Pagan and Christian language: an Epigraphic Case Study

Avdokhin Arkadiy

Book chapter

Pagan and Christian language: an Epigraphic Case Study

Avdokhin A.

In press

This paper is a brief case study of a fourth-century Greek epigram from Aegina (IG IV, 53), which is discussed as an instance of 'hybrid' diction bringing together classicizing diction and elements of Christian idiom. I frame my argument within the recent research into late antique epigraphic poetry and the dynamics of the traditional Hellenic and Christian styles in it. The case study, forming part of a Companion to languages in Christianity, seeks to highlight the recent developments in the study of the epigraphic discourse in late antiquity, the issues of literary paideia, and Christianization of the elite.

Language: English

Keywords: Christianization epigraphy Aegina late antiquity

Publication based on the results of: Symbolic behavior in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period(2018)

In book

Language and Culture in Early Christianity: A Companion

Edited by: T. Dennecker. Leuven: Peeters, 2020.

Языческая Литва между Западом и Востоком (волны территориальной экспансии с XI в. до крещения)

Простаков С. А., Рябинин А. Л. В кн.: Имперский вопрос и национальный ответ. М.: Издательский дом ГУ-ВШЭ, 2009. С. 57-126.

Added: Apr 22, 2013

Cultură şi spiritualitate în comuna Ribiţa (jud. Hunedoara). 600 de ani de la atestarea bisericii “Sfântul Ierarh Nicolae” din Ribiţa (1417) şi 25 de ani de la reactivarea Mănăstirii Crişan (1992)

Editura Argonaut & Editura Episcopiei Devei și Hunedoarei, 2017.

Added: Oct 30, 2018

Поэма «Спаситель» (Heliand): как писалось «Саксонское Евангелие»

Домский М. В. Вестник Вятского государственного гуманитарного университета. 2015.

In the reign of Louis the Pious the popularization of Christianity among Saxons started. In order to get their attention to the newly imposed religion, the Germanic poetry was used as a tool. The most famous example of the Saxon Christian epic poetry is the Heliand.

Added: Oct 14, 2015

Byzantinische Inschriften des noerdlichen Schwarzmeerraums

Vinogradov A. In bk.: Proceedings of the 22gd International Congress of Byzantine Studies. Abstracts of free Communications, Sofia, 22–27 august 2011. Sofia: 2011. P. 60-60.

Added: Mar 21, 2013

The oldest traces of Semitic (Hebrew and Syriac) in early Rus’: two inscriptions in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod

Gippius A., Gzella H., Schaeken J. et al. Russian linguistics. 2012. Vol. 36. No. 3. P. 271-284.

In the present article two eleventh-century phrases inscribed many times on the walls of the St Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod (коуни рони and парехъ мари) are shown to be of Semitic provenance. The authors provide the linguistic arguments which support the claim of a Hebrew source for коуни рони and a Syriac one for парехъ мари. In addition, we offer a reconstruction of the historical pragmatic context in which the phrases can be situated. It is proposed that the коуни рони inscriptions can be connected with the seizure of Novgorod and the plundering of St Sophia by Vseslav of Polotsk in the year 1066. They should be regarded as the oldest tangible proof of contacts with Jews and Hebrew in Rus’. In the case of the парехъ мари inscriptions, the hypothesis is put forward that the author was a certain Efrem, a local citizen, possibly a clergyman, who was a Syrian by descent.

Added: Jan 27, 2013

Inscriptions in Byzantium and Beyond

Edited by: A. Rhoby. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2015.

The present book, the first collective volume entirely devoted to aspects of Byzantine epigraphy, mainly comprises papers delivered at two international meetings (Vienna 2010, Sofia 2011). The book is divided into four sections and includes among others the following contributions: after an introductory article about the “history” of the discipline of Byzantine epigraphy Cyril Mango tries to define the term “Byzantine inscription” and its limits. Vincent Debiais offers some interesting observations by comparing medieval Latin inscriptions from the West with Byzantine epigraphic traditions. The second section of the book bears the title “Methods of Editing Byzantine Inscriptions”: while the paper of Peter Schreiner discusses the urgent necessity of creating a new epigraphic initiative within Byzantine Studies, Walter Koch describes the Western medieval inscription projects in detail. Both Guglielmo Cavallo and Erkki Sironen discuss editorial guidelines while Charlotte Roueché stresses the advantages of creating online-corpora, and Joel Kalvesmaki describes his recently published epigraphic font “Athena Ruby”. The third section covers articles which report current epigraphic projects: two projects from Greece presented will be published within databases. Maria Xenaki discusses the epigraphic wealth of Cappadocia and its hardly studied graffiti. The last section is devoted to case studies articles. Their content ranges from Late Antiquity (Sencer Şahin, Mustafa Sayar) until the middle and the late Byzantine period (Ida Toth, Linda Safran).

Added: Apr 8, 2015

Проблемы истории и культуры средневекового общества. Тезисы докладов XXXIV всероссийской конференции студентов, аспирантов и молодых учёных "Курбатовские чтения"

Edited by: А. Ю. Прокопьев СПб.: Санкт-Петербургский государственный университет, 2015.

Added: Jan 23, 2015

Херсонес-Херсон: две истории одного города. Имена, места и даты в исторической памяти полиса

Виноградов А. Ю. Вестник древней истории. 2013. № 1. С. 40-58.

Added: Dec 17, 2012

Эпиграфика. Надписи с Анакопийской горы

Виноградов А. Ю. В кн.: Искусство Абхазского царства VIII-XI веков. Христианские памятники Анакопийской крепости. СПб.: Издательство РХГА, 2011. С. 209-224.

Added: Feb 24, 2013