DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45613#0045
Halban
2/
871. Tower, 544 a.d. Lintel of a tower, still in situ, on the east side of
the town, facing north. See Div. II, Ill. 16. The whole lintel is 2.04 m. long and
55 cm. high. In the center is a disk in relief, 46 cm. in diameter. The letters, 8 cm.
high, are also in relief in plates cm. broad. The stone is broken in two near the
right end, and the lower part, at the right of the disk, is broken off through the
middle of the third line.
Published by Dr. Lucas, Byz. Zeitschr. xiv, p. 32, No. 29.
+ E T Ο Y E Δ N UU Μ H
IUJANNK/EVME (disk)
ATTOKUUOABANON
AVETPKINAci +
ωΝ*ΑΙΘ0211)Ν
TO EFT N
4- Ετους ρ.·<(νός) Δυστρου, ivtL ς . + Ιωαυνου
(καί) Συμ,εωνου, λιθοξώυ, απο Κω(ρ.4ς) Ολβανου,
το έογ[ο]υ.
Τ In (the) year 854, month Dystros, indiction 6. The work of Ioannes and
Symeones, stone-masons, of the village of (the) Holbanoi. (March, 543 a.d.)
The form λιθοξών is for λιθοξόων, as λιθοξοΰ is for λιθοξόου in Dr. Lucas’ No. 19 and
in No. 888 below. In the first half of the third line, obviously enough, there is given
the ancient name of a town. In many, if not most, of the cases where the name of
a town is given in such inscriptions, the persons named do not belong to the town in
which the building or monument is situated, and for that very reason the name of the
town to which the persons do belong is mentioned. In the present case, however,
since the town where this tower stands is still called Halban, it is at least probable
that the town to which the builders belonged and the town where the tower still stands
were one and the same. It is not quite clear then why they thought it necessary to
mention their town’s name. Were the stone-masons, who did such work, commonly
from some other region ? Or did Ioannes and his partner build this tower as an advertise-
ment of their busines. Perhaps, as Homer told Lucian when asked why he had
begun his account of the Trojan war with the wrath of Achilles, it just came into
their heads to write this way. In any case it is not clear to me just what the
ancient name was. Dr. Lucas has translated the phrase Λ Aus dem Dorfe Olbia”.
But since the modern name begins with the strong h, I am inclined to think that
Ολβανον should be transliterated with the aspirate, i.e. Holbanon. Is this, then, really
a Greek name, or is it an Aramaic name in Greek form ? There are many names,
in these Greek inscriptions of Syria elsewhere, which are found only in the genitive
case, with or without χάρης. It seems to me impossible to decide whether the nomi-
native should be Κωρ,η Ολβανοι, or Ko'p? Ολβανα or Κωρ.77 Ολβανων.
As to the use of such towers see A.A.E.S. in, No. 60.
872. Fragment, now used as the lintel of a modern dwelling, in the center of
the town, on the south side of a court. It is 1.42 m. long and 22 cm. wide : it is broken,
probably at both ends. The letters, 15 cm. high, are incised in deep, broad lines on
a plain surface.
ΛΟΓΙΟΕΕΤΤΟΙΗ
Εύ(?)]λόγιος εποίη[ σε.
Eulogiosf) made (this.)
2/
871. Tower, 544 a.d. Lintel of a tower, still in situ, on the east side of
the town, facing north. See Div. II, Ill. 16. The whole lintel is 2.04 m. long and
55 cm. high. In the center is a disk in relief, 46 cm. in diameter. The letters, 8 cm.
high, are also in relief in plates cm. broad. The stone is broken in two near the
right end, and the lower part, at the right of the disk, is broken off through the
middle of the third line.
Published by Dr. Lucas, Byz. Zeitschr. xiv, p. 32, No. 29.
+ E T Ο Y E Δ N UU Μ H
IUJANNK/EVME (disk)
ATTOKUUOABANON
AVETPKINAci +
ωΝ*ΑΙΘ0211)Ν
TO EFT N
4- Ετους ρ.·<(νός) Δυστρου, ivtL ς . + Ιωαυνου
(καί) Συμ,εωνου, λιθοξώυ, απο Κω(ρ.4ς) Ολβανου,
το έογ[ο]υ.
Τ In (the) year 854, month Dystros, indiction 6. The work of Ioannes and
Symeones, stone-masons, of the village of (the) Holbanoi. (March, 543 a.d.)
The form λιθοξών is for λιθοξόων, as λιθοξοΰ is for λιθοξόου in Dr. Lucas’ No. 19 and
in No. 888 below. In the first half of the third line, obviously enough, there is given
the ancient name of a town. In many, if not most, of the cases where the name of
a town is given in such inscriptions, the persons named do not belong to the town in
which the building or monument is situated, and for that very reason the name of the
town to which the persons do belong is mentioned. In the present case, however,
since the town where this tower stands is still called Halban, it is at least probable
that the town to which the builders belonged and the town where the tower still stands
were one and the same. It is not quite clear then why they thought it necessary to
mention their town’s name. Were the stone-masons, who did such work, commonly
from some other region ? Or did Ioannes and his partner build this tower as an advertise-
ment of their busines. Perhaps, as Homer told Lucian when asked why he had
begun his account of the Trojan war with the wrath of Achilles, it just came into
their heads to write this way. In any case it is not clear to me just what the
ancient name was. Dr. Lucas has translated the phrase Λ Aus dem Dorfe Olbia”.
But since the modern name begins with the strong h, I am inclined to think that
Ολβανον should be transliterated with the aspirate, i.e. Holbanon. Is this, then, really
a Greek name, or is it an Aramaic name in Greek form ? There are many names,
in these Greek inscriptions of Syria elsewhere, which are found only in the genitive
case, with or without χάρης. It seems to me impossible to decide whether the nomi-
native should be Κωρ,η Ολβανοι, or Ko'p? Ολβανα or Κωρ.77 Ολβανων.
As to the use of such towers see A.A.E.S. in, No. 60.
872. Fragment, now used as the lintel of a modern dwelling, in the center of
the town, on the south side of a court. It is 1.42 m. long and 22 cm. wide : it is broken,
probably at both ends. The letters, 15 cm. high, are incised in deep, broad lines on
a plain surface.
ΛΟΓΙΟΕΕΤΤΟΙΗ
Εύ(?)]λόγιος εποίη[ σε.
Eulogiosf) made (this.)