DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4680#0217
548 XII. CHRISTIAN INSCRIPTIONS OF S.W. PHRYGIA.
epitaph; but it is full of subtle differences. The writer has chosen to
veil his intentions in very difficult phrases. The bequest to the Council
of the Porphyrabaphoi is assimilated to the customary form of bequest
for the annual performance of sepulchral rites; and yet the important
word which defines the purpose is not Greek. TTAnflN, read by M.
Waddington, is confirmed on careful re-examination by Hogarth and
myself: in an accurate, well-engraved, and well-expressed testament,
such a word seems to have been chosen as a private term understood
only by the initiated. The rites are connected with some religious cere-
monial (perhaps of the Church); but as the writer has carefully veiled
his intention, one need not offer conjectures. The word aTioKa.vo-p.6s seems
to be used only here. In pagan inscr. bequests are usually intended for
rites at the sepulchre on the anniversary of the testator's death: at
Amorion a heroine's cultus is connected with a Mithraic festival [kv rots
iOipois fine/mis rots Mi6pai«ivois), for the bequest in that case is made to
the Mystai (of Mithras), and the testator connects the heroic rites with
the regular festival, as a device to ensure their regular performance x
{Rev. lilt. Gr. 1889 p. 31), but they are to take place at the heroon.
In other respects the inscr. is assimilated to customary phraseology.
The crvvibpiov rfjs yepovcrlas or t&v irpeo-fivrlpuiv CIG 3912, 3916, 3417,
3433, is analogous to the crvvibpiov rfjs npoebpias tS>v iropqbvpaPacpoov (or
-{3a<p£iv)} a unique expression which seems to mean 'the Council of
Presidence (i.e. of Proedroi) of the society Porphyrabaphoi (-eis ?).J The
term irpoebpos ttjs €K/cX?jcrtas was vised of the Bishop; and the Council of
Presbyters (avvebpiov tov (tho-kottov Ignatius 2 Philacl. 8) might be termed
irpoebpia.
Freedom of admission [K^bevo-oo ov av /3ovXrj9S>) has been noted as more
common among Chr. than pagans, though not exclusively Chr. (e.g. LW
1683 is pagan), no. 380; CIG 3933, 3931., are marked by the same
freedom, and may possibly be Chr. (though nothing except the name
Trophimos gives the slightest confirmation).
The salutation to the wayfarer in A is quite in the style of ordinary
epitaphs. Modelled on a well-known sentiment which occurs in many
forms to the effect 'eat and drink, for the end is death,' it is varied so
as to be susceptible of a Chr. sense. In an inscr. composed in rude and
barely intelligible Greek by Q. Julius Miletos of Tripolis, who settled at
1 In these foundations the testator's 2 Compare Magn. 6 o-vviSpiov t£>v dno-
fear always is that the sacra may fall o-toXcov, Magn. 13 cmrpdvov tov npeo-fSu-
into disuse, and many devices are tried replov. In Aposlol. Const. II 28 pres-
to ensure their permanence (see no. byters are o-vp[Sov\oi toC (ttio-kottov k<u
226). T>)s eKK/\r)o-{us o-rerpavos.
epitaph; but it is full of subtle differences. The writer has chosen to
veil his intentions in very difficult phrases. The bequest to the Council
of the Porphyrabaphoi is assimilated to the customary form of bequest
for the annual performance of sepulchral rites; and yet the important
word which defines the purpose is not Greek. TTAnflN, read by M.
Waddington, is confirmed on careful re-examination by Hogarth and
myself: in an accurate, well-engraved, and well-expressed testament,
such a word seems to have been chosen as a private term understood
only by the initiated. The rites are connected with some religious cere-
monial (perhaps of the Church); but as the writer has carefully veiled
his intention, one need not offer conjectures. The word aTioKa.vo-p.6s seems
to be used only here. In pagan inscr. bequests are usually intended for
rites at the sepulchre on the anniversary of the testator's death: at
Amorion a heroine's cultus is connected with a Mithraic festival [kv rots
iOipois fine/mis rots Mi6pai«ivois), for the bequest in that case is made to
the Mystai (of Mithras), and the testator connects the heroic rites with
the regular festival, as a device to ensure their regular performance x
{Rev. lilt. Gr. 1889 p. 31), but they are to take place at the heroon.
In other respects the inscr. is assimilated to customary phraseology.
The crvvibpiov rfjs yepovcrlas or t&v irpeo-fivrlpuiv CIG 3912, 3916, 3417,
3433, is analogous to the crvvibpiov rfjs npoebpias tS>v iropqbvpaPacpoov (or
-{3a<p£iv)} a unique expression which seems to mean 'the Council of
Presidence (i.e. of Proedroi) of the society Porphyrabaphoi (-eis ?).J The
term irpoebpos ttjs €K/cX?jcrtas was vised of the Bishop; and the Council of
Presbyters (avvebpiov tov (tho-kottov Ignatius 2 Philacl. 8) might be termed
irpoebpia.
Freedom of admission [K^bevo-oo ov av /3ovXrj9S>) has been noted as more
common among Chr. than pagans, though not exclusively Chr. (e.g. LW
1683 is pagan), no. 380; CIG 3933, 3931., are marked by the same
freedom, and may possibly be Chr. (though nothing except the name
Trophimos gives the slightest confirmation).
The salutation to the wayfarer in A is quite in the style of ordinary
epitaphs. Modelled on a well-known sentiment which occurs in many
forms to the effect 'eat and drink, for the end is death,' it is varied so
as to be susceptible of a Chr. sense. In an inscr. composed in rude and
barely intelligible Greek by Q. Julius Miletos of Tripolis, who settled at
1 In these foundations the testator's 2 Compare Magn. 6 o-vviSpiov t£>v dno-
fear always is that the sacra may fall o-toXcov, Magn. 13 cmrpdvov tov npeo-fSu-
into disuse, and many devices are tried replov. In Aposlol. Const. II 28 pres-
to ensure their permanence (see no. byters are o-vp[Sov\oi toC (ttio-kottov k<u
226). T>)s eKK/\r)o-{us o-rerpavos.