# Ancient Greek inscription at Hagia Sophia



## Chazzwozzer

Hello,

This photo was taken recently at the second floor of Hagia Sophia. The inscription has no explanatory plate around and is actually not very easy to spot. My friends and I were quite curios as to the translation, so I thought posing the question here would be a good idea.

Can you make out what it says?

Ekin


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## Cynastros

chazzwozzer said:


> hello,
> 
> this photo was taken recently at the second floor of hagia sophia. The inscription has no explanatory plate around and is actually not very easy to spot. My friends and i were quite curios as to the translation, so i thought posing the question here would be a good idea.
> 
> Can you make out what it says?
> 
> Ekin


     ΤΗΜΟ[Σ]-ΘΕΟΥ-ΣΚΕΥ- [Η-ΟΣ]
  Ί σως  να σημαίνει , 
  + , σταυρός =the cross
  ΤΗΜΟ = τοίος- αυτός ή ενθάδε - εδώ -εντός . = he  - here, in .
  ΘΕΟΥ ΣΚΕΥ,  του Θεού αγγείο . = Ark of God
  σκεύος = είδος αγγείου.- Ark , utensil ?
  {Εδώ  , ή  αυτό –ο σταυρός- είναι η κιβωτός του θεού}Here is, [or] this is the Ark of God. { Hagia Sophia or the cross}.


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## Chazzwozzer

Cynastros said:


> ΤΗΜΟ[Σ]-ΘΕΟΥ-ΣΚΕΥ- [Η-ΟΣ]
> Ί σως  να σημαίνει ,
> + , σταυρός
> ΤΗΜΟ + τοίος= αυτός ή ενθάδε =εδώ -εντός .
> ΘΕΟΥ ΣΚΕΥ,  του Θεού αγγείο ,
> σκεύος = είδος αγγείου.
> {Εδώ  , ή  αυτό –ο σταυρός- είναι η κιβωτός του θεού}


Thanks a lot for the answer, Cynastros, but what does that mean in English?


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## Cynastros

Chazzwozzer said:


> Thanks a lot for the answer, Cynastros, but what does that mean in English?


Here is, [or] this is the Ark of God. { Hagia Sophia or the cross}.


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## orthophron

Hi! Perhaps you should have taken some more pictures. Now you 're testing my imagination. Here are some options though:
THMOΘEOY CKEVOΦYΛAKION (vestry of Timotheos)
CKEVOC is a holy vessel
ΘEOY CKEVOC EKΛOΓHC means someone chosen by God


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## Cynastros

orthophron said:


> hi! Perhaps you should have taken some more pictures. Now you 're testing my imagination. Here are some options though:
> ThmoΘeoy ckevoΦyΛakion (vestry of timotheos)
> ckevoc is a holy vessel
> Θeoy ckevoc ekΛoΓhc means someone chosen by god


 

Από αυτό που διάβασα , κατάλαβα πως εκείνος που το έχει γράψει , γνώριζε καλά ελληνικά , υποθέτω λοιπόν ότι θα ήταν μεγάλη αβλεψία από μέρους του να γράψει το όνομα  < Τιμόθεος   - τιμή + θεός >  με ήτα  . 
   Πράγματι  δεν έκανε τέτοιο  λάθος , δεν έγραψε Τιμοθέου .. αλλά , Τήμο…


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## ireney

Hey Chaz! Nice to see you 
I believe it's what orthophron said it is. 

Σύναστρε δεν είναι δα και σίγουρο ότι όποιος το έγραψε ήξερε και ορθογραφία. Αν ψάξεις στο ίντερνετ για "τημόθεου" και "τημόθεο" θα βρεις δύο ενδιαφέροντα αποτελέσματα


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## orthophron

> Spelling error in THMOΘEOY; it should have been TIMOΘEOY


I think that such spelling errors in scriptures usually give evidence to researchers of the "η" 's having already become a homophon of "ι" at that era.


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