Elusa Theatre Inscription

Installed 03 Aug 2010. Latest update, 17 Nov 2018.
Changes or additions are in bold.

Elusa Theatre Inscription

Limestone plaque found in the theatre at Elusa, Israel in 1980. Picture by E. Jerry Vardaman

Analyzed Greek text, courtesy of Professor Negev

    Επι Φλ(αουιου) Δημαρχου του με - 
    γαλοπρεπεστατου και ευδο -
    κιμωτατου αρχοντος εγε -  
4.  νετο η προτου θεατρου
    πλακωσις εως της προτε -
    ρας πλακοσ(εως) επιμελ(εια) Άβρα -
    αμιου Ζηνοβιου πολιτ(ου)
8.  εν ετ(ε)ι     ΤΜΘ

In three places (3.1, 5.4, and 6.7) Negev replaces κ with χ.
Text in parentheses is added for clarity.

Here are two translations of the plaque's text.

Avraham Negev

During the governorship of the most magnificent and most glorious Flavius Demarchus was made the pavement of the old theatre, up to the old pavement, by the charge of the citizen Abraamius son of Zenobius. In year 349.

Year 349 A.E. = A.D. 454/5.

Nicholas Zachary

In the time of Mayor Flavius, the most magnificent and most glorious governor, was made the pavement in front of the theatre, up to the old pavement, by the charge of Abraamius Zenobius, Citizen. In year 349.

According to Mr. Zachary (a Greek resident of Starkville, Mississippi in 1980), Demarchus means Mayor. "Every Greek town has one." Demarchus can also be translated as tribune. To this writer, tribune seems to fit the text better. Professor Negev says that the title
μεγαλοπρεπεστ ατου (magnificentissimus), used in respect to Flavius Demarchus, was given to officials of the highest rank. (1) Page 74.

Zenobius, a native of Elusa and renowned teacher of rhetoric in Antioch, Syria, died in Antioch in A.D. 355. The plaque dates from A.D. 454/455. According to Professor Negev, those two facts allow us to speculate that the pavement mentioned was laid to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of Zenobius.

Cavea in Elusa Theatre. Photograph by E.J. Vardaman

The plaque was found about 12 meters to the left of the center of the above view during excavations in 1980 on behalf of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Israel Exploration Society and Mississippi State University, under the direction of Avraham Negev.(1)

Elusa theatre

Elusa Theatre showing location of Zenobius Plaque
The area outlined in red approximates the camera's field of view (previous image).
Floor tiles are about 0.5 meter on a side.

Here is a site map of Elusa showing where the plaque was found. The map is a tracing from an aerial photograph. (The scale is approximate.) 1980 excavation areas are shown in green. Camp facilities (cleared out ruins) are shown in orange. [Added 7 Feb 2012.]

Elusa Archaeological Site in 1980 (2)

References

(1) Negev, Avraham, The Greek Inscriptions from the Negev, Jerusalem (1981)

(2) Negev, Avraham, Nabatean Archaeology Today, New York University Press, 1986.
The publishing codes for this book are DS 154.22.N45 also ISBN 0-8147-5760-X. (Figure 63)
Thanks to Stuart Cohen for this reference. 19 Jun 2012