Greek and Syriac inscriptions from the lid of a sarcophagus, marking it as the tomb of a certain 'Saint (hagios) Thomas', possibly *Thomas Salos, a holy monk from Coelesyria, mentioned by Evagrius in his Church History (S01123). Found at Krād ad-Dāsiniya near Ḥimṣ/Emesa (northwest Phoenicia). Probably mid-6th c.
E01930
Inscriptions - Inscribed objects
Inscriptions - Funerary inscriptions
A: On one of the faces of the lid, between carvings of two circles containing crosses.
εὐσέ|φ|ου|ραν (?)
εὐσέ|φ|ου|ραν = εἰσεσφόρουν or εἰσεφόρ(ησ)αν Mouterde
'(Those who follow) made contributions.'
B: To the right of the right-hand circle. Text 2 is within a tabula ansata. Text 3 is on a band, running along the bottom edge of the lid.
+ Βαραχεος (καὶ) Θω|μᾶ<ς> τεχ(νῖται).
'+ Baracheos and Thomas, artisans.'
+ σωρὸς τ|οῦ ἁγίου | Θωμᾶ.
'The tomb of Saint Thomas.'
+ Σαμούελος πρ(εσβύτερος) ἀρχεμανδρ(ίτης). +
'Samouelos, presbyter (and) abbot (archimandrites). +'
C: On the other face of the sarcophagus, to the right and to the left of a circle containing a cross.
+ Ἰωάννου | Λαζάρου, | + Ανδρέας | Ἰωάννου, | + Ἰωάννις Β|ασίλου
'+ Ioannes, son of Lazaros; + Andreas, son of Ioannes; + Ioannis, son of Basilios.'
Γεώργις μά̣γ̣(ιστρος) (?) | Ἰοάνου. +
'Georgios the magistros (?), son of Ioannes. +'
A scarcely legible text in Syriac. The editors managed to read line 2 (TWM'/'Thomas'), line 3 (BR KHD ŠMŠ/'Bar KHD Šamaša, or: son of Kahed (?), deacon'), and line 4 (possibly: GLFTH/'I carved it'). As the contents of the Syriac inscription is very doubtful, only a hypothetical transliteration is offered.
D: On one of the narrow ends, to the right and two the left of a carved cross.
Α Ω
+ Γαια|νοῦ | προσκ(ύνημα)
'+ The veneration by Gaianos.'
Ἰωά[ν]|ου (καὶ) Ῥ[․]|αν[․]|ικ[οῦ]
'Of Ioannes and R[-]an[-]ikos.'
Text: IGLS 5, no. 2143.
Burial site of a saint - tomb/grave
Burial site of a saint - sarcophagus/coffin
Non Liturgical ActivityBequests, donations, gifts and offerings
Prayer/supplication/invocation
Ceremonies at burial of a saint
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - lesser clergy
Ecclesiastics - abbots
Merchants and artisans
Other lay individuals/ people
Source
For the layout of the inscription, see the enclosed images.Discussion
This is a rare case where we may have a reference to a holy monk in an inscription.Bibliography
Edition:Jalabert, L., Mouterde, R., Mondésert, C., Les inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie, vol. 5: Émésène (BAH 66, Paris: P. Guethner, 1959), no. 2143.
Ronzevalle, S., "", Rev. de l'Orient chrétien 7 (1902), 386-409 (Syriac text).
Lammens, H., , Le musée belge: revue de philologie classique 6 (1902), 43, no. 78 (with a photograph).
Lammens, H., “Le pays des Nosairis. Itinéraire et notes archéologiques”, Le musée belge: revue de philologie classique 4 (1900), 294, no. 21.
Woosley, , Bibliotheca sacra a. Theological Review , sec. ser., VI, 1849, p. 389, no. 16 (cf. V, 1848, p. 690) (from a copy by Forest; partial edition: Texts B3 and D).
Further reading:
Peeters, P., "Saint Thomas d'Émèse et la Vie de sainte Marthe", Analecta Bollandiana 45 (1927), 288-292.
Leclercq, H., "Émésène", DACL, col. 2724.
Images
)
Drawing. From: IGLS 5, 85.
Paweł Nowakowski
17/10/2016
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00842 | Thomas (unspecified) | Certain | S01123 | Thomas the Fool (Salos), a holy monk of Syria. Ob. before 551. | Θωμᾶς | Uncertain |
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Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Paweł Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E01930 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E01930