Description: A white marble
masonry block (w: 0.52 × h: 0.30 × d: 0.64) chipped at
upper and right edges, but otherwise complete. There is a rough
protrusion on the underside, which presumably fitted into masonry
below.
Text:
Inscribed on one face; the text must have continued on an
adjacent block as part of a substantial monument. There are some gaps
to avoid faults in the stone, which was not very carefully prepared to
receive the inscription.
Letters: 0.01 (omicron) – 0.025; clear but irregular.
Date: Fourth-sixth century (content,metre).
Findspot: Aphrodisias:
Necropolis, South-west area: built into a field wall some way south of the
south-west stretch of the city wall
Original location: Unknown.
Last recorded location: Museum (1977)
Interpretive
ψ̣υ̣χὴ σῶμα λιποῦϲα τὸ̣ [πήλινον (- ⏖ -)?]
εὔλυτοϲ ἐϲ μακάρων ἱερὸν γε[]νοϲ[( - ⏖ - -)]
ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῳ τετρατο[ν][( ⏖ - ⏖ - -)]
πάντ᾿ἀπανηναμένη ἤθεα [(- ⏖ - -)]
5Ῥώμηϲ καὶ Φαρίηϲ ξύνον γένο[ϲ][( - ⏖ - -)]
καλήν, μιλιχίην, ἐρατήν, πινυ[τόφρονα][( - -)]
ἕρμα ϲαοφροϲύνηϲ κούρην κρ[ύφεν οὗτοϲ ὁ τύμβοϲ?]
ψυχὴ ἀθαν<ά>τοιϲιν ὁμέστιοϲ ου[ρανὸν ἥκει?]
ἐδομένη φορέειν βρότεον [δέμαϲ( - ⏖ - -)]
( vac. )
Diplomatic
..ΧΗΣΩΜΑΛΙΠΟΥϹΑΤ.[..........]
ΕΥΛΥΤΟϹΕϹΜΑΚΑΡΩΝΙΕΡΟΝΓΕ[]ΝΟϹ[....]
ΟΚΤΩΚΑΙΔΕΚΑΤΩΤΕΤΡΑΤΟ[......]
ΠΑΝΤ᾿ΑΠΑΝΗΝΑΜΕΝΗΗΘΕΑ[....]
5ΡΩΜΗϹΚΑΙΦΑΡΙΗϹΞΥΝΟΝΓΕΝΟ[.....]
ΚΑΛΗΝΜΙΛΙΧΙΗΝΕΡΑΤΗΝΠΙΝΥ[.........]
ΕΡΜΑϹΑΟΦΡΟϹΥΝΗϹΚΟΥΡΗΝΚΡ[................]
ΨΥΧΗΑΘΑΝΤΟΙϹΙΝΟΜΕΣΤΙΟϹΟΥ[.........]
ΕΔΟΜΕΝΗΦΟΡΕΕΙΝΒΡΟΤΕΟΝ[.........]
Apparatus
1: ΤΟ [---] IAph2007; τὸ [πήλινον Jones, 2013
2: ἱερὸν ΓΕ [---] IAph2007; ἱερὸν γέ[νος Jones, 2013
3: τετρατο[---] IAph2007; τετρατο[ν Jones, 2013
4: παντάπαν ἧν ἀμενη(ν)ὴ Θεα- IAph2007; πάντ᾿ ἀπανηναμένη ἤθεα Jones, 2013
6: πινυ[τὴν IAph2007; πινυ[τόφρονα, - - Jones, 2013
7: ΚΡ[---] IAph2007; κρ[ύφεν οὗτος ὁ τύμβος (e.g.)] Jones, 2013
8: ΟΥ[---] IAph2007; οὐ[ρανὸν ἥκει, (e.g.)] Jones, 2013
9: ἐδομένη for αἰδομένη Feissel, 1991; [δέμας] Jones, 2013
English translation
Translation source: Jones, 2013
The soul (of ---?), leaving her (earthly?) body, (went?) easily released to the holy race of the gods . . . eighteenth (year),
fourth (month) . . . renouncing all ways (of mortals?). The joint stock of Rome and Pharia [Alexandria], a maiden beautiful,
mild, lovely, wise-minded, --, a pillar of prudence, (this tomb) has (hidden?). Her soul (has gone) to heaven to consort with
the immortals, ashamed to wear a mortal (body . . . )
English translation
Translation source: ALA 2004
(scil. The) soul, leaving the body [--- has gone], released from care, to the holy (i.e. place gathering) of the blessed ones [--- in the] eighteenth [year and?] fourth [month? ---]. Entirely fleeting was Thea-(?) (i.e. the glimpse we had of her) [---] (scil. Her) descent was from both Rome and Alexandria [---] Beautiful, gentle, loveable, discreet, [---] a bastion of prudence (scil. was) the girl whom [---] (scil. Her) soul is living with the immortals [---] being ashamed to bear a mortal [body].
Bibliography
Transcription: New York University expedition in 1972, 72.157
Publication: Roueché, ALA 154 and plate xxxv, whence Feissel, 1991 376 McCabe, PHI, 1996 738 , Merkelbach and Stauber, 1998 02/09/92 (partial), ALA 2004 154, IAph2007 13.507; Jones, 2013 172-4 and plate 2, whence SEG 63.859, AE 2013.1577, Chaniotis, EBGR 2017.69