843. Christian funerary inscription

Description:
Two re-used paving-slabs of grey limestone (w: 1.03 x h: 1.12 and w: 1.01 x h: 1.21).  
Text:
Inscribed on one face. 
Letters:
0.11-0.15. The text ends with a cross in a circle flanked by two palm branches, very similar to 837.  
Date:
Fifth century A.D. (context)  
Findspot:
Lepcis Magna: Forum Vetus in situ beside 839. 
Original Location:
Unknown 
Last recorded location:
Findspot 
Bibliography:
Bartoccini, Rivista di Archeologia cristiana della Pontificia Commissione di Archeologia sacra VIII:44-5, no. 3, fig.10. This edition taken from J. M. Reynolds and J. B. Ward-Perkins, The Inscriptions of Roman Tripolitania, Rome: British School at Rome, 1952.  
Text constituted from:
Transcription (Reynolds, Ward-Perkins) 
tau-rho B(onae) m(emoriae) Sam-
bas filius Ste
fani lok(i) serba(tori)s
uix(it) in p(ace) ann(os) VIII
5 m(enses) duo dies duo d(e)f(unctus)
di{a}e lunnae m-
ense Martio
ind(ictionis) octabae
tau-rho BMSAM
BASFILIVSSTE
FANILOKSERBAS
VIXINPANNVIII
5MDVODIESDVODF
DI{A}ELVNNAEM
ENSEMARTIO
INDOCTABAE
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<g type="tau-rho" > </g>
<expan>
<abbr>
B
</abbr>
<ex>
onae
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
m
</abbr>
<ex>
emoriae
</ex>
</expan>
Sam
<lb n="2" type="worddiv" />
bas
filius
Ste
<lb n="3" />
fani
<expan>
<abbr>
lok
</abbr>
<ex>
i
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
serba
</abbr>
<ex>
tori
</ex>
<abbr>
s
</abbr>
</expan>
<lb n="4" />
<expan>
<abbr>
uix
</abbr>
<ex>
it
</ex>
</expan>
in
<expan>
<abbr>
p
</abbr>
<ex>
ace
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
ann
</abbr>
<ex>
os
</ex>
</expan>
<num value="8" >
VIII
</num>
<lb n="5" />
<expan>
<abbr>
m
</abbr>
<ex>
enses
</ex>
</expan>
duo
dies
duo
<expan>
<abbr>
d
</abbr>
<ex>
e
</ex>
<abbr>
f
</abbr>
<ex>
unctus
</ex>
</expan>
<lb n="6" />
di
<sic >
a
</sic>
e
lunnae
m
<lb n="7" type="worddiv" />
ense
Martio
<lb n="8" />
<expan>
<abbr>
ind
</abbr>
<ex>
ictionis
</ex>
</expan>
octabae
</ab>

Translation:

(Monogram cross) To his good memory. Sambas, son of Stephanus, the guardian of this place, lived in peace for eight years, two months and twenty days. He died on the day of Moon (Monday) in the month of March in the eighth indiction.

Commentary:

Stefanus: See also 834, 835, 839, 840.

For the date see 835, and comment there.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. B. 1542)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (Sopr. B. 1542)

(cc) You may download this inscription in EpiDoc XML. (You may need the EpiDoc DTD v. 6 to validate this file.)