Dedicatory inscription for statues dedicated to Theos Arabikos and an unknown additional god (GER0108)

Dedicatory inscription for statues dedicated to Theos Arabikos and an unknown additional god (GER0108)

Dedicatory inscription from Gerasa (145/146 CE) for a statue and base to an unknown god (Zeus Helios?) and Theos Arabikos by Z]?, son of Dionysius and a mother (name is not preserved, but her presence in the inscription is implied by αυτων in the last line)

Welles, C. 1938. "The Inscriptions," pg.386, no.22, in Gerasa: city of the Decapolis, C.H. Kraeling (ed.).

Stone

GER0108

223b1cf7-2a22-4ffd-8873-905701e42013

Statue

ΥΠΕΡΤΗC TWC[ ------------ ]HPIAC
TAAΓΑΛΜΑΤ[ ---------- ]IΘΕΟΥ
ΑΡΑΒΙΚΟΥCY[ ------------ ]ΑθΗΚΗC
ΔΙΟΝΥCIOYZ[ -------- ]ΑΝΑEY
ΦΑΝΟΥCKAI[ -------- ]WVOC
YIOYAYTWN[ ---------- ]IHC

For the well-being [of the Sebastoi?], from the will of Dionysius, Z[ ] (dedicates) the statues [ ] of [ ] and Theos Arabikos [ ] and [ ] their son[ ] in the year 208.

Jones 1928 and Welles 1938

Jones 1928 and Welles 1938

Inscription originally covered three blocks, of which the two end pieces survive.
Block A: 0.74mx0.51m
Block C: 0.58x0.54m

Letter size=0.03-0.04m

Reused in north wall of Nymphaeum

These two blocks were found built into the wall of the Nymphaeum, which dates to 190 CE. As the dedicatory inscription is dated to 145/146 CE (in the local era=208; but cf. Welles 1938, 386), the base and associated statues were apparently only on display for half a century before being reused.

Jones (1985, 158) restores ΔΕΟC ΗΛΙΟΥ as the first deity in the inscription. Theos Arabikos is mentioned in several other Gerasene inscriptions (Welles 1938, 384-386 nos.19-22); Theos Arabikos may be associated with the Arab deity Dusares, or perhaps with the Gerasene god Pakeidas (Welles 1938, 385).

Jones, A.H.M. 1928. "Inscriptions from Jerash," Journal of Roman Studies 18:144-178 (pg.158-159, no.18)