WP 0005

IRT2021
Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania 2021

1173. Christian funerary text (Ain Zara cemetery)

Description: Tomb of rubble, with a plaster surface, w: 1.40 x h: 0.58 x d: 0.57, supported on a plinth w: 0.12.
Text: Carefully incised i, on the south face of the coffin, with a double line painted between the lines. There is a cross in a circle on the east face and traces of a circle on the west face; there is also an associated fragment. ii is on a fragment of plaster (no measurements) found, with another smaller fragment, nearby but certainly not from the same tomb.
Letters: No measurements

Date: Fifth-sixth century CE (context, lettering)

Findspot: Tripoli: Ain Zara, cemetery, Tomb 33
Original location: Findspot
Last recorded location: Findspot (1911-1914)

Interpretive

i
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[c. 8 bi]x̣ịṭ ịṇ [pake plu]ṣ
[minus ann]ọṣ [..]ỊỊI; Rekes[it d]ẹ oḳ <sek>ul[o]
[sub die mensi]ṣ II Oktonber indịktio VII.
Ṛẹq̣ụiem eternam det illi D(omi)n(u)s
ii
[In ok tum]ụlo ia[ket ---]
[---] Georgiọ[s ---]
[--- re]ḳẹṣịṭ ḍ[e ok sekulo ---]
------

Diplomatic

i
------
[········..].....[.......].
[........]..[··]..IREKES[...].O.UL[.]
[...........].IIOKTONBERIND.KTIOVII
....IEMETERNAMDETILLIDNS
ii
[.......].LOIA[...---]
[---]GEORGI.[.---]
[---..]......[.........---]
------

English translation

Translation by: Charlotte Roueché

(i): . . . He] lived in [peace for more or less ?-]3 years; he left this world on day 2 of month October, indiction 7. May the Lord grant him rest eternal

(ii): [In this] tomb lies [ . . . ] Georgios [ . . .] he left this world [ . . .

Bibliography: Aurigemma, 1932, 33 and figs.82, 83, 84; mentioned and indexed IRT, 1952, 261, whence mentioned IRT, 2009, 261

Images

   Fig. 1. i: Drawing (Luigi Turba)

   Fig. 2. Fragment: Drawing (Luigi Turba)

   Fig. 3. ii: Drawing (Luigi Turba)