mountainman

Are the "Christians for Christians" Inscriptions of Phrygia
really Pre-Nicaean? A critical examination of the evidence.


The "Christians for Christians" Inscriptions of Phrygia:
a review of data presented by Elsa Gibson,
in search of unambiguous evidence
for the existence of "christianity"
before the Council of Nicaea.

Summary conclusion: insufficient evidence
in this book, and much evidence to be quite
cautious about the whole pre-Nicene dating
exercise.

mountainman

Notes from the web page:

[1] The "Christians for Christians" formula

The author admits that the "Christians for Christians" formula is subject to change throughout the distribution of citations presented. There are two main variants, of the original Greek, identified in the spelling of the word "christian". These two main variants are shown in the following summary tabulations in the columns labelled XPIC- and XPHC-. It is not the purpose or the scope of this article to explore this fact further. Rather it is noted that there is no single and unambiguous greek wording, but multiple. It is also admitted that in some of the inscriptions (#2), the "Christians for Christians" is identified as ungramatical.

However, a far more serious issue is emergent from a number of these inscriptions, because it is freely admitted that certain (#2 and #30) of the "Christians for Christians" phrases look to have been added by a later hand. This raises all sorts of possibilities which do not auger well for the integrity of the remaining citations, especially considering note [4] below, that most of this class of greek inscriptions


[2] The presence of "Aurelii"

Many of the inscriptions contain reference to the greek word "Aurelii". This was entirely unexpected, and required further research to determine that the word is to be regarded as a praenomen, or a first name, to be loosely translated as "citizen", or in full meaning "Roman citizen". For example "Aurelii Satorneinos" would translate loosely as "Roman citizen Satorneinos". This practice appears to have been evident from the rule of Caracalla. I have not yet been able to determine what the distribution of this praenomen is with respect to all other Greek prenicene inscriptions.

[3] Approximate dating of #8 to #13, and #15 from #16.

The author has cited many of the inscriptions to be dated to the early fourth century. In progressing through the book sequentially, the dating of the inscriptions numbered 8 through 13, and #15, are all noted to be related to the dating of inscription #16. When we reach inscription #16, however, we note that it does not contain any "Christians for Christians" formula, and in fact does not mention anything at all "christian". Although it appears to be dated to the year 304/5 CE, and addressed with the name "Aurelios Markeianos", there is nothing in it related to "christian".

[4] The "seems to be of the same workshop"

The author makes a point in a number of places that the "Christians for Christians" inscriptions appear to have been made by the same workshop, and in some instances, the same hand. That "over half of the inscriptions" may be attributed to one workshop is significant for a number of reasons.

[5] The use of the Eumeneian Formula"

The so-called "Eumeneian formula," warns that if anyone should disturb the grave, "he will reckon with (the living) God." In the past, this phrase has been seen to indicate christian identity, however there is absolutely no justification for the reference to be perceived as exclusively christian. An article entitled Connections with Elites in the World of the Early Christians qualifies this, by saying:

At Eumeneia and the surrounding Phrygian region, at least, the phrase indicates Christian identity, but not necessarily in the case of inscriptions from other regions (see Calder 1939; Robert 1960: 405-13; Johnson 1995: 41-43).

It seems clear to this reviewer that a certain license has been permitted in the hypothetical significance of specific phrases as they may relate to the hypothetical existence of christians in the prenicene epoch. However, there is absolutely no justification for such theoretical conclusions.


Additional issues raised in the work
[6] The so-called "Montanist Inscriptions"

The so-called "Montanist Inscriptions" of southern phrygia mention the word "Montanus" and have thus sometimes been associated with the (heretical) figure of Montanus, a native of Phrygia, according to the report of Eusebius of Caesarea, Historia Ecclesiae, 5.16–18, and also via Eusebius, Tertullian. The author discloses that the hypothetical association between the "Montanists" as reported by Eusebius (whether or not via Tertullian) and a certain subset of the Phrygian inscriptions bearing the reference to "Montanus" is supported by some, and disputed by others.
Ten pages are spent in exploring the basis for "academic" attribution of "Montanist" to a subset of these inscriptions. Eusebius of Caesarea is heavily quoted, since it is his research, and his alone, by whom our knowledge of the pre-Nicene "christans" was gathered up in the fourth century.


[7] Inscriptions which "seem to date from the early fourth century"

There are a large distribution of these greek inscriptions of Phrygia that have been dated by the author, and others, to the early fourth century. In fact, excluding the handful of citations which are listed below (See the section "Summary of Critical and Exceptional Citations") by default, all other citations are from the early fourth century onwards.
There are no problems with inscriptions dated from the rule of Constantine. Everyone openly acknowledges that "christianity" was embraced as a state religion in the fourth century by this Roman emperor, who then built hundreds of basilicas around the empire. The question that needs to be asked, in an historical sense, is whether in fact there were christians in the prenicene epoch.


[8] Photo Quality: very poor

Although the data content is rich, the quality of the plates is very poor, even for a 1970's standard. The book was never written to provide proper scientific citations that included high resolution photography, or indeed any other technological tests that today are more amenable. It appears to me to represent a quick sketch of the field, and to introduce a few new inscriptions for citation.

[9] Is the case of Oded Golan relevant to this review?

For many many centuries since the first christian pigrim is recorded to have travelled back to "The Holy Land", there have been "people seeking relics". (The first christian pilgrim recorded was Constantine's mother-in-law. The second was Helena, his mother, who found the one true cross, and the nails)

mountainman

I have reposted this in the science forum.

mountainman

Are the "Christians for Christians" Inscriptions of Phrygia
really Pre-Nicaean? A critical examination of the evidence.


The "Christians for Christians" Inscriptions of Phrygia:
a review of data presented by Elsa Gibson,
in search of unambiguous evidence
for the existence of "christianity"
before the Council of Nicaea.

Summary conclusion: insufficient evidence
in this book, and much evidence to be quite
cautious about the whole pre-Nicene dating
exercise.

Does anyone on this forum have reference to
a secure dating for this type of inscription?

youngalexander

Pete,
re my/your Ante Pacem: Archaeological Evidence of Church Life Before Constantine
Page 238-250 on Phrygia (Insc. and Graffiti), eg. CforC #42

A. INSCRIPTION OF AURELIOS SATORNEINOS (A.D. 242/3)
Gibson. Inscription, 116-19 (#42)
Tabernee, ...

Location: Uckuyu

Edited Text: (of fragment or piece 1 only)
Small Latin cross on top of the stone.

greek inscription

Translation:

In the year A.D. 242/3, the fourth day in the last part of the tenth month
Aurelios Satorneinos, son of Satorneinos,
a Christian lies
here, ...

There is much more, but surely one will suffice?

Yes, I have looked at your Review site.

Sarpedon

This looks more like a BC&H issue rather than an S&S one

mountainman

No, not when the admission is clear that:
1) most come from "the same workshop", and
2) there are blatant admissions that in at least 2 of the
greek inscriptions, the "christians for christians" formula
was actually CHIZZLED BY A LATER HAND !!!!!.

Please read the issues raised in my review (below).


From my review of this specific inscription #44:

Inscription #42
Described as "nine fragments of a white marble grave altar; some of these fragments join, so that five pieces can be said to be extant. At Uckuyu, "Three Wells", in a place called Bahceler Mevkii, "Region of Gardens", about 500 meters south of the village, on the road to Bekilli; in a wall of a garden belonging to Hasan Gurden, opposite the well called Galaklar Kuyusu. Said to have been found at this spot before the second World War and to have been broken into pieces by the owner of the garden. It is dated to 242/3. There are eight plates of photographs of the fragments of this altar.

This is the complete text used to specify the archeological relic.
The entire series of photographs required to capture the 9 bits
of it (since it was broken by the owner) are very poor quality.
Why did the owner break the thing? See point 9 below.

How long have there been people seeking inscriptions in
the Holy Lands? For how many generations?

The biggest problem with the Upper Tembris Valley
"christians for christians" greek inscriptions being from
the prenicene epoch are the following issues:


[1] The "Christians for Christians" formula


The author admits that the "Christians for Christians" formula is subject to change throughout the distribution of citations presented. There are two main variants, of the original Greek, identified in the spelling of the word "christian". These two main variants are shown in the following summary tabulations in the columns labelled XPIC- and XPHC-. It is not the purpose or the scope of this article to explore this fact further. Rather it is noted that there is no single and unambiguous greek wording, but multiple. It is also admitted that in some of the inscriptions (#2), the "Christians for Christians" is identified as ungramatical.
However, a far more serious issue is emergent from a number of these inscriptions, because it is freely admitted that certain (#2 and #30) of the "Christians for Christians" phrases look to have been added by a later hand. This raises all sorts of possibilities which do not auger well for the integrity of the remaining citations, especially considering note [4] below, that most of this class of greek inscriptions


[2] The presence of "Aurelii"

Many of the inscriptions contain reference to the greek word "Aurelii". This was entirely unexpected, and required further research to determine that the word is to be regarded as a praenomen, or a first name, to be loosely translated as "citizen", or in full meaning "Roman citizen". For example "Aurelii Satorneinos" would translate loosely as "Roman citizen Satorneinos". This practice appears to have been evident from the rule of Caracalla. I have not yet been able to determine what the distribution of this praenomen is with respect to all other Greek prenicene inscriptions.

[3] Approximate dating of #8 to #13, and #15 from #16.

The author has cited many of the inscriptions to be dated to the early fourth century. In progressing through the book sequentially, the dating of the inscriptions numbered 8 through 13, and #15, are all noted to be related to the dating of inscription #16. When we reach inscription #16, however, we note that it does not contain any "Christians for Christians" formula, and in fact does not mention anything at all "christian". Although it appears to be dated to the year 304/5 CE, and addressed with the name "Aurelios Markeianos", there is nothing in it related to "christian".

[4] The "seems to be of the same workshop"

The author makes a point in a number of places that the "Christians for Christians" inscriptions appear to have been made by the same workshop, and in some instances, the same hand. That "over half of the inscriptions" may be attributed to one workshop is significant for a number of reasons.

[5] The use of the Eumeneian Formula"

The so-called "Eumeneian formula," warns that if anyone should disturb the grave, "he will reckon with (the living) God." In the past, this phrase has been seen to indicate christian identity, however there is absolutely no justification for the reference to be perceived as exclusively christian. An article entitled Connections with Elites in the World of the Early Christians qualifies this, by saying:

At Eumeneia and the surrounding Phrygian region, at least, the phrase indicates Christian identity, but not necessarily in the case of inscriptions from other regions (see Calder 1939; Robert 1960: 405-13; Johnson 1995: 41-43).
It seems clear to this reviewer that a certain license has been permitted in the hypothetical significance of specific phrases as they may relate to the hypothetical existence of christians in the prenicene epoch. However, there is absolutely no justification for such theoretical conclusions.


Additional issues raised in the work
[6] The so-called "Montanist Inscriptions"


The so-called "Montanist Inscriptions" of southern phrygia mention the word "Montanus" and have thus sometimes been associated with the (heretical) figure of Montanus, a native of Phrygia, according to the report of Eusebius of Caesarea, Historia Ecclesiae, 5.16–18, and also via Eusebius, Tertullian. The author discloses that the hypothetical association between the "Montanists" as reported by Eusebius (whether or not via Tertullian) and a certain subset of the Phrygian inscriptions bearing the reference to "Montanus" is supported by some, and disputed by others.
Ten pages are spent in exploring the basis for "academic" attribution of "Montanist" to a subset of these inscriptions. Eusebius of Caesarea is heavily quoted, since it is his research, and his alone, by whom our knowledge of the pre-Nicene "christans" was gathered up in the fourth century.


[7] Inscriptions which "seem to date from the early fourth century"

There are a large distribution of these greek inscriptions of Phrygia that have been dated by the author, and others, to the early fourth century. In fact, excluding the handful of citations which are listed below (See the section "Summary of Critical and Exceptional Citations") by default, all other citations are from the early fourth century onwards.
There are no problems with inscriptions dated from the rule of Constantine. Everyone openly acknowledges that "christianity" was embraced as a state religion in the fourth century by this Roman emperor, who then built hundreds of basilicas around the empire. The question that needs to be asked, in an historical sense, is whether in fact there were christians in the prenicene epoch.


[8] Photo Quality: very poor

Although the data content is rich, the quality of the plates is very poor, even for a 1970's standard. The book was never written to provide proper scientific citations that included high resolution photography, or indeed any other technological tests that today are more amenable. It appears to me to represent a quick sketch of the field, and to introduce a few new inscriptions for citation.

[9] Is the case of Oded Golan relevant to this review?

For many many centuries since the first christian pigrim is recorded to have travelled back to "The Holy Land", there have been "people seeking relics". (The first christian pilgrim recorded was Constantine's mother-in-law. The second was Helena, his mother, who found the one true cross, and the nails)




Consequently, Young Alexander I feel that it is reasonable
to list these greek inscriptions of Phyrgia as a possible
exception that there existed prenicene christians, but
it is also reasonable to conclude that there may not have
been any whatsoever.

No Robots

Now that is a thing of beauty! Forchizzle my nizzle, indeed.

Toto

S&S has kicked this back again, so I've merged the two threads.

Note: XPIC- and XPHC- would have been pronounced the same in Koine Greek of that era. The variant spellings are widespread, and have been remarked on before.

mountainman

A classic instance of epigraphic interpolation.
Readers must appreciate the possibilities here.