E01967: Greek building inscription just possibly for a church dedicated to a saint *Kosmas. Found at eṭ-Ṭayyibe to the east of Apamea on the Orontes and Ḥamāh/Amathe (central Syria). Probably 5th-7th c.

The inscription is written in the form of a framed cross-shaped monogram (H. 0.33 m; W. 0.28 m) on a lintel, at one of its ends. William Prentice suggested that the monogram should be expanded as Κοσμᾶ/'Of Kosmas.' This interpretation was accepted by René Mouterde. If so, our inscription could commemorate the construction of a church dedicated to Kosmas, a physician martyr of Syria and brother of *Damianos (S00385), but such a statement is, of course, disputable, as the figure is apparently not named ἅγιος/'saint'. Also Kosmas was usually venerated together with his brother and his individual cult seems unlikely.

Another possibility is that we have here the name of the donor or founder of a building.

If the inscription does refer to a saint Kosmas, it is possible that Kosmas, a local martyr of Sekizlar (near Manbij and al-Bab in north Syria) is referred to. This Kosmas apparently died under the emperor Trajan and is attested by a single Syriac inscription (see: $E01968).

See also $E04563.