E01930: Greek and Syriac inscriptions from the lid of a sarcophagus, marking it as the tomb of a certain 'Saint (hagios) Thomas', possibly *Thomas Salos, a holy monk from Coelesyria, mentioned by Evagrius in his Church History (S01123). Found at Krād ad-Dāsiniya near Ḥimṣ/Emesa (northwest Phoenicia). Probably mid-6th c.

https://doi.org/10.25446/oxford.13812263

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posted on 2016-10-17, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

A: On one of the faces of the lid, between carvings of two circles containing crosses. εὐσέ|φ|ου|ραν (?) εὐσέ|φ|ου|ραν = εἰσεσφόρουν or εἰσεφόρ(ησ)αν Mouterde '(Those who follow) made contributions.' B: To the right of the right-hand circle. Text 2 is within a tabula ansata. Text 3 is on a band, running along the bottom edge of the lid. + Βαραχεος (καὶ) Θω|μᾶ<ς> τεχ(νῖται). '+ Baracheos and Thomas, artisans.' + σωρὸς τ|οῦ ἁγίου | Θωμᾶ. 'The tomb of Saint Thomas.' + Σαμούελος πρ(εσβύτερος) ἀρχεμανδρ(ίτης). + 'Samouelos, presbyter (and) abbot (archimandrites). +' C: On the other face of the sarcophagus, to the right and to the left of a circle containing a cross. + Ἰωάννου | Λαζάρου, | + Ανδρέας | Ἰωάννου, | + Ἰωάννις Β|ασίλου '+ Ioannes, son of Lazaros; + Andreas, son of Ioannes; + Ioannis, son of Basilios.' Γεώργις μά̣γ̣(ιστρος) (?) | Ἰοάνου. + 'Georgios the magistros (?), son of Ioannes. +' A scarcely legible text in Syriac. The editors managed to read line 2 (TWM'/'Thomas'), line 3 (BR KHD ŠMŠ/'Bar KHD Šamaša, or: son of Kahed (?), deacon'), and line 4 (possibly: GLFTH/'I carved it'). As the contents of the Syriac inscription is very doubtful, only a hypothetical transliteration is offered. D: On one of the narrow ends, to the right and two the left of a carved cross. Α Ω + Γαια|νοῦ | προσκ(ύνημα) '+ The veneration by Gaianos.' Ἰωά[ν]|ου (καὶ) Ῥ[․]|αν[․]|ικ[οῦ] 'Of Ioannes and R[-]an[-]ikos.' Text: IGLS 5, no. 2143.

History

Evidence ID

E01930

Saint Name

Thomas (unspecified) : S00842 Thomas the Fool (Salos), a holy monk of Syria. Ob. before 551. : S01123

Saint Name in Source

Θωμᾶς

Related Saint Records

Image Caption 1

Drawing. From: IGLS 5, 85.

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Inscribed objects Inscriptions - Funerary inscriptions

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

500

Evidence not after

551

Activity not before

500

Activity not after

551

Place of Evidence - Region

Syria with Phoenicia Syria with Phoenicia

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Ḥimṣ/Emesa Krād ad-Dāsiniya

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

Ḥimṣ/Emesa Thabbora Thabbora Krād ad-Dāsiniya Thabbora Thabbora

Cult activities - Places

Burial site of a saint - tomb/grave

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings

Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy Ecclesiastics - abbots Merchants and artisans Other lay individuals/ people

Source

For the layout of the inscription, see the enclosed images.

Discussion

This is a rare case where we may have a reference to a holy monk in an inscription.

Bibliography

Edition: Jalabert, L., Mouterde, R., Mondésert, C., Les inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie, vol. 5: Émésène (BAH 66, Paris: P. Guethner, 1959), no. 2143. Ronzevalle, S., "", Rev. de l'Orient chrétien 7 (1902), 386-409 (Syriac text). Lammens, H., , Le musée belge: revue de philologie classique 6 (1902), 43, no. 78 (with a photograph). Lammens, H., “Le pays des Nosairis. Itinéraire et notes archéologiques”, Le musée belge: revue de philologie classique 4 (1900), 294, no. 21. Woosley, , Bibliotheca sacra a. Theological Review , sec. ser., VI, 1849, p. 389, no. 16 (cf. V, 1848, p. 690) (from a copy by Forest; partial edition: Texts B3 and D). Further reading: Peeters, P., "Saint Thomas d'Émèse et la Vie de sainte Marthe", Analecta Bollandiana 45 (1927), 288-292. Leclercq, H., "Émésène", DACL, col. 2724.