Record | The Cult of Saints

Greek inscription just possibly referring to a Saint John (if so, probably the Baptist, S00020, or possibly the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042), and Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), as well as Christ. Found at Muṭā'iyyeh, to the west of Bostra (Roman province of Arabia). Probably 5th-6th c.

Evidence ID

E02240

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

+ Ἰωάν- + ἡ δίκαι (?)
νη+ς Χριστὲ, βω̣ύ- θι

[1. possibly ΜΑΙΚΕ = Μα(ρία) καὶ instead of ΗΔΙΚΕ = ἡ δίκαι Littmann]

'+ John. + Justice. Christ, help!' or: '+ John. + Mary and Christ, help!'

Text: IGLS 13/2, no. 9644.

Non Liturgical Activity

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

Stone lintel, decorated with two carvings of crosses within circles. H. 0.26 m; W. 1.56 m. Letter height 0.065-0.095 m. Now lost.

First seen and copied in 1901 by René Dussaud and Frédéric Macler during their survey in south Syria, and published by them with a drawing in their report in 1902. When revisited by the Princeton Archaeological Expedition to Syria, it was set in an ancient house near Church 3, 'on the north side of the courtyard and east of the entrance.' Enno Littmann commented that the stone was probably in situ. Maurice Sartre and Annie Sartre-Fauriat did not record it during their survey of the region.

Discussion

The inscription was edited without comments by René Dussaud and Frédéric Macler. Enno Littmann plausibly identified it as an apotropaic (protective) inscription set over a doorway of a private house. Its actual contents are unclear – it might refer to a certain Ioannes – an architect, owner of the house, or Saint John invoked as a protector. The second part mentions either 'justice' (dike) and Christ's help, or the Virgin Mary and Christ. The latter possibility was hypothetically suggested by Littmann, as the actual reading of the passage is not dubious (see the apparatus). The Sartres considered this interpretation as tempting, though requiring significant emendations. Pierre-Louis Gatier suggests that the inscription might mention an ekdikos (a representative of a church).

Dating: The inscription, as most dated texts from the region, probably comes from the 5th or 6th c.

Bibliography

Edition:
Sartre, M., Sartre-Fauriat, A. (eds.), Inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie, vol. 13/2: Bostra (Supplément) et la plaine de la Nuqrah (BAH 194, Beirut: Institut français du Proche-Orient, 2011), no. 9644.

Littmann, E., Magie, D., Stuart, D.R., (eds.), Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological Expeditions to Syria in 1904-5 and 1909, Division III: Greek and Latin Inscriptions, Section A: Southern Syria (Leiden: Brill, 1921), 53, no. 39.

Dussaud, R., Macler, F., "Rapport sur une mission scientifique dans les régions désertiques de la Syrie moyenne", Nouvelles archives des missions scientifiques et littéraires 10 (1902), 688, no. 143.

Images

Drawing. From: Dussaud & Macler 1902, 688.

Drawing. From: Littmann 1921, 53.

Photograph. From: Littmann 1921, 53.

Drawing. From: IGLS 15/2, 133.

Record Created By

Paweł Nowakowski

Date of Entry

11/01/2017

Related Saint Records

ID	Name	Name in Source	Identity
S00020	John the Baptist	Ἰωάννης	Uncertain
S00033	Mary, Mother of Christ	Μαρία	Uncertain
S00042	John, the Apostle and Evangelist	Ἰωάννης	Uncertain

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Paweł Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E02240 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E02240

The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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

Greek inscription just possibly referring to a Saint John (if so, probably the Baptist, S00020, or possibly the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042), and Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), as well as Christ. Found at Muṭā'iyyeh, to the west of Bostra (Roman province of Arabia). Probably 5th-6th c.

E02240

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

Discussion

Bibliography

Images

Paweł Nowakowski

11/01/2017

Greek inscription just possibly referring to a Saint *John (if so, probably the Baptist, S00020, or possibly the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042), and *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), as well as Christ. Found at Muṭā'iyyeh, to the west of Bostra (Roman province of Arabia). Probably 5th-6th c.

E02240

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Prayer/supplication/invocation

Source

Discussion

Bibliography

Images

Paweł Nowakowski

11/01/2017

Greek inscription just possibly referring to a Saint John (if so, probably the Baptist, S00020, or possibly the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042), and Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), as well as Christ. Found at Muṭā'iyyeh, to the west of Bostra (Roman province of Arabia). Probably 5th-6th c.