Megiddo Home | The Inscriptions | The Designs and Symbolism | Building the Exhibit
Gaianus, Roman centurion
"Gaianus, also called Porphyrius, centurion, our brother, has made the mosaic at his own expense as an act of generosity."
Gaianus is a Latin name, but his colloquial name, Porphyrius, is Greek. This could indicate that he came from one of the eastern provinces. The fact that he did not use his full Roman name may also indicate that Gaianus dedicated this mosaic in a personal, rather than an official, capacity. While “brother” is the common way Christians have always referred to each other, it is not certain that Gaianus was a Christian.
In this artistic rendition of Gaianus, he holds a vitis, a symbol of his rank as centurion.
Brutius, the mosaic artist
"Brutius has carried out the work."
The artists who created mosaics were a skilled workforce in the Roman Empire. Despite the practical and decorative value their work brought to Roman structures, only about 100 of them signed their work. The specialized work of mosaicists was often broken into categories. Pavimentarii prepared the ground, which had to be carefully leveled. Pictors often drew the chosen design on the final layer of plaster. Then, a tessellarius would lay the stone tesserae to create the mosaic. Brutius was likely the tessellarius of the Megiddo Mosaic.
Learn more about the mosaics here.
“The God-loving" Akeptous & "to God Jesus Christ"
“The god-loving Akeptous has offered the table to God Jesus Christ as a memorial.”
The inscription tells us Akeptous donated the table, the focus of the room. She may have been a woman with financial resources and social standing. She is called philotheos, “God lover.” The table stood at the center of the room and was likely used in the celebration of the Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper. The phrase "to God Jesus Christ" uses abbreviations for each word marked with a line over the top. These abbreviations are known as nomina sacrum.
Primilla, Cyriaca, Dorothea, Chreste, women of significance
“Remember Primilla and Cyriaca and Dorothea, and lastly, Chreste.”
The wording of this inscription is unusual in that, typically, the request is that God remember individuals. Here, the community itself is called to remember these women. Nothing else is known of the women mentioned here. While they were clearly important to the community, the inscription does not tell us whether they were patrons of the community (like Akeptous), or martyrs, or honored for some other reason.