209. Christian funerary inscription of Irene

Description:
Block of stuccoed sandstone (w: 0.47 x h: 0.40 x d: 0.45). One of two or more similar blocks, comprising a freestanding tomb of the type characteristic of the later cemeteries at Sabratha and in Tripolitania generally.  
Text:
A cross in relief on the rounded upper surface and inscribed on one end within a frame of horizontal lines; 
Letters:
Lettering: 0.05-0.06 
Date:
Sixth-seventh century A.D. (context, form) 
Findspot:
Sabratha: The late cemetery NE of the Theatre. In situ. 
Original Location:
Findspot 
Last recorded location:
Findspot 
Bibliography:
Not previously published. 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 (?)] Bona me-
moria Iren[e]
bixi[t] [a]nn(os) tr-
es et mense(m) un(um)
5 et req(uieuit) in pace
[·· ? ··] crux
[···(?)]BONAME
MORIAIREN[··]
BIXI[··][··]NNTR
ESETMENSEVN
5ETREQINPACE
[·· ? ··] crux
<ab>
<lb n="1" />
<supplied reason="lost" cert="low" >
<g type="crux" > </g>
</supplied>
Bona
me
<lb n="2" type="worddiv" />
moria
Iren
<supplied reason="lost" >
e
</supplied>
<lb n="3" />
bixi
<supplied reason="lost" >
t
</supplied>
<expan>
<abbr>
<supplied reason="lost" >
a
</supplied>
nn
</abbr>
<ex>
os
</ex>
</expan>
tr
<lb n="4" type="worddiv" />
es
et
<expan>
<abbr>
mense
</abbr>
<ex>
m
</ex>
</expan>
<expan>
<abbr>
un
</abbr>
<ex>
um
</ex>
</expan>
<lb n="5" />
et
<expan>
<abbr>
req
</abbr>
<ex>
uieuit
</ex>
</expan>
in
pace
<lb n="6" />
<gap reason="lost" extent="unknown" unit="character" />
<g type="crux" > </g>
</ab>

Translation:

[?(cross)] Of good memory, Irene lived for three years and one month and was laid to rest in peace [on·· ? ··] (cross)

Commentary:

No comment.

Photographs:

Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.S.107)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (BSR 48.S.107)
Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (/)
 Ward-Perkins Archive, BSR (/)

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