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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Greek invocation of *Michael (the Archangel, S00181) scratched in plaster in the church of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) in Ephesos (western Asia Minor). Probably 6th c. or later.

Evidence ID

E00785

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Graffiti

Archaeological and architectural - Cult buildings (churches, mausolea)

ἀρχιστράτηγε, στρατηγὲ τõν ἀγγέλον,
βοήθη τὸν δοῦλον σου Ἠοάννη

'O commander-in-chief, captain of the angels, help your servant Ioannes!'

Text:
I. Ephesos, no. 4145.

Non Liturgical Activity

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Protagonists in Cult and Narratives

Other lay individuals/ people

Source

One of numerous graffiti scratched in plaster on the eastern wall of the southern nave in the church of *Mary in Ephesos. Letter height 0.018-0.025 m.

Discussion

The inscription is an invocation of *Michael the Archangel by an otherwise unknown Ioannes. The archangel is called with his two usual by-names, ἀρχιστάτηγος (commander-in-chief) and στράτηγος τῶν ἀγγέλων (captain of the angels), that derive from the function he plays in the Heavenly Host.

This kind of inscription is undatable but it is unlikely to occur before the 6th c.


Bibliography

Edition:
Die Inschriften von Ephesos, no. 4145.

Keil, J., Reisch, E., Knoll, F. (eds.),
Forschungen in Ephesos, vol. 4/1: Die Marienkirche in Ephesos (Vienna: Selbstverlag des ÖAI Wien, 1932), no. 45.

Images



Drawing; from: FiE 4/1, 106.
























Record Created By

Pawel Nowakowski

Date of Entry

15/10/2015

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00181Michael, the Archangelἀρχιστράτηγος, στράτηγος τῶν ἀγγγέλωνCertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Pawel Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E00785 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E00785