Lydda, Fourth-seventh centuries CE. Inscription. Column.
with parts of Byzantine church incorporated
Taxonomies for IIP controlled values
ΕΔΡΕΝΥΨΑΝΤΕΣ
ΑΣΡΕΟΣΠΑΛΑΙ
ΤΟΥΧΡΙΣΤΟΛΑΜ
ΠΟΥ ΤΟΥΔΕΣΕΜΝΟ
ΠΟΙΜΕΝΕΣ
ΚΑΛΛΟΠΙΣΑΝΤΕΣ
εδπεύσαντες
ἄστεος πάλαι
τοῦ Χριστολαμ
π
ποιμένες
καλλοπίσαντες
The worshipful pastors who sit at the head of this city, for long time past illuminated by Christ (of this old and illustrious Christian city), having adorned this illustrious temple.
In Χριστολαμπροῦ the cutter of the stone has omitted the second ρ; καλλοπίσαντες is for καλλωπίσαντες. The inscription shows a marked attempt at poetical expression. It seems complete, though there appears no verb in the preterite in the sentence. Still one may well inquire if it was not followed by other lines. I found no trace of any on the column, but it is not impossible that the sequel was cut on some other column, and contains exacter information as to the date and character of the adornments spoken of, which certainly refer to the Byzantine church, and are a final proof of the existence of that edifice.