E02465: Greek floor-mosaic inscriptions from the church (naos, hagios topos) of the *Apostles in Madaba (Roman province of Arabia/Jordan), commemorating the construction and paving of the shrine, and listing a number of donors. Dated 578/579.

Inscription 1:

Mosaic panel framed by a tabula ansata. H. 0.30 m; W. 1.50 m. Seen in the church in 1902 by Giuseppe Manfredi and first published by him that year in Nuovo Bullettino di Archeologia Cristiana and La Revue biblique. Now lost. For a list of editions and alternative readings, see I. Jordanie 2.

(palm) ἐπὶ τοῦ ὁσιω(τάτου) κ(αὶ) ἁγιω(τάτου) Σεργίου ἐπισκό(που)
ἐτελιώθη ὁ ἅγιος τόπος τῶν Ἀπο-
στόλων ἐν χρ(όνοις) [ἰνδ(ικτιῶνος) ι]̣β΄̣ἐ̣ν ̣ἔτη υογ΄ (palm)

'(palm) Under the most venerable and most holy bishop Sergios was completed this holy place (hagios topos) of the Apostles. In the times of the 1[2th indiction], in the year 473. (palm)'

Text: I. Jordanie 2, no. 141.

Inscription 2:

The inscription is in one line, in reddish letters, on a white band between an outer set of four circular bands in different shades of red and an inner set of six greenish bands, framing a large medallion positioned in the middle of the nave. The medallion shows a personification of the Sea (a female bust), as stated by an attached mosaic label, and fish, dolphins, and birds. The bust resembles images of Syrian goddesses, and those of Tyche, frequently portrayed on coins in Madaba. Diameter of the medallion: 2.20 m; diameter of the inner circle: 1.75 m. Letter height 0.10 m (inscription); 0.16 m (label).

First published by Louis-Hugues Vincent in La Revue biblique in 1902. Then re-edited by a number of scholars. See I. Jordanie 2.

(palm) Κ(ύρι)ε ὁ θ(εό)ς ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν, δὸς ζωὴν Ἀναστασίῳ καὶ Θωμᾷ καὶ Θεοδώρᾳ κ(αὶ) Σαλαμανίου ψηφ(οθέτου)

Θάλασσα

'(palm) O Lord, God, who created Heaven and Earth, give life to Anastasios and Thomas and Theodora and the mosaicist Salamanios!'

'(The) Sea.'

Text: I. Jordanie 2, no. 142.

Inscription 3:

Fragmentary mosaic panel framed by a tabula ansata (of red and black bands). Found during the excavations in the church in 1967 in the west room of the north annex, above a mosaic with lambs and gazelles. Dimensions H. 0.20 m; W. 2.16 m. Letter height 0.09 m. Black letters on white background. Published by Martin Noth in Zeitschrift des deutschen Palästina-Vereins in 1968, by Ute Lux in La Revue biblique in 1969, and by Pierre-Louis Gatier in I. Jordanie 2 in 1986.

ἐπὶ τοῦ ἁ[γιωτάτου ἐπι]̣σ̣κ(όπου) Ἰωάννου ἐψηφώθ(η) ὁ τόπ(ος)
οὗτος σπουδῇ Ἰωάννου εὐλαβεστ(άτου) μοναχοῦ

'Under the [most holy] bishop Ioannes was paved this holy place (hagios topos) by the zeal of Ioannes, the most pious monk.'

Text: I. Jordanie 2, no. 144.

Inscription 4:

Mosaic panel framed by a tabula ansata (of red and black bands). Found during the excavations in the church in 1967 in the middle room of the north annex, above a mosaic with trees, hares and gazelles (?). Damaged in the lower right-hand corner. Dimensions H. 0.60 m; W. 1.26 m. Letter height 0.085 m. Black letters on white background. Published by Martin Noth in Zeitschrift des deutschen Palästina-Vereins in 1968, by Ute Lux in La Revue biblique in 1969, and by Pierre-Louis Gatier in I. Jordanie 2 in 1986.

Κ(ύρι)ε, πρόσδεξε τὴν προσ-
φορὰν τῶν καρποφορισάν-
των (καὶ) καρποφορούντων
τῷ ναῷ τῶν ἁγίω(ν) ἀποστό-
λων εἰς μνήμ(ην) Ἰωά[ννου] π-
ρεσβ(υτέρου) σπουδῖ Ἀναστ[ασίου δι]ακόνου

'O Lord, accept the offering of former and present donors to the church (naos) of the Holy Apostles. In memory of the presbyter Ioannes, by the zeal of the deacon Anastasios.'

Text: I. Jordanie 2, no. 143.