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Funerary bomos of Aur. Apphianos

Type of monument:
Funerary bomos.
Location:
Elli Mescit (Alamescit) (Pentapolis): in a lane.
Description:
Upper part of limestone bomos, broken below, upper moulding defaced.
Dimensions:
Ht. 0.55+; W. 0.35; Th. 0.37; letters 0.020-0.025.
Record:
Squeeze; line drawing; MB notebook copy (1955/82).
Publication:
None.
Date:
Third century AD.
 
 

  vac.   ἀδελφῷ   vac.  
Αὐρ(ήλιος) · Πρόκλο[ς]
Αὐρ(ηλίῳ) · Ἀπφιανῷ
ἀνέστησ̣ε̣ν
5τὸν β̣[ωμὸν]
- - - - - - - - - -
Aur(elius) Proklos set up the a[ltar] for his brother Aur(elius) Apphianos...

The emphatic placement of the term ἀδελφῷ (without the article) at the beginning of the inscription is very surprising, and I know of no parallels. It is possible that the term should be taken to indicate that Apphianos was Proklos’ spiritual brother; cf. the commentary to MAMA XI 302 (1957/52: Zivecik), and cf. also the Christian inscription MAMA XI 292 (1956/151: Maydos), in which the phrase γνήσιος ἀδελφός is used to indicate biological (as opposed to spiritual) fraternity. For the term ἀδελφός as used of Christian spiritual brothers in the Pentapolis, cf. Ramsay, Phrygia II 719, no. 654 (Macil: εἰρήνη πᾶσι τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς); 720, no. 655 (Macil: εἰρήνη πάσῃ τῇ ἀδελ[φότη]τ̣ι).

Elli Mescit (today Alamescit) lies very close to the ancient site at Kocahüyük, probably ancient Stektorion (MAMA XI 135 (1955/76)).

Illustrations:

Squeeze of MAMA XI 147 (Pentapolis 15: 1955-82)

Squeeze of MAMA XI 147 (Pentapolis 15: 1955-82)

Line drawing of MAMA XI 147 (Pentapolis 15: 1955-82)

Line drawing of MAMA XI 147 (Pentapolis 15: 1955-82)