E04333: Greek inscriptions and graffiti found in the entrance hall at the North Church at Nessana/Auja Hafir in the Negev desert (Roman province of Palaestina III), invoking *Sergios (soldier and martyr of Rusafa, S00023), *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), the God of Stephen and Sergios, and the God of unnamed martyrs. It is possible, but very unlikely, that *Bakchos (soldier and martyr of Barbalissos, S00079) was invoked together with Sergios in one of the texts. Probably 5th-7th c.

Inscription 1:

Carved on a stone lintel reused as the sill in the east doorway of Room 9. H. 0.25 m; W. 1.70 m. Letter height 0.02-0.025 m. Traces of red paint are preserved inside the letters. The inscription is on both sides of a cross within a circle.

εἷς θεὸς ὁ ἅγιε Στέφανε βοίθι-
̣β[οηθῶν] σον

'There is one God, the helper. Saint Stephen, help (us)!'

Text: I. Nessana, no. 27. Translation: G.E. Kirk & C. Bardford Welles, lightly adapted.

Inscription 2:

Sixteen sets of inscriptions and graffiti in cursive script, written by different hands, and containing complex invocations, were recorded on a chalk voussoir from Room 9 (H. 0.37 m; W. 0.47 m). The stone was removed from the site and deposited in the then Palestine Museum in Jerusalem (now the Rockefeller Museum). Below we retain the original numbering of the sets, and reproduce only those texts which contain direct references to saints. The readings are by George Kirk, aided by Sir Harold Idris Bell. The editors offer a good photograph of the inscribed face of the block.

(g) Lower middle sector. Letter height 0.02 m.

+ ἅγιοι μάρτυρες βοηθ(εῖτε)
τοῦ οἴκου Στεφάνου

'+ O holy martyrs, help the household of Stephanos!'

(j) Lower middle sector, below (g). Letter height 0.005-0.01 m. Cursive script.

+ Κ(ύρι)ε καὶ ἅγιε Σέργι(ε) [κ(αὶ)] Στέφαν(ε) βοηθ(εῖτε) Σελαμῖνος
(καὶ) Ζήνων (καὶ) Θέσου (καὶ) Εὐθυμία (καὶ) Στεφανία
κ(αὶ) Γεοργίου (καὶ) πάντες ἐν τοῦ καλο[ῦ] βίου
ἀπὸ μικρõν ἕος μεγάλον καὶ Κάσι(ος) (καὶ)
Σελμῖνας
ἰνδ(ικτιῶνος) γ΄ Χοίαχ κγ΄

'O Lord, and Saint Sergios, and Stephen, help Selaminos, and Zenon, and Thaisos, and Euthymia, and Stephania, and Georgios, and all in the good life from small to great, and Kasios, and Selminas. In the 3rd indiction, on the 23rd (day) (of the month of) Choiak.'

(l) Below and to the left of (j). Letter height 0.01-0.015 m. Partly rectangular, partly cursive script.

Κ(ύρι)ε κ(αὶ) ἅγ̣ι̣ε Στέφαν̣ε κ(αὶ) ἅγιε Σέργι(ε)
βοητεῖτε [- - -]

'O Lord and Saint Stephen, and Saint Sergios, help [- - -]!'

(o) Lower left-hand corner. Letter height 0.02 m.

ΚΥΒ expanded by the editors as Κ(υρίο)υ Β[άχχου (?)]/'Of the Lord Bakchos' (possibly the martyr, or an ordinary person). We suggest a different expansion: Κύ(ριε), β[οήθει]'Lord, help!'

Text: I. Nessana, no. 30. Translation: G.E. Kirk & C. Bardford Welles, lightly adapted.

Inscription 3:

Written on a chalk block from Room 9. H. 0.27 m; W. 0.35 m. Letter height 0.015 m. Rectangular script. Removed from the site and deposited in the Palestine Museum in Jerusalem (now the Rockefeller Musem).

ὁ θε(ὸς) τοῦ ἁγίου Στεφάνου κ(αὶ) [τοῦ]
ἁγίου Σεργίου βοή(θη)σον Ἰωάνης
κὲ Μαρίε

'O God of Saint Stephen, and of Saint Sergios, help Ioannes, and Maria!'

Text: I. Nessana, no. 32. Translation: G.E. Kirk & C. Bardford Welles, lightly adapted.

Inscription 4:

Written on a chalk block from Room 9. Dimensions not specified. Letter height 0.015 m. Oval/cursive script. The inscription was scarcely legible, and the editors offered just a schematic drawing followed by a provisional transcription of several passages.

Στεφάνου ... καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Σεργ(ίου) ... τοῦ δούλου ... μάρ(τυρος?) Στεφάν(ου) ... Φλαυίου

'[God?] of Stephen ... and of Saint Sergios ... (thy?) servant ... of the martyr (?) Stephen ... Flavios'

Text: I. Nessana, no. 33. Translation: G.E. Kirk & C. Bardford Welles, lightly adapted.