IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.182. Christian acclamation

Description: Limestone block with simple moulding above (w: 0.66 x h: 0.54 x d: 0.15)
Text: Inscribed on one face. There is an incised branch at the beginning of line 3 and another at the end of line 5.
Letters: Probably fourth or fifth century CE; roughly cut letters of irregular heights (0.02 - 0.05) with angular sigma, phi and omega.

Date: Fourth-fifth century CE

Findspot: Cyrene: Valley Street, Temple F, reused in the late paving underlying the floor; found in 1957.
Original location: Unknown
Last recorded location: Cyrene Museum.

Interpretive

[Εὐτ]υ̣χῶς
Φίλωνι τῷ
διδασκάλῳ
καὶ τοῖς μαθηταῖς
5 αὐτοῦ. ἰχθύς

Diplomatic

[...].ΧΩΣ
ΦΙΛΩΝΙΤΩ
ΔΙΔΑΣΚΑΛΩ
ΚΑΙΤΟΙΣΜΑΘΗΤΑΙΣ
5ΑΥΤΟΥΙΧΘΥΣ

English translation

Translation source: Reynolds-Ward-Perkins-Goodchild, 2003

Good fortune to Philon the teacher and his pupils: FISH (Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour)

Commentary

The reference to a fish may indicate a Christian group; for further discussion see publications.

Bibliography: Reynolds, 1960, 8, whence Robert, Bulletin Épigraphique, 1961.835, SEG 18.753, PHI 324455, Goodchild, 1971, 142, Guarducci Epigrafia Greca IV (1978), 473-5, Stucchi, 1981, 219; Reynolds-Ward-Perkins-Goodchild, 2003, 169.c, Dobias-Lalou, Bulletin Épigraphique, 2004.450.
Text constituted from: Transcription (Reynolds).

Images

None available (2020).