Greek inscriptions with epitaphs for lesser clerics from two churches dedicated to *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), at Tyre (west Phoenicia). Probably 6th/7th c.
E01697
Inscriptions - Funerary inscriptions
Inscription 1:
On the east face of the sloping roof of the lid of a marble sarcophagus. L. of the lid 2.19 m; letter height 0.11 m.
Found during the archaeological surveys of the cemetery of Tyre (1963-1974), first published by Jean-Paul Rey-Coquais, based on a squeeze.
+ Σόριν διαφέρ(ον) Γεοργίου
ἰσ̣σ̣ι̣κιαρίου ὑποβολέος
ἁγίας Μαρίας +
'+ Sarcophagus belonging to Georgios, dealer of sausages, and psalmist (?) (of the church) of the Holy Mary. +'
Text: I. Tyr 1, no. 147.
Inscription 2:
On the east face of the sloping roof of the lid of a marble sarcophagus. L. of the lid 2.23 m; letter height c. 0.08 m.
Found during the archaeological surveys of the cemetery of Tyre (1963-1974), first published by Jean-Paul Rey-Coquais, based on a squeeze.
+ Σόριν διαφέρ(ον) Ἀμβροσίου
ὑποδιακό(νου) ἁγίας Μαρίας
'+ Sarcophagus belonging to Abrosios, subdeacon (of the church) of the Holy Mary.'
Text: I. Tyr 1, no. 148.
Inscription 3:
On the east face of the sloping roof of the lid of a marble sarcophagus. Letter height c. 0.05-0.06 m. Very fine carving. The north side of the sarcophagus and the north face of the lid are decorated with the large letter Α.
Found during the archaeological surveys of the cemetery of Tyre (1963-1974), first published by Jean-Paul Rey-Coquais, based on a squeeze.
+ Σορὸς διαφέρων Βαλλικίου ὑποβολήος
τῆς ἀρχέας ἁγίας Μαρίας +
'+ Sarcophagus belonging to Ballikios, psalmist (?) (of the church) of the Holy Mary, the Old One.'
Text: I. Tyr 1, no. 187.
Cult building - independent (church)
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - lesser clergy
Merchants and artisans
Discussion
The inscriptions are epitaphs for lesser clerics. One of them was a subdeacon (ὑποδιάκονος) and two held the office of ὑποβολεῖς. The actual character of the latter post is disputed, but it is probable that these people played the role of experts in liturgical singing, probably close to or identical with that of psalmists, cantors, or perhaps leaders of the choir. They could initiate the singing of psalms and supervise the correct performance of other sacred songs. Inscription 1 says that one of these ὑποβολεῖς additionally pursued the profession of a dealer of sausages, which is not surprising as in Antiquity the lesser clergy had to earn a living by having regular jobs. For a discussion of the functions of ὑποβολεῖς, see the comments in I. Tyr 1, no. 147.The epitaphs say that the deceased served in probably two churches dedicated to Mary, named respectively: ἡ ἁγία Μαρία/'the Holy Mary' and ἡ ἀρχαία ἁγία Μαρία/'the old Holy Mary'. Rey-Coquais notes that, significantly, all known churches in Tyre were dedicated to Mary, and probably for this reason the city was named that of the God-Bearer in one of the local inscriptions (see: E01765).
According to the Acts of the Council of Tyre in AD 518 the principal church of the city was named 'the Holy Mary, the one in Iampsychis', and was seized by 'heretics' (apparently the Miaphysite party). Rey-Coquias suggests that this might be one of our churches, probably 'the Holy Mary' mentioned in Inscriptions 1 and 2. On the other hand, 'the old Holy Mary', from Inscription 3, is possibly identical with the cathedral basilica, constructed by the bishop Paulinos under the emperor Constantine. But even if this is so, the dedication of the church to Mary must be of a later date, as her cult was virtually non-existent in the early 4th c. (for a discussion on the churches of Tyre, see: Rey-Coquais 2005, 203-204).
For similar sarcophagi with inscriptions mentioning people affiliated with churches, see the epitaphs from Diokaisareia (E01038; E01039; E01045) and Korykos (see: E01061; E01062; E01063; E01064; E01065; E01068; E01069; E01070; E01072) in southeast Asia Minor.
Bibliography
Edition:I. Tyr 1 – Rey-Coquais, J.-P. (ed.), Inscriptions grecques et latines découvertes dans les fouilles de Tyr (1963-1974), vol. 1: Inscriptions de la Nécropole (Bulletin du Musée de Beyrouth 29, Paris: Librairie d'Amérique et d'Orient A. Maisonnueve, 1977), nos. 147-148; 187.
Chéhab, M., "Fouilles de Tyr, La Nécropole, vol. 2: Description des fouilles", Bulletin du Musée de Beyrouth 35 (1985), plate cxxxiv (Inscription 3: Ballikios).
Further reading:
Feissel, D., "De Sainte-Irène au domaine de Rufin. Trois notes de toponymie constantinopolitaine", Travaux et Mémoires 15 (2005), 246-247.
Rey-Coquais, J.-P., "Tyr, la nécropole et ses inscriptions", [in:] N.Cambi, E.Marin (eds.), Acta XIII Congressus Internationalis Archaeologiae Christianae, Split - Poreč (25. 9. - 1. 10. 1994), vol. 3, (Split, Croatia: Archeološki muzej, Rome: Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana, 1998), 685-691.
Rey-Coquais, J.-P., Tyr aux derniers siècles paléochrétiens: autour du synode de 518, Mélanges de l'Université Saint-Joseph (Beyrouth, Lebanon) 58 (2005), 523-524.
Reference works:
Bulletin épigraphique (1978), 522; (2006), 464.
Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 55, 1686.
Images
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Sarcophagus with Inscription 1. From: I. Tyr 1, plate II.
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Squeeze of Inscription 1. From: I. Tyr 1, plate LII.
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Sarcophagus with Inscription 2. From: I. Tyr 1, plate VII.
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Sarcophagus with Inscription 3. From: I. Tyr 1, plate XXIX.
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Sarcophagus with Inscription 3. From: Chéhab 1985, plate CXXXIV.
Paweł Nowakowski
08/07/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00033 | Mary, Mother of Christ | Μαρία | Certain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Paweł Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E01697 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01697