Ramsay, William Mitchell: The cities and bishoprics of Phrygia: being an essay of the local history of Phrygia from the earliest time to the Turkish conquest (Band 1,2): West and West-Central Phrygia (Oxford, 1897)

544 xn- CHRISTIAN INSCRIPTIONS OF S.W. PHRYGIA.

the latter received it from some traveller in the East. In the text, no
proof is obvious that it belongs to Laodiceia on the Lycos: it may
belong to the Syrian Laodiceia. The question arises whether there is
any other authority for assigning it to Laodiceia besides the mention
of that name in 1. 3. The meaning of that line is obscure: if Eugenius
remained only a short time in Laodiceia, his episcopate of twenty-five
years should rather be assigned to some other city: but perhaps ' the
short span of human life' is meant. But, on the other hand, Le Quien
was thoroughly alive to the existence of several cities Laodiceia; and,
as he has no hesitation, we may probably infer that Jebb knew some
evidence that the inscr. had been copied in the Lycos valley.

As to date, Jebb and Le Quien have probability on their side in
referring it to the rebuilding of the church after it had been completely
demolished in the persecution by Diocletian. The character of the
inscription stamps it as comparatively early. The names are of the
older type. The analogies are with Roman inscriptions, not with Byzan-
tine. It cannot therefore be placed later than the fourth century, and
is unlikely to be so late as the end of the century. On the other hand,
the open reference to churches and Chr. officials stamps it as later than
the complete recognition of the legality of Christianity, i. e. it is later
than the defeat of Licinius in Sept. 323 a. d. The open rebuilding of
an elaborate church such as is described. cannot have been undertaken
sooner. The inscr., then, was composed at such an interval after 324
as permitted the construction of a great church and the adjoining
buildings. These considerations show that 330-340 is the earliest
possible date.

If Eugenius was bishop of Laodiceia, he must have succeeded Noune-
chios, bishop in 325 a. d. Now the rebuilding of the church would not
be long delayed after 334, and Nounechios, therefore, must have died
or been translated soon after the Nicene Council; Eugenius probably
became bishop about 327 ; and died about 351 or 352.

The attempt at a restoration is, of course, very doubtful. If it
approximates to the original form, the emphasis laid on the marriage
to the daughter of Julius Nestorianus must be due to the rank and
influence of her father.

Assuming that Eugenius was bishop in Laodiceia, we must understand
in 1. 3, ' who spent the short time (of human life) in Laodiceia' (the
false spelling 77 for v in fipaxriv is rare). The term iravTOKparoip 6e6s
occurs in Chr. inscr., CIG 9270 (Iconium), 8854 (Olympos Lyciae),
Kaibel 187 (Syracuse)1, all probably of the fourth (or fifth) century,

Also CIG 9119 (Nubia), and in the writings of Gregory Nyssenus, &c