196. Christian funerary inscription

Description:
Re-used paving-slab (w: 1.20 x h: 1.20) of grey limestone. 
Text:
Inscribed on the surviving face. 
Letters:
0.045-0.065. 
Date:
No indication  
Findspot:
Sabratha: In situ beside 210 in the cemetery to the E of Church I.  
Original Location:
Findspot 
Last recorded location:
Findspot 
Bibliography:
R. Bartoccini, 'Le Basiliche cristiane del Foro di Sabratha', no. 12. 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) 
crux Biocena crux
bon(a)e memor(iae)
bix(it) ann(os) XXXV pl(us)
m(inus) et in (christ)o req(uieuit)
5 s(u)b d(ie) XV ka(lendas) M(a)-
ias ind(ictione) VII crux
crux BIOCENA crux
BONEMEMOR
BIXANNXXXVPL
METINΧΡOREQ
5SBDXVKAM
IASINDVII crux
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<g type="crux" > </g>
Biocena
<g type="crux" > </g>
<lb n="2" />
<expan>
<abbr>
bon
</abbr>
<ex>
a
</ex>
<abbr>
e
</abbr>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
memor
</abbr>
<ex>
iae
</ex>
</expan>
<lb n="3" />
<expan>
<abbr>
bix
</abbr>
<ex>
it
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
ann
</abbr>
<ex>
os
</ex>
</expan>
<num value="35" >
XXXV
</num>
<expan>
<abbr>
pl
</abbr>
<ex>
us
</ex>
</expan>
<lb n="4" />
<expan>
<abbr>
m
</abbr>
<ex>
inus
</ex>
</expan>
et
in
<expan>
<abbr>
<am>
ΧΡ
</am>
</abbr>
<ex>
christ
</ex>
<abbr>
o
</abbr>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
req
</abbr>
<ex>
uieuit
</ex>
</expan>
<lb n="5" />
<expan>
<abbr>
s
</abbr>
<ex>
u
</ex>
<abbr>
b
</abbr>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
d
</abbr>
<ex>
ie
</ex>
</expan>
<num value="15" >
XV
</num>
<expan>
<abbr>
ka
</abbr>
<ex>
lendas
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
M
</abbr>
<ex>
a
</ex>
<lb n="6" type="worddiv" />
ias
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
ind
</abbr>
<ex>
ictione
</ex>
</expan>
<num value="7" >
VII
</num>
<g type="crux" > </g>
</ab>

1, The first letter lacks the vertical stroke.

4, XPO: for Christo.

Translation:

(cross) Biocena (cross) of good memory. She lived approximately 35 years and went to rest in Christ on the 17th April in peace ( cross).

Commentary:

No comment.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 47.VIII.22)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 47.VIII.22)

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