ISic002139: Fragment of a Greek funerary inscription

I.Sicily with the permission of the Assessorato Regionale dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana - Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana; photo J. Prag 2014-09-09
I.Sicily with the permission of the Assessorato Regionale dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana - Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana; photo J. Prag 2014-09-09
ID
ISic002139
Language
Ancient Greek
Status
edited
Text type
funerary
Object type
plaque

Edition

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Apparatus criticus

  • Text based on autopsy;
  • 1: The ending of χρηστὸς is uncertain
  • 2: The ending of ἄμεμπτος is uncertain (and the alternative spelling ἄμενπτος also possible)
  • 4: N is just possible, but there is no trace of the vertical to the right.

Physical description

Support

Description
Fragment of thin grey-white marble plaque, intact on the left margin, broken on the other three sides, finished smooth on the reverse.
Object type
plaque
Object condition
fragment
Dimensions
height: 11.8 cm, width: 9.8 cm, depth: 0.9 cm

Material

Description
marble
Type > subtype
stone.marble > unverified

Inscription

Layout
The beginnings of four lines of letters preserved, reducing in height, the fourth line indented.
Text condition
incomplete
Technique
chiselled
Pigment
No data
Lettering

V-cut letters with wedge serifs; use of ligature; quadrate epsilon, uncial omega.

Letter heights
Line 2: 22mm
Line 3: 15-16mm
Interlinear heights
Interlineation line 1 to 2: mm

Provenance

Place of origin
Syracusae
Provenance found
Chance find during excavations in Giardina Spagna, November 1937 and September 1938. Now in the Museum stores.

Current location

Place
, Sicilia
Repository
Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi
49737
Autopsy
Prag 2014-09-09, cassette 2, magazzino B, Museo Archeologico Regionale Paolo Orsi
Map

Date

second or third century CE(?) (AD 101 - AD 300)
Evidence
lettering

Text type

funerary

commentary

The name of the deceased is missing from above line 1. The formula χρηστὸς καὶ αμ̓́εμπτος is distinctive to the Syracusan region. The verb ἐβίωσε(ν) instead of ἔζησε(ν) is relatively rare, although attested in use in Sicily. The Μ preceded by an interpunct in the final line is likely to be a numeral from the age of the deceased, with ἔτη to be restored at the end of line 3.

Bibliography

Digital editions
  • TM: -
  • EDR: -
  • EDH: -
  • EDCS: -
  • PHI: -

Citation and editorial status

Editor
Jonathan Prag
Principal contributor
Jonathan Prag
Contributors
Last revision
5/18/2026