Greek Christian epitaphs from Charakmoba and the Land of Moab

Abstract

Fifteen Greek inscriptions recently discovered in the Land of Moab (southern Jordan) are published here. All are Christian epitaphs, engraved on limestone funerary stelae of an extremely common type at Al-Karak (ancient Charakmoba) and on the surrounding plateau, which bring new information on the onomastics and funerary customs of the local communities in Late Antiquity. An epigram that contains phrases directly borrowed from the epic code of the time is also remarkable. Like the other, less sophisticated, inscriptions discussed here, it testifies to the late and partial Hellenization that characterized the history of the Land of Moab in the Byzantine period.

New Byzantine inscriptions from the Land of Moab

“…The town is represented on the topographical mosaic of St. Stephen's Church in Umm al‐Raṣāṣ with the other cities of the area. The great majority of the Byzantine funerary inscriptions from the Land of Moab were discovered in this city—approximately 240 inscriptions are recorded (Aliquot & Al‐Shdaifat, 2020, nos. 1–10; Canova, 1954, nos.…”

“…On the ending ‐ης (= ‐ις phonetically) instead of ‐ιος, see Canova (1954, p. cix, with nos. 66 [Γεώργης] and 202 [Σέργης]) and Aliquot and Al‐Shdaifat (2020, pp. 22–23 no.…”

“…Around 600 inscriptions have been documented, dating from the fifth to the middle of the seventh century AD, with the majority of them being erected in the second half of the sixth century. The first collection of these inscriptions was published by R. Canova in 1954 and completed with new discoveries over the century (see Aliquot et al, 2014;Meimaris et al, 2007, with a bibliographical update; most recently Gatier, 2017, p. 347 no. 9;Aliquot & Al-Shdaifat, 2020;Aliquot, 2018;Al-Rawahneh & Elboj, 2022a, 2022b.…”

“…The first collection of these inscriptions was published by R. Canova in 1954 and completed with new discoveries over the century (see Aliquot et al, 2014;Meimaris et al, 2007, with a bibliographical update; most recently Gatier, 2017, p. 347 no. 9;Aliquot & Al-Shdaifat, 2020;Aliquot, 2018;Al-Rawahneh & Elboj, 2022a, 2022b. The article includes seven previously unpublished inscriptions that show the typical characteristics of Christian epitaphs found in the region.…”

Two new Byzantine inscriptions from El‐ʿAynūn (Kerak Governorate; Southern Jordan)

“…Similarly, there is also a cave called by locals 'the Cave of the Cross', which was probably used as an eremitic rock-dwelling, a form of religious life widely spread in the hills near River Jordan. 7 Among other relevant publications, and without wishing to be exhaustive, it is worth mentioning the general compilations by Feissel (2006), Meimaris (2008), Meimaris and Kritikakou (2005) as well as the partial works of Zayadine (1971), Piccirillo (1989;2003), Meimaris et al (2007), Karvounis (2010), Shiyyab (2011), Aliquot et al (2014), Gatier et al (2017), Aliquot and Shdaifat (2020).…”