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E01933: Fragmentary Greek inscription possibly referring to a monastery (phrontisterion) named after *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033). Found at Garion/Ghoūr to the west of Ḥimṣ/Emesa (northwest Phoenicia). Probably 5th-7th c.

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posted on 2016-10-18, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski
[τῆς ἁγίας (?) Θεοτ]-
όκου (?) φροντισ[τήριον - - -]

'The monastery (phrontisterion) [of the Holy] God-Bearer (Theotokos) [- - -].'

Text: IGLS 5, no. 2160.

History

Evidence ID

E01933

Saint Name

Mary, Mother of Christ : S00033

Saint Name in Source

Θεοτόκος

Related Saint Records

Type of Evidence

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

Language

  • Greek

Evidence not before

431

Evidence not after

750

Activity not before

431

Activity not after

750

Place of Evidence - Region

Syria with Phoenicia Syria with Phoenicia

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Ḥimṣ/Emesa Garion/Ghoūr

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

Ḥimṣ/Emesa Thabbora Thabbora Garion/Ghoūr Thabbora Thabbora

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - monastic

Cult activities - Places Named after Saint

  • Monastery

Source

Fragment of a stone, broken and lost at the top and at both ends. H. 0.26 m; W. 0.95 m; letter height 0.10 m. When recorded it was reused in a wall, below a large cistern. Found to the east of the village by René Mouterde. First published by Mouterde in 1959 from his own copy.

Discussion

The inscription is only partially preserved but the occurrence of the word phrontisterion is certain. In the Christian period this term was sometimes used to denote monasteries but it was originally coined to name places suitable for thinking, for example the famous school of Socrates, as depicted in a passage from the Clouds by Artistophanes (see: Ar. Nubes 94). A common Christian would normally name a monastery μονή or μοναστήριον. Mouterde suggested that the term phrontisterion was here preceded by the name of the patron saint, probably Θεοτόκος/'the God-Bearer'. Although this is not impossible, we must note that normally names of patron saints followed the designations of their sanctuaries instead of appearing before them. Dating: If the inscription does refer to Mary as Θεοτόκος, it is unlikely to predate the council of Ephesos 431, as its decisions greatly contributed to the spreading of her cult under this names.

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. 2160.

Usage metrics

    Evidence - The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

    Categories

    Keywords

    S00033History

    Licence

    CC0

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