IRCyr   Inscriptions of Roman Cyrenaica

C.564. Funerary inscription, Tomb N.66

Description: Marble stele; no dimensions.
Text: Inscribed with a wreath in relief above the text
Letters: Standard forms; L for ἐτῶν; leaf for stop.

Date: First century A.D

Findspot: Cyrene: North Necropolis, in association with a tomb a little west of the Kinissieh, N.66; recorded in 1850.
Original location: Findspot
Last recorded location: Findspot (1850).

Interpretive

Ἰωσῆς Κρίσ-
που (ἐτῶν) δ´
Κόϊντος Κο-
ίντου (ἐτῶν) ιε´
5Λύκα Γαίου
(ἐτῶν) νη´
Σάρρα προσ-
ήλυτος
(ἐτῶν) ιη´

Diplomatic

ΙΩΣΗΣΚΡΙΣ
ΠΟΥ L Δ
ΚΟΙΝΤΟΣΚΟ
ΙΝΤΟΥ L ΙΕ
5ΛΥΚΑΓΑΙΟΥ
L ΝΗ
ΣΑΡΡΑΠΡΟΣ
ΗΛΥΤΟΣ
L ΙΗ

Apparatus

4: De Bourville read ΙΣ

German translation

Translation source: Lüderitz-Reynolds, 1983

Joses des Crispus, 4 (Jahre); Quintus des Quintus, 15 (Jahre) Lyka des Gaius, 58 (Jahre); Sarra die Proselytin, 18 (Jahre)

English translation

Translation by: Editors

Joses (scil. son) of Krispos (i.e. Crispus), aged 4; Kointos (i.e. Quintus) (scil. son) of Kointos (i.e. Quintus), aged 15; Lyka (scil. daughter) of Gaios (i.e. Gaius), aged 58; Sarra, proselyte, aged 18.

Commentary

The stele clearly marks the tomb of a Jewish family; see Lüderitz.

l.7 The only indication of Jewish proselytising so far discovered in Cyrenaica. Sarra has a Jewish name, which she may have taken upon conversion; given her ages she could well have been a slave or a foundling in a Jewish family (so JIWE 1.21, at PHI 178700).

Bibliography: Vattier de Bourville, 1850, 585, with drawing, whence Sammelbuch, I.1742, Applebaum, 1954, 50; From these Lüderitz-Reynolds, 1983, 12. For the tomb, Cassels, 1955, N.66, cf. 417, Thorn, 2009, 45.
Text constituted from: From previous publications (Reynolds).

Images

None available (2020).