E04452: Greek epitaph for a person affiliated to the Ephesian church of *John (the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042), probably a psalmist. Found near Ephesos (Roman province of Asia). Probably 6th c. or later.

online resource

posted on 2017-12-11, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski

αὕτη ἡ θήκη ἐ[στὶν
Νόννου .̣Α̣Λ̣Ι.[
τοῦ ἁγίου ἀποστόλου Ἰω-
άννου
καὶ .[- - -]ων·
]...

2. [ψ]άλτ[ου] (?) Knibbe

'This is the tomb of Nonnos, [psalmist (?)] of the holy Apostle John, and [- - -].'

Text: Knibbe & Engelmann 1984, 146.

History

Evidence ID

E04452

Saint Name

John, the Apostle and Evangelist : S00042

Saint Name in Source

Ἰωάννης

Related Saint Records

https://oxford.figshare.com/articles/John_the_Apostle_and_Evangelist/13729210

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Funerary inscriptions

Language

Greek

Evidence not before

530

Evidence not after

1000

Activity not before

530

Activity not after

1000

Place of Evidence - Region

Asia Minor

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Ephesus

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

Ephesus Nicomedia Νικομήδεια Nikomēdeia Izmit Πραίνετος Prainetos Nicomedia

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - independent (church)

Cult Activities - Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Ecclesiastics - lesser clergy

Source

A plaque of bluish marble, broken into two conjoining fragments. H. 0.195 m; W. 0.54 m; Th. 0.04 m; letter height 0.015-0.03 m. Found during excavations at the Selçukian baths, in the vicinity of the Museum of Selçuk. Probably originally set near or at the Church of John the Apostle on the Ayasoluk Hill/Selçuk. First published by Dieter Knibbe and Helmut Engelmann in 1984. There is no published image.

Discussion

The epitaph records the burial of a person affiliated to the Ephesian church of John the Apostle. Knibbe suggest that his function should be restored as psaltes/'psalmist'. It is probable that at least one more person was buried in the tomb, e.g. the wife of the deceased. Knibbe finds it noteworthy that Saint John is here described as 'the Apostle', not the 'Theologian', which is his usual epithet in Ephesos.

Bibliography

Edition: Knibbe, D., Engelmann, H., "Neue Inschriften aus Ephesos X", Jahreshefte des Österreichischen Archäologischen Institutes in Wien 55 (1984), 146. Reference works: Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 34, 1134.