Macedonian Inscriptions

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  • TheNikoWhiteIch
    Member
    • Oct 2014
    • 111

    Macedonian Inscriptions

    Purpose: The purpose of this thread will be to explore the epigraphs found in the region of Macedonia. These will include inscriptions written in any and all of the languages used in the region of Macedonia from various time periods. For the purpose of this thread, we define Macedonia as the region outlined by black dashes in this map (click).

    I will commence an with inscription that mentions the Macedonian god Δάῤῥων (click):

    The inscription was found in Pella, Macedonia and is dated back to 200-150 BC. It reads:

    "(Ἀ)μφίπολις Δάρρωνι εὐξαμένη ἐπηκόωι."

    The proposed interpretation is:

    "(A)mphipolis, who prayed to benevolent Darrhon."

    Note: Google translate didn't recognize the terms "εὐξαμένη (euxameni)" and "ἐπηκόωι (epikooi)." Is it possible that these are distinct Macedonian variations of Greek words, or are they altogether exclusive to Macedonian?
    Last edited by TheNikoWhiteIch; 09-08-2015, 07:42 PM.
  • Dejan
    Member
    • Sep 2008
    • 589

    #2
    euxameni = замоли?
    epikooi = кој?

    Interesting inscription
    You want Macedonia? Come and take it from my blood!

    A prosperous, independent and free Macedonia for Macedonians will be the ultimate revenge to our enemies.

    Comment

    • TheNikoWhiteIch
      Member
      • Oct 2014
      • 111

      #3
      Originally posted by Dejan View Post
      euxameni = замоли?
      epikooi = кој?

      Interesting inscription
      Interesting. Thanks for pointing that out. Do any of our Greek members recognize those words?

      Comment

      • Amphipolis
        Banned
        • Aug 2014
        • 1328

        #4
        Originally posted by TheNikoWhiteIch View Post
        Interesting. Thanks for pointing that out. Do any of our Greek members recognize those words?
        Yes, try this way (in masculine gender & nominative case).

        Ευξάμενος (euxamenos = the one who has whised, prayed)


        Επήκοος (epikoos = the one who listens)



        ===
        Last edited by Amphipolis; 08-21-2015, 03:24 AM.

        Comment

        • TheNikoWhiteIch
          Member
          • Oct 2014
          • 111

          #5
          Thanks for clarifying that.

          Here's another inscription. These are the details:

          "Makedonia (Pelagonia) — Bogomila — 55/56 AD — Spomenik 98 (1941-1948) 164, 340 (click)." <--for some reason, the URL doesn't take you to the inscription directly. Follow this path:

          Regions: Northern Greece (IG X): Macedonia > Pelagonia > Bogomila > IG X,2 2 > 279

          The inscription says:

          "Δουλης Κοτυος πᾶσιν φίλος· τοῦ γσʹ."
          Running it through Google Translate I got:

          "Servant Kotys, friend to all(?); the "γσʹ"
          I haven't been successful in finding a translation/meaning of "γσʹ." What do you make of it?
          Last edited by TheNikoWhiteIch; 08-23-2015, 10:52 AM.

          Comment

          • Amphipolis
            Banned
            • Aug 2014
            • 1328

            #6
            It could be a number, but it's not correct, or a fragment or a mistake. I don't have any ideas.

            This was found in Bogomila and was published during late 1940s in this Spomenik journal you see above that is a Serbian archaeological journal. Normally, the publication should have pictures and a full (as possible) translation and analysis.

            Comment

            • TheNikoWhiteIch
              Member
              • Oct 2014
              • 111

              #7
              Originally posted by Amphipolis View Post
              It could be a number, but it's not correct, or a fragment or a mistake. I don't have any ideas.

              This was found in Bogomila and was published during late 1940s in this Spomenik journal you see above that is a Serbian archaeological journal. Normally, the publication should have pictures and a full (as possible) translation and analysis.
              Assuming that it is a number, do you have an interpretation of it?

              Comment

              • Amphipolis
                Banned
                • Aug 2014
                • 1328

                #8
                Originally posted by TheNikoWhiteIch View Post
                Assuming that it is a number, do you have an interpretation of it?
                Actually, it IS a number. Searching randomly in this website I found several inscriptions where numbers are written with letters in reverse order. This is another example:

                Regions : Northern Greece (IG X) : Macedonia : Odomantike : Agio Pneuma

                SEG 46:708
                Makedonia (Odomantike) — Ag. Pneuma — 26/27 AD — AD 46 B (1991) 318-319

                ἔτους δορʹ, Ὑπερβ-
                ταίου γʹ· Κετριζις Μεσ-
                τικένθου, εὐδαί-
                μων, χαῖρε· χαῖρε καὶ σὺ παροδῖτα· Μάντα γυνή.


                Thus γσ' (properly written σγ') is 203rd. (number of year, numbering starts from 148 BC)


                ===
                Last edited by Amphipolis; 08-29-2015, 02:04 PM.

                Comment

                • George S.
                  Senior Member
                  • Aug 2009
                  • 10116

                  #9
                  So what has macedonian numbering got to do with greek i thought the ancient macedonian was incomprehensible to the greeks.???Thats one reason why macedonians are referred to as barbarians for their non greekness.Amphipolis you are happy to present your alternative crap the mods should have you banned.You shoild know that we macedonians won't tolerate your bs here.Also don't try to bs to us here as we are on to you.
                  Last edited by George S.; 08-30-2015, 01:22 PM.
                  "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                  GOTSE DELCEV

                  Comment

                  • Amphipolis
                    Banned
                    • Aug 2014
                    • 1328

                    #10
                    Originally posted by George S. View Post
                    So what has macedonian numbering got to do with greek i thought the ancient macedonian was incomprehensible to the greeks.???Thats one reason why macedonians are referred to as barbarians for their non greekness.Amphipolis you are happy to present your alternative crap the mods should have you banned.You shoild know that we macedonians won't tolerate your bs here.Also don't try to bs to us here as we are on to you.

                    These are not MY views and they're certainly not alternative. These are the common Greek numerals.



                    From the above link:
                    This alphabetic system operates on the additive principle in which the numeric values of the letters are added together to obtain the total. For example, 241 was represented as ΣΜΑ' (200 + 40 + 1). (It was not always the case that the numbers ran from highest to lowest: a 4th-century BC inscription at Athens placed the units to the left of the tens. This practice continued in Asia Minor well into the Roman period.[2])

                    Regarding the year, there were two different numberings in Macedonia at the period. The one was known as Macedonian Year starting at 148 BC, the other known as Sebaston Year starting at 31 BC.

                    The two inscriptions of the above posts #5 and #8 have the number of year ON them (lucky archaelogists).


                    ===
                    Last edited by Amphipolis; 08-30-2015, 02:21 PM.

                    Comment

                    • TheNikoWhiteIch
                      Member
                      • Oct 2014
                      • 111

                      #11
                      Whatever the spoken Macedonian language was is another matter entirely. From my understanding of it (correct me if I'm wrong), much of the Greek epigraphy that has been discovered in the region of Macedonia (as I defined it in the 1st post) is in Doric, Attic, and Koine. There probably were some peculiarities that would cause standard Greek grammar rules to be broken (numbers written backwards, misspellings of the most basic words), but from the looks of it these inscriptions are understandable to those who know Greek...or can use Google Translate lol. Now, I did find a list of attested Macedonian words that were found in epigraphy. These are:
                      ἄγημα ágēma = 'vanguard, guards' ( 4 times only in Macedon ~ 200 BC ).
                      ἀρχικερδέμπορος archikerdemporos = president of guild of merchants (hapax).
                      Βλουρεῖτις Bloureitis = epithet of Artemis. (Skydra 106 AD, hapax).
                      Δάῤῥων Darrhôn = god of healing.
                      ἐδέατρος edeatros also archedeatros = 'taster'; (3 inscriptions, all related to late Ptolemies).
                      ἑταῖροι hetairoi = companion cavalry after 350 BC.
                      κότθυβος kotthubos = non-metallic armour. (Amphipolis - ca.200 BC, hapax).
                      Κυναγίδας Kynagidas = epithet of Herakles. (Attic kynegos Doric kynagos Hunter) attested in 14 inscriptions of various places in Macedonia from 4th century BC to 2nd century AD. Κυναγὼ Kynago epithet of Artemis, attested twice. (Protectors of Hunters). Oldest inscription in Beroea — ca. 350-300 BC (spelled in one inscription, Kounagidas).
                      κνῖμα or κνίμα knima (line 17 see trakylion below).
                      All of the Macedonian months, of which Dystros and Gorpiaios have no apparent etymology in Greek.
                      νεύω neuo = pray (Thessalian nebeuo) (Attic euchomai) (Attic neuo nod,wink). Attested as feminine past participles in Berenika's archineusasai women and Alexandra Argaiou, Kala Thea neusasa.
                      πελιγᾶνες peligânes = Macedonian senators
                      πυρόκαυσις pyrokausis ( 9 times in 2 inscriptions ~200 BC ) ( = additional draft,military recruitment per family. Each family provided one soldier.)
                      σάρισσα sárissa (σάρισα sarisa; attested hapax with one s in the military decree of Amphipolis.) = a long pike used by the Macedonian phalanx.
                      σκοῖδος skoidos = administrator, secretary, quaestor (Elimeia-late 4th-mid. 3rd c. BC).
                      συνοπλᾶνες synoplânes = co-fighters (2nd/3rd c.AD) (singular: συνοπλὰν synoplan or σύνοπλας synoplas) (Attic synoploi,synoplos) syn- + hoplon hoplites.
                      τρακύλιον trakylion = ((..the pathway between the two trakylia...rivers..mountains..)).
                      ὑπασπισταὶ hypaspistai ( = the ones under shield , hypo- + aspis) (wiki Hypaspists) (6 times in Macedon).
                      Ψευδάνωρ Pseudanôr epithet of Dionysus.

                      Source: here

                      Comment

                      • TheNikoWhiteIch
                        Member
                        • Oct 2014
                        • 111

                        #12
                        Originally posted by Amphipolis View Post
                        These are not MY views and they're certainly not alternative. These are the common Greek numerals.



                        From the above link:
                        This alphabetic system operates on the additive principle in which the numeric values of the letters are added together to obtain the total. For example, 241 was represented as ΣΜΑ' (200 + 40 + 1). (It was not always the case that the numbers ran from highest to lowest: a 4th-century BC inscription at Athens placed the units to the left of the tens. This practice continued in Asia Minor well into the Roman period.[2])

                        Regarding the year, there were two different numberings in Macedonia at the period. The one was known as Macedonian Year starting at 148 BC, the other known as Sebaston Year starting at 31 BC.

                        The two inscriptions of the above posts #5 and #8 have the number of year ON them (lucky archaelogists).


                        ===
                        Very interesting information about the year numberings. Where can I read more about it?

                        Comment

                        • TheNikoWhiteIch
                          Member
                          • Oct 2014
                          • 111

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Amphipolis View Post
                          Actually, it IS a number. Searching randomly in this website I found several inscriptions where numbers are written with letters in reverse order. This is another example:

                          Regions : Northern Greece (IG X) : Macedonia : Odomantike : Agio Pneuma

                          SEG 46:708
                          Makedonia (Odomantike) — Ag. Pneuma — 26/27 AD — AD 46 B (1991) 318-319

                          ἔτους δορʹ, Ὑπερβ-
                          ταίου γʹ· Κετριζις Μεσ-
                          τικένθου, εὐδαί-
                          μων, χαῖρε· χαῖρε καὶ σὺ παροδῖτα· Μάντα γυνή.


                          Thus γσ' (properly written σγ') is 203rd. (number of year, numbering starts from 148 BC)


                          ===
                          If you include an inscription, I ask that you add the translation too for the sake of not making this thread too long. I see what looks like the month of Ὑπερβερεταῖος (Hyperberetaios) but cut off. And maybe the word for "praise, salute (χαῖρε)?".

                          Comment

                          • Amphipolis
                            Banned
                            • Aug 2014
                            • 1328

                            #14
                            Originally posted by TheNikoWhiteIch View Post
                            Very interesting information about the year numberings. Where can I read more about it?
                            As a result of the conquests of Alexander the Great, the lunisolar Macedonian calendar became the most widely circulated among all the lunisolar Greek calendars. However, despite its spread, two Ro...


                            Abstract
                            As a result of the conquests of Alexander the Great, the lunisolar Macedonian calendar became the most widely circulated among all the lunisolar Greek calendars. However, despite its spread, two Roman calendars, generally unknown in the scientific community, were developed and used inside Macedonia itself during the Roman occupation of Greece. The older calendar used the so-called ‘Macedonian year’. This system started in 148 BC to emphasize the importance of the victory of the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus against Pseudo-Philippus Andriscus, King of Macedonia. The newer calendrical system, which absorbed the older system, used the ‘Augustian or respectable year’ bearing its name from Octavius Augustus; its starting point was the date of the catalytic victory of Octavius over Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra at Actium (31 BC). The solar Octavian calendar survived until the sixth or seventh century in the Macedonian Territory.

                            By the way, before that it was the Seleucid Era with numbering starting at 312/311 BC



                            ==
                            Last edited by Amphipolis; 08-31-2015, 12:18 AM.

                            Comment

                            • George S.
                              Senior Member
                              • Aug 2009
                              • 10116

                              #15
                              There are subltle dufferences of which you are oblivious and I disagree with you that its just greek.Macedonian is different to your greek.
                              "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                              GOTSE DELCEV

                              Comment

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