E01693.jpg (81.37 kB)

E01693: Greek building inscription probably commemorating the construction of a martyr shrine (martyrion) dedicated to *Sergios (soldier and martyr of Rusafa, S00023). Found at Sīfre near Lake Gabboula, Beroia/Aleppo, and Chalkis (north Syria). Dated 527/528.

online resource

posted on 2016-07-05, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

+ ἔτου[ς] ἐκτ<ίσθη>
θλω΄ τὼ μαρ(τύριον)
Σεργ(ίου) τοῦ ἁγ<ί>(ου)

'+ The martyr shrine of Saint Sergios was built in the year 839.'

Text: IGLS 2, no. 258.

History

Evidence ID

E01693

Saint Name

Sergios, martyr in Syria, ob. 303-311 : S00023

Saint Name in Source

Σέργιος

Related Saint Records

https://oxford.figshare.com/articles/Sergios_soldier_and_martyr_of_Rusafa/13729165

Image Caption 1

From: IGLS 2, no. 258.

Type of Evidence

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

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

527

Evidence not after

528

Activity not before

527

Activity not after

528

Place of Evidence - Region

Syria with Phoenicia Syria with Phoenicia Syria with Phoenicia

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Beroia Chalkis Sīfre

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

Beroia Thabbora Thabbora Chalkis Thabbora Thabbora Sīfre Thabbora Thabbora

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - independent (church)

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Construction of cult buildings

Source

A stone lintel, with a carving of a cross within a circle in the centre. There are the letters Α and Ω below the horizontal arms of the cross. No published description. Found in a modern channel, 4-5 km from the village of Sīfre, close to Sugane/Sokhani. When recorded, the stone lay partially under water. Seen and copied by Joseph Dumbakly. The copy was forwarded by Sébastien Ronzevalle to Louis Jalabert and René Mouterde for publication. First published in the second volume of Les inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie in 1939.

Discussion

The layout of the inscription is problematic, but if the words were read correctly, we can accept that the inscription commemorated the construction of a martyr shrine dedicated to Sergios. The date, the year 839, is given according to the Seleucid era, which corresponds to AD 527/528.

Bibliography

Edition: Jalabert, L., Mouterde, R., Les inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie, vol. 2: Chalcidique et Antiochène (BAH 32, Paris: P. Geuthner, 1939), no. 258. Reference works: Bulletin épigraphique (1940), 172.