V 2. Belgorod. Building inscription of voyevoda Stephanos, 1439 C.E.
Monument
Type
Stele.
Material
White marble.
Dimensions (cm)
H. 111.0, W. 51.0, Th. 18.0.
Additional description
Rectangular slab widening at the top, with grooves cut at equal intervals on the left rib. The front carries an inset field surrounded by relief border (W. 11.0-12.5) and divided into two registers. The upper register, whose surface is damaged, contains relief foliate cross with "teardrops" and two relief rosettes, and the lower is inscribed with letters cut in relief.
Place of Origin
Belgorod.
Find place
Belgorod-Dnestrovsky.
Find context
Fortress, cross-wall.
Find circumstances
1840s, survey of N.N. Murzakevich.
Modern location
City of Kherson.
Institution and inventory
Kherson Regional Studies Museum, а-9633.
Autopsy
Non vidi.
Epigraphic field 1
Position
On the upper and lower border.
Lettering
Lapidary; elongated, ornate relief letters, some of them superscript. Multiple ligatures, abbreviations.
Letterheights (cm)
3.5.
Text 1
Category
Building inscription.
Date
1439 C.E.
Dating criteria
Epigraphical context.
Editions
L1. Murzakevich 1850, 481–483; 1.1. Uvarov 1856, 180; 2. Kochubinsky 1889, 527–538, № 2; 2.1. Latyshev 1896, 3–5, № 3; 2.2. Bogdan 1908, 316; 2.3. Pippidi 1998, 81; 3. Krasnozhon 2013, 180–191.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="1">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/>Δέυσις τοῦ
<expan><ex>δού</ex><abbr>λου</abbr></expan> τοῦ
<roleName><expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εο</ex><abbr>ῦ</abbr></expan></roleName>
<expan><abbr>Θε</abbr><ex>ο</ex><abbr>δώρου</abbr></expan>
<expan><abbr>κα</abbr><ex>ὶ</ex></expan>
<lb n="2"/><expan><abbr>Στεφάν</abbr><ex>ου</ex></expan>.
</ab>
</div> Apparatus criticus
1: Θεοδώρου ... Murzakevich; Θεδώρκα Kochubinsky
2: Στέ ... φαν Murzakevich
Translation
Supplication of the servants of God, Theodore and Stephanos.
Commentary
According to Latyshev, the stone was taken to the Odessa Society of History and Antiquities. A.V. Krasnozhon discovered that during WWII, this monument, as well as several others from Belgorod-Dnestrovsky, had been taken to Romania, but later returned, although surprisingly not to Belgorod, but to the City of Kherson. Krasnozhon's edition leaves out the diacritics.
For the archaeological context, see commentary to V 1.
Images
Epigraphic field 2
Position
In the upper register, in corners between the arms of the cross.
Letterheights (cm)
4.0–4.5.
Text 2
Category
Demonstrative.
Date
1439 C.E.
Dating criteria
Epigraphical context.
Editions
L1. Murzakevich 1850, 481–483; 1.1. Uvarov 1856, 180; 2. Kochubinsky 1889, 527–538, № 2; 2.1. Latyshev 1896, 3–5, № 3; 2.2. Bogdan 1908, 316; 2.3. Pippidi 1998, 81; 3. Krasnozhon 2013, 180–191.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="2">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><expan><abbr>Ἰ</abbr><ex>ησοῦ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan> <expan><abbr>Χ</abbr><ex>ριστὸ</ex><abbr>ς</abbr></expan>
<lb n="2"/>νικᾷ.
</ab>
</div> Translation
Jesus Christ is victorious.
Commentary
On the formula, see IV.3.C.e.
Epigraphic field 3
Position
In the lower register.
Letterheights (cm)
3.5.
Text 3
Category
Building inscription.
Date
1439 C.E.
Dating criteria
Epigraphical context.
Editions
L1. Murzakevich 1850, 481–483; 1.1. Uvarov 1856, 180; 2. Kochubinsky 1889, 527–538, № 2; 2.1. Latyshev 1896, 3–5, № 3; 2.2. Bogdan 1908, 316; 2.3. Pippidi 1998, 81; 3. Krasnozhon 2013, 180–191.
<div type="textpart" subtype="inscription" n="3">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><g ref="#stauros"/> Γέγονεν τὸ
παρὸν κάστρον
<lb n="2"/>ἐπὶ τοῦ
εὐσεβεστάτου αὐφέν
<lb n="3" break="no"/>τος
<choice><orig>ὑμῶν</orig><reg>ἡμῶν</reg></choice>
<expan><abbr>Ἰω</abbr><ex>άννου</ex></expan>
Στεφάνου βοβώδα
<lb n="4"/>καὶ ζουπάνου, ἅμα
τε <note>?</note> <expan><abbr>πρότη</abbr><ex>ς</ex></expan>
καιφαλῆς τοῦ Ἀσπρωκάστρου
<lb n="5"/><date>ἐπὶ ἔτους <num value="6948">ςϠμη</num>,
<expan><abbr/><ex>ἰνδικτιῶνος</ex></expan></date> <num value="3">γ</num>.
<g ref="#stauros"/> Διάσο
<lb n="6" break="no"/>σον ἀπὸ
κήλον
τοῦ δούλου σου,
<expan><abbr>θ</abbr><ex>εοτό</ex><abbr>κε</abbr></expan> <g ref="#stauros"/>
<lb n="7"/><date><rs type="month" ref="nou"><expan><abbr>Νο</abbr><ex>εμ</ex><abbr>βρή</abbr><ex>ου</ex></expan></rs>
<num value="10">ι</num></date>.
</ab>
</div> Apparatus criticus
1: γέγονεν Murzakevich et alii;
ιογενον Uvarov;
γεγωνε (ε)ν (sic!) Krasnozhon
2: οπιτоυου Uvarov
2-3: αὐφεντόσου Murzakevich
3: ὑμῶ(ν) Krasnozhon;
υμρω Uvarov;
ὑπάτου Kochubinsky, Latyshev, Bogdan
4: κανδιά Uvarov;
ζουπανоυ μεγας προ της και φ(ι)λος του Aσπρωκαστρου (sic!) Krasnozhon;
διὰ τοῦ μαγίστρο(υ) τῆς ἀφεντίας καὶ τοῦ κάστρου Murzakevich et alii
5: ἐπὶ ἔτους Krasnozhon;
ἐπιστάτου Uvarov, Kochubinsky, Latyshev, Bogdan;
om. Murzakevich
;
͵ςϠμη´: om. Murzakevich;
(ἰνδικτιῶνος) γ´ Krasnozhon;
ἔτ(ους) Kochubinsky, Latyshev, Bogdan
6: ἀπὸ κυνδ(ύ)νον Murzakevich et alii;
αποκληιον (sic!) Krasnozhon;
τоυς δουλ[ους] σου (sic!) Krasnozhon
Translation
The present fortress was constructed in the time of our most pious Authentes, Ioannos Stephanos, Voyevoda and Župan, and of the first Head of Asprokastro, in the year 6948, in the 3rd indiction. Mother of God, safeguard your servant from arrows. 10th November.
Commentary
On the history of the study of the text, see Krasnozhon 2013.
1. Building inscriptions with the formula γέγονε are known in Byzantium, but mostly in Early Byzantine Syria. A related formula (with ἐγένετο) is also attested (see commentary to V 11).
2-3. The formula βοιβόδας καὶ αὐθέντης is known from an inscription dated to 1407-1408 C.E. in Bulgaria (Beševliev 1964, no. 79).
4. On the Moldavian authentes Stephanos II (1433—1435, 1436—1447), see Krasnozhon 2013. Our reading "the first Head" fits rather well with Krasnozhon's hypothesis of Belgorod as a temporary residence of Stephanos II.
5. Kochubinsky and Latyshev read the year correctly, but failed to notice the "3rd indiction" that followed. The latter indeed corresponds to the year 6948 since Creation.
The word κῆλος can designate not only an arrow, but also a sudden death (LSJ, s.v.).
For historical and archaeological context, see Bruyako, Sapozhnikov 2000; Krasnozhon 2012, Krasnozhon 2013.
Images
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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