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E01213: Greek inscription on a boundary stone of a church dedicated to *Michael (the Archangel, S00181). Found on Lesbos (the Aegean Islands), probably close to Mytilene. Probably late antique.

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posted on 2016-03-17, 00:00 authored by pnowakowski
ὅροι τοῦ ἁγ[ίου]
ἀρχαγ[γέλου]
Μιχ[αήλ]

'Boundaries of the holy Archangel Michael.'

Text: Charitonidis 1968, 20.

History

Evidence ID

E01213

Saint Name

Michael, the Archangel : S00181

Saint Name in Source

Μιχ[αήλ]

Type of Evidence

Inscriptions - Formal inscriptions (stone, mosaic, etc.)

Language

  • Greek

Evidence not before

450

Evidence not after

600

Place of Evidence - Region

Aegean islands and Cyprus Aegean islands and Cyprus

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Mytilene Lesbos

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Mytilene Salamis Σαλαμίς Salamis Salamis Farmagusta Far Κωνσταντία Konstantia Constantia Lesbos Salamis Σαλαμίς Salamis Salamis Farmagusta Far Κωνσταντία Konstantia Constantia

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - independent (church)

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Awarding privileges to cult centres

Source

A cross-shaped marble plaque of unknown provenance. Kept in the Museum of Mytilene. Seen and copied by Anastasios Orlandos before 1948, and between 1960 and 1964 by Seraphim Charitonidis. There is no detailed description of the stone.

Discussion

The inscription marked the boundaries of a church or an estate belonging to a church dedicated to Michael the Archangel. For an identical formula, engraved on a boundary stone, see: E00963. Though this inscription does not say so explicitly, boundary stones were usually bestowed upon sanctuaries by emperors. Dating: Probably late antique - based on dates of other boundary stones, usually authorised by late 5th or 6th c. emperors.

Bibliography

Edition: Charitonidis, S., "Παλαιοχριστιανικὴ τοπογραφία τῆς Λέσβου", ΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΚΟΝ ΔΕΛΤΙΟΝ 23 (1968) ΜΕΡΟΣ Α' - ΜΕΛΕΤΑΙ, 20. Orlandos, A.K., "Παλαιοχριστιανικά λείψανα τῆς Ῥόδου", Ἀρχεῖον τῶν βυζαντινῶν μνημείων τῆς Ἑλλάδος 6 (1948), 12, note 4. Further reading: Dimitrokallis, G., Συμβολαὶ εἰς τὴν μελέτην τῶν βυζαντινῶν μνημείων Νάξου, vol. 1 (Athens: 1972), 75, note 85 (mentioned). Bulletin épigraphique (1969), 421. Kiourtzian, G., "Pietas insulariorum", [in:] Eupsychia: mélanges offerts à Hélène Ahrweiler, vol. 2 (Série Byzantina Sorbonensia 16, Paris: Publications de la Sorbonne, 1998), 377.

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    Evidence -  The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity

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