DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4680#0160
2. CRITERIA OF CHRISTIAN EPITAPHS. 491
There is every reason to think that these stones were publicly and
openly set up, not hidden in private Chr. cemeteries \ It was con-
trary to all the principles of the Church to proclaim the religion so
openly, ■ for it might imperil the whole Church of a district to draw
attention so pointedly to the Chr. On the other hand Montanism
inculcated unshrinking public confession and profession; and prob-
ably this small class of epitaphs may be attributed to that sect,
though it is a difficulty in this theory that no specimen of this class
has been found in the Montanist centre at Pepouza (where, however,
Laser, are very rare).
Apart from a small number of cases, then, the Christians in Phrygia
did not on their tombstones proclaim the religion of the deceased and
of the survivors by words or symbols. We are left to infer that
certain epitaphs are Christian by indirect reasoning.
§ 3. Christian Names. In some cases the sort of names used is
almost the only indication of Christianity, e.g. Pascasia in Le Blant
II p. 26a. In this case M. Le Blant finds another proof of Chris-
tianity in the double name Optatine Reticiae sive Pascasie; but,
though it is certain that the Christians at baptism commonly took an
additional name, and though the addition of a surname is far more
the rule in Christian than in Pagan inscriptions, yet the custom was
also not infrequent in non-Chr. society and is far from constituting in
the East so sure a proof of Christianity as M. Le Blant2 finds it to be
in the West. Except with the formula knUX^v no. 400, the posses-
sion of an alternative name cannot be taken in Phrygia as a proof of
Chr. origin, unless it has the character of a distinctively Chr. bap-
tismal name. There are however some names, which were greatly
favoured among the Chr., and others which were exclusively (or
almost exclusively) Chr. The presence of several of the former, and
even of one of the latter, may be taken as justifying the hypothesis
that the inscr. is Chr.; and if. in addition, we find in the text some
other sign of Christianity, or even some slight peculiarity that differs
from the usual pagan style (as e. g. greater freedom regarding admis-
sion to the tomb no. 380), we may regard the hypothesis as raised to
a much higher degree of probability.
1 No. 393 is in a retired position, but mentioned by him as only Christian
above ground and not far from the are all known in the case of Pagans,
public road leading from Apameia to Super nome.n is not known to me except
S., and not much more than a mile in Christian inscriptions; and the same
from the city: it is probably in its is the case with inWK-qv (which M. Le
original position. Blant does not include in his list).
2
The formulae qui et, sice, qui vocatur,
There is every reason to think that these stones were publicly and
openly set up, not hidden in private Chr. cemeteries \ It was con-
trary to all the principles of the Church to proclaim the religion so
openly, ■ for it might imperil the whole Church of a district to draw
attention so pointedly to the Chr. On the other hand Montanism
inculcated unshrinking public confession and profession; and prob-
ably this small class of epitaphs may be attributed to that sect,
though it is a difficulty in this theory that no specimen of this class
has been found in the Montanist centre at Pepouza (where, however,
Laser, are very rare).
Apart from a small number of cases, then, the Christians in Phrygia
did not on their tombstones proclaim the religion of the deceased and
of the survivors by words or symbols. We are left to infer that
certain epitaphs are Christian by indirect reasoning.
§ 3. Christian Names. In some cases the sort of names used is
almost the only indication of Christianity, e.g. Pascasia in Le Blant
II p. 26a. In this case M. Le Blant finds another proof of Chris-
tianity in the double name Optatine Reticiae sive Pascasie; but,
though it is certain that the Christians at baptism commonly took an
additional name, and though the addition of a surname is far more
the rule in Christian than in Pagan inscriptions, yet the custom was
also not infrequent in non-Chr. society and is far from constituting in
the East so sure a proof of Christianity as M. Le Blant2 finds it to be
in the West. Except with the formula knUX^v no. 400, the posses-
sion of an alternative name cannot be taken in Phrygia as a proof of
Chr. origin, unless it has the character of a distinctively Chr. bap-
tismal name. There are however some names, which were greatly
favoured among the Chr., and others which were exclusively (or
almost exclusively) Chr. The presence of several of the former, and
even of one of the latter, may be taken as justifying the hypothesis
that the inscr. is Chr.; and if. in addition, we find in the text some
other sign of Christianity, or even some slight peculiarity that differs
from the usual pagan style (as e. g. greater freedom regarding admis-
sion to the tomb no. 380), we may regard the hypothesis as raised to
a much higher degree of probability.
1 No. 393 is in a retired position, but mentioned by him as only Christian
above ground and not far from the are all known in the case of Pagans,
public road leading from Apameia to Super nome.n is not known to me except
S., and not much more than a mile in Christian inscriptions; and the same
from the city: it is probably in its is the case with inWK-qv (which M. Le
original position. Blant does not include in his list).
2
The formulae qui et, sice, qui vocatur,