Greek inscription marking boundaries of an estate belonging to a sanctuary of *John (the Baptist, S00020). Found at Çandır Yaylası, to the east of ancient Kana (Lycaonia, central Asia Minor). Probably 6th c.
Evidence ID
E00929
Type of Evidence
Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)
Literary - Poems
[+] δύναμις θ(εο)ῦ καὶ χὶρ
βασιλέως·
ὅροι τοῦ ἀγί-
ου Ἰωάννου
τοῦ Βαπτισ-
τοῦ, ἀμήν
'[+] The power of God and the hand of the emperor: boundaries (of the church) of Saint John the Baptist. Amen.'
Text: Calder 1912, 264.
Cult PlacesSeeking asylum at church/shrine
Protagonists in Cult and Narratives
Cult building - independent (church)
Non Liturgical ActivitySeeking asylum at church/shrine
Awarding privileges to cult centres
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesMonarchs and their family
Source
A boundary stone of a church of St. John the Baptist, found by William Ramsay 'on the Lycaono-Cappadocian border'. First published by William Calder.Discussion
The inscription marked the boundaries of an estate belonging to a church John the Baptist. The editors of the eleventh volume of Monumenta Asiae Minoris Antiqua argue that the same church was mentioned in a boundary stone inscription found in Κana itself, which was first published by Thomas Callander and which they republished themselves (see $Ε00928).Interestingly, our inscription begins with a unique introductory formula, referring to an unnamed emperor: 'The power of God and the hand of the emperor' / δύναμις θ(εο)ῦ καὶ χὶρ βασιλέως. It resembles two verses from a poem by Gregory of Nazianzus, praising the grace of God and emperors' hands that authorise pious privileges: εἰ μὴ μόνῳ σοι τοῦτο ἐκ θεοῦ γέρας / ὡς ἃ γράφει χεὶρ βασιλέως πρὸς χάριν (Carmen de se ipso 12, v. 479-480; PG 37, col. 1201). Given the Anatolian background of both the poem and our boundary stone, we may conclude that its author was inspired by Gregory's poetry. Other boundary stone inscriptions usually begin simply with the phrase: 'Boundaries (of the church) of Saint etc.' / ὅροι τοῦ ἁγίου κ.τ.λ.
Dating: probably 6th c. as other boundary stones of saints' shrines are usually authorised by 6th c. emperors.
Bibliography
Edition:Calder, W.M., "Julia-Ipsus and Augustopolis", The Journal of Roman Studies 2 (1912), 264.
Inscriptiones Christianae Graecae database, no. 1499: http://www.epigraph.topoi.org/ica/icamainapp/inscription/show/1499
Record Created By
Pawel Nowakowski
Date of Entry
04/12/2015
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00020 | John the Baptist | Ἰωάννης ὁ Βαπτιστῆς | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Pawel Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E00929 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E00929