An ostracon with a fragmentary Greek inscription mentioning unnamed *Apostles, and possibly *Philip the Deacon and Evangelist (S00604). Found at Hierapolis (Phrygia, west central Asia Minor). Probably late antique.
Evidence ID
E01153
Type of Evidence
Inscriptions - Inscribed objects
Images and objects - Other portable objects (metalwork, ivory, etc.)
An ostracon, found near the Byzantine church, to the east of the agora.
Inscription:
[- - -] ἅγυ ἀπόστολυ τοῦ Χ[ριστοῦ - - -]
[- - -] ΜΗΥΟΡΓΟΥ ἡ καλο[υμένη - - -]
1. ἅγυ (= ἅγ<ι>οι) ἀποστόλυ τοῦ Χ[ριστοῦ Ritti, ἁγυ ἀπόστολυ τ(οῦ) Huttner || ἅγι ὑ ἀπόστολυ τοῦ Arthur || 2. ΜΗΥΟΡΓΟΥ ἡ καλο[υμένη Huttner, μη υοριου (?) ἡ χαλου[μένη Arthur
'[- - -] the holy Apostles of Christ [- - -] also called [- - -]'
Text: Arthur 2006, 121, modified.
Non Liturgical ActivityPrayer/supplication/invocation
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Composing and translating saint-related texts
Discussion
Paul Arthur, the first editor of the inscription, supposed that it mentioned a single, unnamed Apostle, whom he identified as Philip, since Hierapolis was a major place of his cult. However, Ulrich Huttner rightly points out that the word 'Apostle' in line 1 is in the plural form. Therefore, the inscription refers to a group of unspecified Apostles. The purpose of this fragmentary text is unclear.We hypothetically suggest that, providing that Huttner's reading is correct, line 2 may contain a quotation of Acts 8:10: οὗτός ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ καλουμένη Μεγάλη/'This man is the power of God called Great', here modified as οὗτός ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ δη]μ<ιου>ργοῦ ἡ καλο[υμένη Μεγάλη/'This man is the power of the Creator called Great', instead of the regular form. A possible connection between our ostracon and the passage from Acts 8 is probable, as this chapter describes the encounter of Philip (probably the Deacon and Evangelist) with Simon the Magician. Another possibility, kindly suggested to us by Francesco Guizzi in a letter, is that line 2 contains a personal name.
Bibliography
Edition:Ritti, T., Storia e istituzioni di Hierapolis. Hierapolis di Frigia IX (Istanbul: Ege Yayınları, 2017), 228 (line 1).
Arthur, P., Byzantine and Turkish Hierapolis (Pamukkale): an archaeological guide (Istanbul: Ege Yayınları, 2006), 121.
Inscriptiones Christianae Graecae database, no. 934: http://www.epigraph.topoi.org/ica/icamainapp/inscription/show/934
Images
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From: Arthur 2006, 121.
Record Created By
Pawel Nowakowski
Date of Entry
26/02/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00084 | Apostles, unnamed or name lost | ἀπόστολυ | Certain | S00109 | Philip, the Apostle | Uncertain | S00604 | Philip the Deacon and Evangelist | Uncertain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Pawel Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E01153 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01153