DOI Artikel:
Twardecki, Alfred: Greek Christian Inscriptions in the Collections of the national Museum in Warsaw
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18949#0008
The next inscription from the epitaph of Euphemia (6th-7th century;
cat. no. 25; inv. no. 198760) begins with a group of inscriptions the
provenience of which is not so well documented. On a basis of the text and
the shape of the monument we may presume its provenance to be the
vicinities of Constantinople. Further inscription is a tombstone of Rhode
(6th—7th century; cat. no. 26; inv. no. 198791, ill. 3). Rhode was baptised too
(TCicrcf]), however in the epitaph she is also defined with a term laobotane,
which is not known from any other text (nomen hapax). And so we have in
the collection an inscription which as the only one proves the existence
of such a term in the Greek language. It may be interpreted in three
different ways. Firstly as an equivalent of a term “human plant“, secondly
as a people’s bread-winner and thirdly as a name of a place Rhode was from.
In the first case we might be dealing with an almost poetic text: “Here lays
Rosę (Rhode), a human plant”; in the second case an epithet might be used
bringing to one’s mind pagan religions, especially those related to the
fertility cults; whereas in the third case Rhode might be from the city of
Faobota (or likewise with a root Aao(3ox-). Also in this case the place of the
provenance is unknown though many arguments are convincing for
a Minor Asian provenance rather than for an Egyptian one. Following
inscription commemorates the merits of Phirminianos in works executed
at the aąueduct of St. Socrates (488 AD; cat. no. 28; inv. no. 198825).
Inscription comes from Zenonopolis (Iznebol of the modern day Turkey).
This one not only belongs to a different category than the ones presented
above but it is also a one of the most interesting (and morę often published)
3. Epitaphe of Rhode,
Asio Minor,
6lh-7lh century,
Warsów,
Muzeum Narodowe
6
cat. no. 25; inv. no. 198760) begins with a group of inscriptions the
provenience of which is not so well documented. On a basis of the text and
the shape of the monument we may presume its provenance to be the
vicinities of Constantinople. Further inscription is a tombstone of Rhode
(6th—7th century; cat. no. 26; inv. no. 198791, ill. 3). Rhode was baptised too
(TCicrcf]), however in the epitaph she is also defined with a term laobotane,
which is not known from any other text (nomen hapax). And so we have in
the collection an inscription which as the only one proves the existence
of such a term in the Greek language. It may be interpreted in three
different ways. Firstly as an equivalent of a term “human plant“, secondly
as a people’s bread-winner and thirdly as a name of a place Rhode was from.
In the first case we might be dealing with an almost poetic text: “Here lays
Rosę (Rhode), a human plant”; in the second case an epithet might be used
bringing to one’s mind pagan religions, especially those related to the
fertility cults; whereas in the third case Rhode might be from the city of
Faobota (or likewise with a root Aao(3ox-). Also in this case the place of the
provenance is unknown though many arguments are convincing for
a Minor Asian provenance rather than for an Egyptian one. Following
inscription commemorates the merits of Phirminianos in works executed
at the aąueduct of St. Socrates (488 AD; cat. no. 28; inv. no. 198825).
Inscription comes from Zenonopolis (Iznebol of the modern day Turkey).
This one not only belongs to a different category than the ones presented
above but it is also a one of the most interesting (and morę often published)
3. Epitaphe of Rhode,
Asio Minor,
6lh-7lh century,
Warsów,
Muzeum Narodowe
6