The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

In her study of the capitals of Qasr ibn Wardan (sited to the northeast of Ḥamāh) Christine Strube mentions a capital from Madba'a, another village in the territory of Epiphaneia/Ḥamāh.

The capital is decorated with the depiction of a standing man within a medallion. Its front face is damaged, and, therefore, the posture of the man, and his possible attributes are not recognisable. To the right and to the left of the figure, at the edges of the medallion, there is an inscription (scarcely visible in the photograph):

ἅγιος [Δα]μιανός

'Saint Damianos'

Strube suggests, very plausibly, that this is Damianos, the companion of Saint *Kosmas (S00385), and that the church of Madb'a must have been dedicated to Kosmas and Damianos, and could have housed their relics. She compares the present inscriptions with other instances of the occurrence of the two saints in the region E01896 (Kosmas at Deir Nawa), and E01926 (Kosmas and Damianos in Ḥamāh). See also: E01966 (Kosmas at Umm Hartayn). Strube notes that the capitals of Qasr ibn Wardan also show non-labelled depictions of two similar standing figures holding crosiers and probably orbs, possibly Archangels.

Dating: Strube dates the capital to the 6th c., on stylistical grounds.

Cult building - independent (church)

Public display of an image

Bibliography

Images

From: Strube 1983, Tafel 16b.