DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45618#0023
Kefr Nabo
183
from Deir el-Qafa,1 2 (3) from Homs (or Palmyra),3 (4) from Burj el-Oae (4 hours N. N. E.
of Homs), dated 196 a. d.,3 (5) on a gem,4 (6) on the wall of a rock-hewn chamber
near Wastha, north of Tyre,5 and (7) the present inscription.
In these seven inscriptions the name appears three times certainly as feminine
(Nos. 2, 4 and 5), once certainly as masculine (No. 7): three times the sex is uncertain
(Nos. 1, 3 and 6). In two of these cases the feminine Σηρ,εα appears alone, or with
Άτραγατετις (Άταργατις): in other cases the name appears in a triad, to which, in one
instance, a Νεωτερα Ήρα, apparently the princess Soaemias, has been added. At Deir
■el-Qafa, in one inscription (No. 2) this triad appears as Jupiter Balmarqod, Juno
Regina — θεα "Ηρα, and Juno (θεά) Sima. In the other inscription from Deir el-Oafa
(No. 1) Juno Regina may have been omitted, Jupiter Balmarqod appearing with Juno
Sima alone. In the monument found at Homs (No. 3) a triad, of which the goddess
is called Άθηνά and the god on the right Κεραυνός, appears in the relief in its present
state.6 In the inscription below this relief apparently the goddes is called Seimia or
Seima, and the two gods Bel Iarebol and Aglibol.7 In the inscription from the
neighborhood of Tyre (No. 6) the triad appears 8 9 as Helios, Aphrodite, and Simla or
Simios. In the present inscription the triad appears as Seimiosp Symbetylos, and Leon.
M. Chapot and the other editors10 of this inscription have pointed out that the
name Symbetylos signifies the consort, or paredros, or sharer in the baetyl, of the god.
Doubtless then this consort, whose proper name is lacking, is no other than the goddess
Sima or Semea, the female counterpart of Seimios. The lion is well known as the
animal sacred to Atargatis and often associated with her on monuments belonging to
her cults. Professor Lidzbarski suggests that perhaps the lion was deified originally
because it was often represented as the bearer of the goddess. Perhaps at Kefr Nabo
a lion was represented as the bearer of a sacred baetyl. M. Dussaud has entered
more fully into the discussion of this subject11: “Le lion a signification solaire est le
djinn par excellence, le dieu Gennaios, a tel point que Gennaios est employe comme
epithete du dieu solaire. Elie est appliquee a Bacal-Marqod, a Malakbel, tandis que
Gennaios a Heliopolis etait venere sous la forme d’un lion dans le temple meme de
*) No. (1) in C. I. L. in, 159 and 6669. See also Clermont-Ganneau, Recueil 1 (1888), p. 109 f., and v (1903), p. 81 f.;
R. A. 4e S. II (1903, 2), p. 229. Perdrizet, R. A. 3c S. xxxii (1898, 1), p. 39 f. Ronzevalle, R. A. 4e S. 11 (1903, 2), p. 41 f.
Dussaud, R. A. IV (1904, 2), p. 252. No. (2) Published by Ronzevalle, Z. A, p. 29-49. Clermont-Ganneau, Recueil VI (1905),
p. 35-41 (=Z?. A. 11, p. 225-9). Dittenberger, 0. G. I. S. 11 (1905), No. 590. Lidzbarski, Ephemeris f. sem. Epigraphik II
(1903-7), p. 324 f.
2 Published by P. I.ammens in Musee Beige V (1901), p. 273 f., No. 28, and in a communication from R. P. Ronzevalle,
containing a good photographic reproduction of the monument, in C. R. de I'Acad. des Inscr. 1902, p. 235 f. See also Ronze-
valle in R. A. 3e S. XL (1902, 1), p. 387-391 (written Nov. 28, 1901). Also the communication of P. Ronzevalle presented
by M. de Vogiie in C. R. 1903, p. 276-283. Dussaud, R. A. iv (1904, 2), p. 248 f.; Les Arabes est Syrie caiant ΓIslam
(1907), p. 131; R. E. G. XXI (1908), p. 204. Lidzbarski, Ephemeris 11, p. 83 f.
2 Published by MM. Perdrizet and Fossey in B. C. H. xxi (1897), p. 70 f., No. 11. See also Perdrizet in R. A. 3e S.
xxxii (1898, 1), p. 39-41·
4 Published in C. I. G. iv, 7046 and by M. Dussaud, in R. A. 4e S. iv (1904, 2), p. 252 f. Also Rayet, B. C. H. in
(1879), p. 406-8. Mordtmann, Z. D. M. G. xxxix (1885), p. 42 f.
5 Published by Renan in his Mission de Phenicie, p. 647 ff., and by Dussaud in R. A. IV (1904, 2), p. 253 f. Also
C. I. S. I, p. 27.
0 Some believe that there were originally four persons here.
‘ In spite of I. G. XIV, 971, however, I am not entirely convinced that Aglibol is masculine.
8 According to M. Dussaud’s reading.
9 Or Seimos. 10 Dussaud, Lidzbarski, Z. c.
- 11 R. A. 4<= S. IV (1904, 2), p. 229 f.: the necessary references are given by M. Dussaud in the foot-notes. See also
Ronzevalle in C. R. de I'Acad. 1901, p. 459 f. Heuzey in C. R. 1902, p. 190-200. Clermont-Ganneau, Recueil I (1888),
p. 94-96; C. R. de I'Acad. 1902, p. 472 f.; Recueil v (1903), p. 154-163.
183
from Deir el-Qafa,1 2 (3) from Homs (or Palmyra),3 (4) from Burj el-Oae (4 hours N. N. E.
of Homs), dated 196 a. d.,3 (5) on a gem,4 (6) on the wall of a rock-hewn chamber
near Wastha, north of Tyre,5 and (7) the present inscription.
In these seven inscriptions the name appears three times certainly as feminine
(Nos. 2, 4 and 5), once certainly as masculine (No. 7): three times the sex is uncertain
(Nos. 1, 3 and 6). In two of these cases the feminine Σηρ,εα appears alone, or with
Άτραγατετις (Άταργατις): in other cases the name appears in a triad, to which, in one
instance, a Νεωτερα Ήρα, apparently the princess Soaemias, has been added. At Deir
■el-Qafa, in one inscription (No. 2) this triad appears as Jupiter Balmarqod, Juno
Regina — θεα "Ηρα, and Juno (θεά) Sima. In the other inscription from Deir el-Oafa
(No. 1) Juno Regina may have been omitted, Jupiter Balmarqod appearing with Juno
Sima alone. In the monument found at Homs (No. 3) a triad, of which the goddess
is called Άθηνά and the god on the right Κεραυνός, appears in the relief in its present
state.6 In the inscription below this relief apparently the goddes is called Seimia or
Seima, and the two gods Bel Iarebol and Aglibol.7 In the inscription from the
neighborhood of Tyre (No. 6) the triad appears 8 9 as Helios, Aphrodite, and Simla or
Simios. In the present inscription the triad appears as Seimiosp Symbetylos, and Leon.
M. Chapot and the other editors10 of this inscription have pointed out that the
name Symbetylos signifies the consort, or paredros, or sharer in the baetyl, of the god.
Doubtless then this consort, whose proper name is lacking, is no other than the goddess
Sima or Semea, the female counterpart of Seimios. The lion is well known as the
animal sacred to Atargatis and often associated with her on monuments belonging to
her cults. Professor Lidzbarski suggests that perhaps the lion was deified originally
because it was often represented as the bearer of the goddess. Perhaps at Kefr Nabo
a lion was represented as the bearer of a sacred baetyl. M. Dussaud has entered
more fully into the discussion of this subject11: “Le lion a signification solaire est le
djinn par excellence, le dieu Gennaios, a tel point que Gennaios est employe comme
epithete du dieu solaire. Elie est appliquee a Bacal-Marqod, a Malakbel, tandis que
Gennaios a Heliopolis etait venere sous la forme d’un lion dans le temple meme de
*) No. (1) in C. I. L. in, 159 and 6669. See also Clermont-Ganneau, Recueil 1 (1888), p. 109 f., and v (1903), p. 81 f.;
R. A. 4e S. II (1903, 2), p. 229. Perdrizet, R. A. 3c S. xxxii (1898, 1), p. 39 f. Ronzevalle, R. A. 4e S. 11 (1903, 2), p. 41 f.
Dussaud, R. A. IV (1904, 2), p. 252. No. (2) Published by Ronzevalle, Z. A, p. 29-49. Clermont-Ganneau, Recueil VI (1905),
p. 35-41 (=Z?. A. 11, p. 225-9). Dittenberger, 0. G. I. S. 11 (1905), No. 590. Lidzbarski, Ephemeris f. sem. Epigraphik II
(1903-7), p. 324 f.
2 Published by P. I.ammens in Musee Beige V (1901), p. 273 f., No. 28, and in a communication from R. P. Ronzevalle,
containing a good photographic reproduction of the monument, in C. R. de I'Acad. des Inscr. 1902, p. 235 f. See also Ronze-
valle in R. A. 3e S. XL (1902, 1), p. 387-391 (written Nov. 28, 1901). Also the communication of P. Ronzevalle presented
by M. de Vogiie in C. R. 1903, p. 276-283. Dussaud, R. A. iv (1904, 2), p. 248 f.; Les Arabes est Syrie caiant ΓIslam
(1907), p. 131; R. E. G. XXI (1908), p. 204. Lidzbarski, Ephemeris 11, p. 83 f.
2 Published by MM. Perdrizet and Fossey in B. C. H. xxi (1897), p. 70 f., No. 11. See also Perdrizet in R. A. 3e S.
xxxii (1898, 1), p. 39-41·
4 Published in C. I. G. iv, 7046 and by M. Dussaud, in R. A. 4e S. iv (1904, 2), p. 252 f. Also Rayet, B. C. H. in
(1879), p. 406-8. Mordtmann, Z. D. M. G. xxxix (1885), p. 42 f.
5 Published by Renan in his Mission de Phenicie, p. 647 ff., and by Dussaud in R. A. IV (1904, 2), p. 253 f. Also
C. I. S. I, p. 27.
0 Some believe that there were originally four persons here.
‘ In spite of I. G. XIV, 971, however, I am not entirely convinced that Aglibol is masculine.
8 According to M. Dussaud’s reading.
9 Or Seimos. 10 Dussaud, Lidzbarski, Z. c.
- 11 R. A. 4<= S. IV (1904, 2), p. 229 f.: the necessary references are given by M. Dussaud in the foot-notes. See also
Ronzevalle in C. R. de I'Acad. 1901, p. 459 f. Heuzey in C. R. 1902, p. 190-200. Clermont-Ganneau, Recueil I (1888),
p. 94-96; C. R. de I'Acad. 1902, p. 472 f.; Recueil v (1903), p. 154-163.