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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


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


Mosaic inscription in Latin perhaps honouring *Cyprian (bishop and martyr of Carthage, S00411). Found in the baptistery of Kelibia (Byzacena, central North Africa). Second half of the 6th c.

Evidence ID

E07535

Type of Evidence

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

Archaeological and architectural - Internal cult fixtures (crypts, ciboria, etc.)

S(an)c(t)o beatissimo Cypriano episcopo antiste

cum s(an)c(t)o Adelfio presbitero huiusce unitatis

Aquinius et Iuliana eius cum Villa et Deogratias prolibus

tesellu(m) aequori perenni posuerunt


'Under the holy [and] most blessed Cyprian, bishop and pontiff, with the holy Adelfius, presbyter of this unity, Aquinius and his Iuliana with [their] children Villa and Deogratias constructed this mosaic for the eternal water.'


Text: Y. Duval 1982, no. 25.
Translation: S. Adamiak.

Cult Related Objects

Inscription

Source

The inscription runs round the edge of the baptismal font found in the church of the deacon Felix in Kelibia, datable to the second half of the sixth century. The letters are of 6 to 7 cm in height.

Currently in the Bardo Museum in Tunis.


Discussion

It is just possible that this inscription honours Cyprian, the famous bishop and martyr of the third century, but it is more likely that it records an otherwise unknown Cyprianus, bishop at Kelibia at the time that the baptistery was built - we should note that both Cyprianus and the presbyter Adelfius are designated as 'holy' in the inscription.

The 'unity' mentioned here is a description of the Catholic Church, a term popular in Africa for marking it out from other groups, especially the Donatists.


Bibliography

Editions:
Duval, Y., Loca sanctorum Africae: Le culte des martyrs en Afrique du IVe au VIIe siècle (Rome: École Française de Rome, 1982), vol. 1, 54-58, no. 25.

Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss/Slaby no. <a href="http://db.edcs.eu/epigr/edcs_id.php?s_sprache=en&p_edcs_id=EDCS-13500222">EDCS-13500222</a>.

Epigraphische Datenbank Heidelberg no. <a href="https://edh-www.adw.uni-heidelberg.de/edh/inschrift/HD017207">HD017207</a>.

Trismegistos no. <a href="https://www.trismegistos.org/text/199499">199499</a>.


Further reading:
Courtois, Ch., "Sur un baptistère decouvert dans la région de Kélibia (Cap. Bon)", Karthago 6 (1955, 1957), 98-123.

Duval, N., "Notes d'épigraphie chrétienne", Karthago 9 (1958), 139-149.


Images



Photo: Emilia Mielcarek


From Y. Duval 1982, no. 25






















Record Created By

Stanisław Adamiak

Date of Entry

15/05/2019

Related Saint Records
IDNameName in SourceIdentity
S00411Cyprian, bishop and martyr of CarthageCyprianusUncertain


Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Stanisław Adamiak, Cult of Saints, E07535 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E07535