E01776: Floor-mosaics with Greek inscriptions from a monastic church of *Sergios (soldier and martyr in Rusafa, S00023), at Khirbet esh-Shubeika near Tyre (north west Galilee/southwest Phoenicia), commemorating possibly the foundation, and the subsequent enlargement and restorations of the shrine. Probably the late 6th-7th to the early 9th c. (mentioned dates: 784/785, or 785/786, or 801/802).

Inscription 1:

An unframed mosaic floor inscription, situated in front of the bema, between a mosaic cross and a rosette ('spinning wheel') with a cross in the middle. The editor says that it was uncovered 'after the removal of the phase IV bema wall.'

Ζειρουβέος
δειάκων
Ζαννέος διάκων

'Zeiroubeos, deacon, Zanneos, deacon.'

Text: Tzaferis 2003, no. 3.

The inscription probably commemorated some works on the bema: possibly its construction or extension and perhaps paving. It mentions two deacons bearing Semitic names. Tzaferis notes that the first name, Zeiroubeos, has been so far unattested (the reading is, nonetheless certain, as the letters are large and clear). On the other hand, the name Zanneos appears frequently in south Judaea and in the Negev.

Considering its archaeological context (covered by later structures), it is possible that the mosaic records the earliest phase of the construction of the sanctuary in the 6th or 7th c.

Inscription 2:

A fragmentary framed mosaic floor panel in the north aisle. H. 0.85 m; W. 1.37 m; letter height c. 0.09 m. Black letters on white background, black lining. The date is written in cursive Greek. After the first edition by Tzaferis, an improved one was offered by Leah Di Segni.

+ ἐ[πὶ τοῦ μητροπ]ο̣λήτου {η}
ἡμ[ῶν Ἀναστ]ασίου κὲ Π-
ροκοπί[ου ἡ]γουμ[έν]ου ἐ-
γένετο τὸ πᾶν [ἔργ]̣ον
τοῦ ἁγήου Σεργίου· ἰψιφό-
[σε]ος ἔτους ˏϛcϞγ΄

5-6. ἰψιφό|[σε]ος Feissel, ἰψιφό|[θη κτίσε]ος Di Segni Tzaferis

'Under our metropolitan bishop Anastasios and the abbot (higoumenos) Prokopios, all the work of Saint Sergios was completed. The paving (was done) in the year 6293.'

Text: Di Segni 2003, 257 with completions by Feissel in BE (2005), 524. Translation: Vassilios Tzaferis, lightly altered.

This is the most important inscription from the church. It probably commemorates the enlargement of the bema and paving of the floor in the north aisle.

Based on the reference to a metropolitan bishop in line 1, Khirbet esh-Shubeika was ascribed to the territory of the metropolitan see of Tyre, the closest metropolitan bishopric (the remote metropoleis of Caesarea Maritima in Palaestina I and of Bet-Shean/Scythopolis in Palaestina II are unlikely to be meant here), and thus we can conclude that it belonged to the cultural area of southwest Syria (though in geographical terms it is sited in northwest Galilee). The other ecclesiastic, mentioned in lines 2-3, bears the title of an abbot (higoumenos), which suggests that our church was probably a monastic sanctuary.

Line 6 contains a date, given in the era of creation (anno mundi): the year 6293. Tzaferis notes that we have evidence for the use of three different creation eras in Palestine, and therefore the date might correspond to AD 784/785 (if the author used the so-called proto-Byzantine era of creation), AD 785/786 (if the author used the Byzantine era of creation; preferred by Tzaferis and by Gatier 2011, 12, 15-16), or AD 801/802 (if we have here the Alexandrine era of creation). Anyway, the inscription dates to about a century after the Arab conquest of Palestine and is just above our chronological limit. Nonetheless, we decided to include it, as it informs us of the patron saint (Sergios) of this important church, probably constructed in the 6th/7th c. It also shows that the local Christian community was still prosperous under the Muslim rule.

Inscription 3:

A framed mosaic panel in the floor of the bema. There is no published description.

+ Ἡράκ-
λιτος
διάκ(ω)ν,
Ἀλεξά̣ν-
δρα

'+ Heraklitos, deacon, Alexandra.'

Text: Tzaferis 2003, no. 1.

The inscription mentions two names, apparently of donors. Based on the location of the panel, Vassilios Tzaferis supposes that they funded the paving of the bema in one of the last phases of the existence of the church. The shape of letters and the archaeological context point to the 8th c.