).
Arthur, P., Byzantine and Turkish Hierapolis (Pamukkale): an archaeological guide (Istanbul: Ege Yayınları, 2006), 121.
Inscriptiones Christianae Graecae database, no. 934: http://www.epigraph.topoi.org/ica/icamainapp/inscription/show/934