DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45613#0011
Preface to Division III, Section B.
The present volume, Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological
Expeditions to Syria in 1904-1905 and 1909, Division III, Section B, contains 410
inscriptions, 409 in Greek, and one in Greek and Latin, found in Northern Central
Syria. Nearly all of them were collected in the Spring of 1905 by the members of
the Princeton Expedition of that year. A few, however, have been repeated here from
the Publications of an American Archaeological Expedition to Syria in 1899-1900,
because better copies were obtained, or for some other reason : a very few were not
found by either expedition. The inscriptions published before 1905 from Dar Kita,
Babiska, Refadeh and Der Sim'an are republished here in order to give, as far as
possible, a complete collection of all the Greek inscriptions in these four towns, which
were made the objects of special study by the Princeton Expeditions. Most of the
inscriptions were copied by the editor himself: wherever an inscription appears which
was copied by any one else this fact is stated in the description of the monument.
The earliest of the inscriptions which can be definitely dated belongs to the year
73-74 A. D. : the latest is of the year 609-610 A. d. It is probable that all the others
fall between these dates. Twelve of them bear dates earlier than 325 a. d. : a few of
the others probably, belong to that earlier period, for example Nos. 829, 1127-1134,
1163# and 1193: perhaps also Nos. 1045, 1169, 1197, 1198, 1204, 1205, 1207 and
some others. Most of these are of pagan, a few perhaps of Jewish origin. Practically
all the rest of the inscriptions in this volume are Christian.
Christian inscriptions are somewhat disappointing as sources for our knowledge of
the past. Among the pagans, documents of many sorts, both public and private,
sometimes of great length, were frequently recorded on stone or metal. The Christian
inscriptions, on the other hand, consist chiefly of epitaphs, or brief texts on churches,
dwellings or other structures. The information which they contain, therefore, is com-
paratively limited. Those in the. present collection are useful in that they provide an
accurate basis for the chronology of the architectural monuments in which Syria abounds,
and contribute something to our knowledge of secular history, and of the organization
and administration of Syrian towns in the earlier centuries of our era. For example,
some light is thrown on the ancient topography of Syria by Nos. 871, 1062, 1156,
1161 and 1175: on administration by Nos. 881, 885, 993, 1068, 1170 etc.: on occu-
pations or professions by Nos. 871, 888, 988, 1080, 10S9, 1094, 1096, 1120, 1141,
1143, 1146, i 170, 1176, 1177, 1201, etc. But the chief value of these inscriptions
lies in the fact that much may be learned from them about the language and thought
of the early Christians, the development and spread of Christian dogma, and the growth
of the organized Church.
The present volume, Publications of the Princeton University Archaeological
Expeditions to Syria in 1904-1905 and 1909, Division III, Section B, contains 410
inscriptions, 409 in Greek, and one in Greek and Latin, found in Northern Central
Syria. Nearly all of them were collected in the Spring of 1905 by the members of
the Princeton Expedition of that year. A few, however, have been repeated here from
the Publications of an American Archaeological Expedition to Syria in 1899-1900,
because better copies were obtained, or for some other reason : a very few were not
found by either expedition. The inscriptions published before 1905 from Dar Kita,
Babiska, Refadeh and Der Sim'an are republished here in order to give, as far as
possible, a complete collection of all the Greek inscriptions in these four towns, which
were made the objects of special study by the Princeton Expeditions. Most of the
inscriptions were copied by the editor himself: wherever an inscription appears which
was copied by any one else this fact is stated in the description of the monument.
The earliest of the inscriptions which can be definitely dated belongs to the year
73-74 A. D. : the latest is of the year 609-610 A. d. It is probable that all the others
fall between these dates. Twelve of them bear dates earlier than 325 a. d. : a few of
the others probably, belong to that earlier period, for example Nos. 829, 1127-1134,
1163# and 1193: perhaps also Nos. 1045, 1169, 1197, 1198, 1204, 1205, 1207 and
some others. Most of these are of pagan, a few perhaps of Jewish origin. Practically
all the rest of the inscriptions in this volume are Christian.
Christian inscriptions are somewhat disappointing as sources for our knowledge of
the past. Among the pagans, documents of many sorts, both public and private,
sometimes of great length, were frequently recorded on stone or metal. The Christian
inscriptions, on the other hand, consist chiefly of epitaphs, or brief texts on churches,
dwellings or other structures. The information which they contain, therefore, is com-
paratively limited. Those in the. present collection are useful in that they provide an
accurate basis for the chronology of the architectural monuments in which Syria abounds,
and contribute something to our knowledge of secular history, and of the organization
and administration of Syrian towns in the earlier centuries of our era. For example,
some light is thrown on the ancient topography of Syria by Nos. 871, 1062, 1156,
1161 and 1175: on administration by Nos. 881, 885, 993, 1068, 1170 etc.: on occu-
pations or professions by Nos. 871, 888, 988, 1080, 10S9, 1094, 1096, 1120, 1141,
1143, 1146, i 170, 1176, 1177, 1201, etc. But the chief value of these inscriptions
lies in the fact that much may be learned from them about the language and thought
of the early Christians, the development and spread of Christian dogma, and the growth
of the organized Church.