V 332. Hermonassa. Epitaph of Sotias (?), second half of IV-Vth centuries C.E.
Monument
Type
Panel.
Material
Proconnesian marble.
Dimensions (cm)
H. 42.0, W. 46.0, Th. 4.0–5.0.
Additional description
The front is polished. Broken on all sides; the middle and right half of line 2 are covered in red paint.
Place of Origin
Hermonassa.
Find place
Taman.
Find context
Near the cross-domed church, excavation trench XXXa, grid square 182.
Find circumstances
1954, excavations of B.A. Rybakov.
Modern location
Moscow, Russia.
Institution and inventory
State Historical Museum, no inventory number.
Autopsy
May 1999, November 2008.
Epigraphic field
Position
On the front.
Lettering
Lapidary. Alpha with right-slanting crossbar.
Letterheights (cm)
3.5–4.5.
Text
Category
Epitaph.
Date
Second half of IV-Vth centuries C.E.
Dating criteria
Palaeography.
Editions
L1. Diatroptov, Yemets 1995, 42; 2. Vinogradov 2006, 293, № 4; 2.1. Vinogradov 2010a, 151-152.
<div type="edition" xml:lang="grc">
<ab>
<lb n="1"/><supplied reason="lost">Ἐνθ</supplied>άδε κατά<lb n="2" break="no"/><supplied reason="lost">κει</supplied>τε Σωτ<unclear>ηά</unclear>ς
</ab>
</div> Apparatus criticus
2: ὁ [δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ δεῖνα (?)] Diatroptov
Translation
Here lies Sotias (?).
Commentary
This is probably a Christian tombstone. Unfortunately, the damage to all sides prevents us from reaching any conclusion about the original shape of the monument. The polished front and the proconnesian marble suggest that we are mostly likely dealing with a reused architectural fragment from classical antiquity. The exact archaeological context of the find is unknown: in Rybakov's field report, the monument is not mentioned.
1–2. On the formula, see Introduction IV.3.F.d.
2. Subsequent to discovery, the name of the deceased has suffered damage from a spill of red oil paint, and only 3 letters are clearly legible. The name Sotias (here Soteas) is attested three times in a Coan inscription (Iscr. Cos, № 165, 9c; variant — Σωτία (Syll. 3rd ed., № 901)). We cannot rule out, however, that in our case it might be the male name Σωτίας, a cognate of Σωτιάδης (IG V 3) or, more distantly, of Σωτᾶς (LGPN IV, 325) and Σώτιος (Anthologiae graecae appendix, 604).
Images
© 2015 Andrey Vinogradov (edition), Irene Polinskaya (translation)
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