The X-Files: Chrēstos / Christos / Χρειστος

[Peter Kirby]

Lebaba Inscription [318-319], Syria: Deir Ali

Notable for referencing Marcionites and for referring to "Χρηστου" (kind) fully spelled out.

http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rak/courses/5 ... -3-120.htm
https://books.google.com/books?id=UnxIAQAAMAAJ

Συναγωγη Μαρκιωνιστων κωμ(ης)
Λεβαβων του κ(υριο)υ και σω(τη)ρ(ος) Ιη(σου) Χρηστου
προνοια(ι) Παυλου πρεσβ(υτερου) -- του λχ' ετους.

["The meeting-house of the Marcionists, in the village of
Lebaba, of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ [Ιη(σου) Χρηστου].
Erected by the forethought of Paul a presbyter -- In the year 630."]

[Peter Kirby]

Tomb Inscription of Family from Temenothyrai [278-279], Asia Minor: Phrygia

T.D. Barnes, Montanist Inscriptions and Testimonia, p. 242

In the year 363, the tenth of the month Pereitios. Eutyches son of Eutyches, (prepared this tomb) for Tatia his wife and for his father, in memory; Christans [Χρειστιανοι]; and for himself. Phellinas. From Temenothyrai.

link: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/273224?hs=151-158
link: https://icg.uni-kiel.de/icg/ICG_webapp/ ... /show/1288

[Peter Kirby]

These last few references came from this thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=10711 ("Part A: Time Period 275-325")

[Peter Kirby]

P. Oxy. 3. 407 (dated "250-399")

1 ο θεος ο παντ[ο]κρατωρ ο ποιησας τον ουρανον
2 και την γην και την θαλατταν και παντα τα εν αυτοις
3 βοηθησον μοι ελεησον με ⟦εξ⟧ εξαλιψον μου τας
4 αμαρτιας σωσον με εν τω νυν και εν τω μελλοντι
5 αιωνι δια του κυριου κα[ι] σωτηρος ημων Ϊησου
6 Χρειστου δι ου η δοξα και το κρατος εις τους αιωνας
7 των αιωνω[ν] αμην

1 O God Almighty, who made the heaven
2 and the earth and the sea and all the things in them,
3 help me, have mercy on me. Cleanse me from my
4 sin, save me in the present [age] and in the coming
5 age through our Lord and Savior Jesus
6 Christ, through whom [be] the glory and the power forever
7 and ever, amen.

source: https://rickbrannan.com/2018/04/26/stuf ... an-prayer/

[Peter Kirby]

Trismegistos 33125 [ca. 330]

τούτου χάριν τ̣ῷ̣ ἐπισκό-
π̣ῳ τῆς Λαυδικίας τῆς πρὸ
δύο μονῶν Ἀντιοχείας ἀ-
π̣[ο]δοθῆναι αὐτὰ θέλ̣ω̣ κἀ-
κεῖνος(*) ἀσφαλ[ῶ]ς̣ αὐτὰ̣ π̣έ̣μ̣
πει(*) τῷ ἀνθρώπ̣[ῳ] ᾧ̣ βουλο̣-
μαι. τὸν Χρειστ[όν](*) σοι.

For this reason, I want them to be given to the bishop of Laodicea, the one before the two single ones of Antioch, and he, too, securely sends them to the person whom I wish. Christ be with you.

source: https://papyri.info/ddbdp/basp;49;279

[Peter Kirby]

Trismegistos 33702 [ca. 4th century]

διακό[ν]ου ὥστε ἢ τοὺς κληρο[νό]μους
[Βησ]αρίωνος π[α]ρενεγκεῖν μάρτυρας τ[οὺ]ς
ἐλλέγχοντας Θαῆσιν περὶ ἀφαιρέσε[ω]ς
βιβλίων χρε[ιστ]ια\νι/κ̣ῶν(*) ὡ̣ς [γ]ενομένης ὑ[πʼ] α̣ὐ-
τῆς ̣ καὶ ταῦτ[α] αὐτὴν εἰσενεγκεῖν
ἢ αὐτὴν ὅρκο[ν διδ]όναι περὶ τοῦ μηδ[ε]μίαν
ἀφαίρησιν(*) πεποιῆσθαι καὶ [ο]ὕτω πάντα
τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκείας καταλιφθέντα(*) εἰς δύο
μέρη καὶ τ[ὴ]ν μὲν Θαῆσιν ἓν μέρος
̣ ̣έξασθαι, τούς δὲ κληρονόμους τὸ ἕτερον
μ[έ]ρος, τοῦτο δὲ γενέσθαι εἴσω τριακάδος
τοῦ αὐτοῦ Φαρμοῦθι.

Serve in such a way that either the heirs of Bessarion bring forth witnesses who accuse Thaesis concerning the removal of Christian books (βιβλίων χρε[ιστ]ιανικ̣ῶν), as it has occurred under her, and bring these charges against her. Either she must bring them herself or give an oath concerning not having made any removal, and thus all the remaining possessions shall be divided into two parts, with one part given to Thaesis, and the other part to the heirs. This should happen within the thirty days of the same Pharmouthi.

source: https://papyri.info/ddbdp/p.lips;1;43

[Peter Kirby]

Perinthos-Herakleia 219 [ca. 4th century], Thrace and the Lower Danube: Thrace and Moesia Inferior

ἓξ ἐνθάδε κεῖνται παῖδες·
πρωτότοκος Λούκις· δισσῷ
κλήρῳ Θεόδοτος· παρθένος̣
ἡ Δόμνα κλῆρον τρίτον ἐξε-
τέλεσσεν· τετράδι Λουκια-
νῇ πέμπτη Ζώη συνοδεύ-
ει· ἕκτη Θεοδούλη μετέπι-
τα τέθειται, πένθ’ ἑτέων οὖσα καὶ
δέκα πρὸς τοῖς, παρθένος· ἑβδο-
μάτη δὲ τεκοῦσα σπεῦσεν ἰδεῖν
παῖδας, οὓς αὐτὴ προέπεμψεν·
οἷς πᾶσιν ποίησεν λατόμιν ἐνθά-
δε Λούκις τέκνοις ἰδίοισι καὶ αὐ-
τῷ σὺν Ἀσκληπιοδότῃ ἀλόχῳ.
Χρειστιανοὶ δὲ πάντες ἔνε-
         σμεν.

Here lie six children: Lucius, the firstborn; Theodotus, who obtained a double portion; Domna, a virgin who completed the third lot; in the fourth lot, Lucian is accompanied by Zoe; the sixth is Theodoule, who has been placed afterward, having lived for seventeen years and ten months, a virgin. On the seventh day after giving birth, she hastened to see the children she had sent forth, for whom Lucius, her own son, had prepared a tomb here, along with his wife Asklepiodote. All were Christians.

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/167431?hs=520-527

[Peter Kirby]

SEG 19:719 [ca. 4th century], Asia Minor: Lydia

[κοι]μητήριν Χρεισ-
τιανῶν καθολι-
κῆς ἐκλησίας τοῦ-
το ἔκτισε Γεννά-
\διος Ἠλίου ἐξ ὧν
αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς ἔδω-
κε. vv εἰρήνη αὐ-
τῷ παρὰ Κυρίου
ἰς ἅπαντας ἐῶ-
νας.

[The] burial place of Christians, of the catholic Church, this was built by Gennadius, son of Helios, from what God gave to him. May peace be upon him from the Lord unto all ages.

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/277024?hs=33-42
source: https://icg.uni-kiel.de/icg/ICG_webapp/ ... /show/4509

[Peter Kirby]

TAM V,3 1840 [dated 229/230 CE], Asia Minor: Lydia

ἔτ<ο>υς σξʹ, μη(νὸς) Παν̣[ή]-
μου γʹ· Αὐρ(ήλιον) Βάσσ[ον]
καλλίτεκνο<ν> Χρει̣[σ]-
τιανὸν Ο̣Λ̣Γ̣․̣[— — —]
5 Ν̣[— — — — — — — —]
[— — — — — — — —]

"In the year 260, month of Pan[e]mos, on the 3rd day: Aur[elius] Bass[us], well-born, a Christian (Χρει̣[σ]τιανὸν), [— — —]."

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/349439?hs=113-125

This appears to be one of the earlier inscriptions within that minority of inscriptions that are extant, explicitly dated, and explicitly "Christian" (or similar).

The year 260 is based on a Macedonian system of an epoch that began with Octavian / Augustus in 31 BCE, explaining the date given above for the inscription (dated 229/230 CE):

https://nancybiska.com/ancient-macedoni ... calendars/
Apparently, the Macedonians acted rather rapidly in honouring Octavian by inaugurating an “Augustian era” (the new calendar with the epoch in 31 BC).

[Peter Kirby]

TAM V,2 1299 [ca. 3rd century], Asia Minor: Lydia

[ἔτους ․․․ʹ], μη(νὸς) Λώου ιʹ. Αὐρή. Γάϊος Ἀπφιανοῦ Χρειστιανὸς κατεκεύα[σεν]
[ἑαυτῷ καὶ Αὐ]ρ̣η. Στρατονεικιανῇ τῇ γυνεκὶ αὐτοῦ οὔσῃ καὐτῇ [Χρειστια]-
[νῇ, μηδενὸ]ς ἑτέρου ἔχοντος ἐξουσίαν τεθῆνε {²⁶τεθῆναι}²⁶· εἰ δέ τις̣ ἀ̣[λλότριον]
[νεκρόν τ]ι̣να ἐπενβάλῃ, θήσει τῇ Χωριανῶν κατοικίᾳ (δην.) ͵αʹ.

"[In the year ․․․], month of Lōios, the 10th. Aur[elius] Gaius, son of Apfianus, a Christian (Χρειστιανὸς), prepared [for himself and Au]re[lia]. His wife, Stratoneikia, being herself also [a Christian], with no one else having authority, has been laid [to rest]. If anyone places any f[oreign corpse], he shall pay a fine to the community of Chorians, the sum of one denarius."

source: https://inscriptions.packhum.org/text/2 ... %2C242-249