The 3rd pl. indicative γόον at Iliad Z 500 has always presented problems. It means ‘bewailed’ and belongs to present γοάω but might be imperfect and might be aorist. Neither is straightforward in form. Imperfect, the analysis of most of the ancients because it is ‘κάλλιον,’ is shown here in addition to conform to a particular pattern of Homeric narration, while aorist, following the minority ancient view, requires either an indefensible, effectively pre-Greek, ancestral form or a morphological analogy that is unworkable. The form taken by this consequently demonstrable imperfect has most often been explained via an elaborate phonological scenario that is questionable, it is argued, in both of its key points. It has also, less usually, been morphologically accounted for as a slightly disguised version of the expected 3rd pl. imperfect of the “Aeolic” inflection of Ionic etc. γοάω. This is the correct view, it is maintained here, but can be made a much stronger hypothesis by a demonstration that there are two (but not three) additional pieces of evidence for the “Aeolic” inflection of this very verb in epic language—one of which, pres. infinitive γοήμεναι, is standardly recognized as “Aeolic,” but never evaluated and deployed in the discussion of γόον; while the other, the irregularly short iterative imperfect form γόασκε in the Hymn to Aphrodite, has never been utilized as evidence bearing on the problem of γόον at all.

The three tessellated sidewalk inscriptions were exposed by the Israel Antiquities Authority archaeologists between 2008 and 2023. Two of the inscriptions, dating from mid-5th–early 6th century CE, are fully preserved; of the third inscription, dating from 3rd–4th century CE, the first seven letters preserved. Both Late Antique inscriptions mention an individual named Elias who built a construction, probably at his own cost. The differences between the two inscriptions—in style, technique and the title comes mentioned in only one—raise questions regarding the dating of the inscriptions, the identity and status of Elias in each inscription, and the kind of constructions built. With regard to the Roman Period inscription, in spite of its state of preservation, and the fact that only a section of the sidewalk was excavated and almost nothing of the adjacent construction, it may be assumed that Sillios/Sillius, the individual whose name is mentioned in the inscription, constructed the sidewalk or the structure which faced the inscription. While studying the three inscriptions we looked for similar sidewalk formulas and for the prevalence, forms and origin of the names mentioned in the inscriptions among Jews, Pagans and Christians in the region and beyond.

An unexcavated ancient building in the ruins of the Arab village of Sejara is tentatively identified as a synagogue from the Roman or Late Roman period. This suggestion is based on architectural fragments found on the site, in the modern village Ilaniya and at a nearby moshav, as well as an inscription in secondary use photographed in the 1920s. The surviving portion of the dedicatory text seems to mention two women with Latin names, Lucilla and Sacerdotilla, the second being quite rare.

In IEJ 70, 2020, 90-98 a fragmentary funerary inscription of a Roman soldier was published. The stone cannot be called a stele, but is rather an ashlar that belongs to a larger funerary monument. It can be assumed with a high degree of certainty that the deceased served in legio X Fretensis, into which he was recruited at the age of 18; he died at the age of 28. The V in front of the name of the brother who built the tomb (aedificavit) is either to be understood as an abbreviated gentilic or as an indication that he carried out the construction during his lifetime. In IEJ 70, 2020, 90-98 ist eine fragmentarische Grabinschrift eines römischen Soldaten publiziert worden. Der Stein kann nicht als Stele bezeichnet werden, ist vielmehr ein Quader, der zu einem größeren Grabmonument gehört. Man darf mit weitgehender Si-cherheit davon ausgehen, dass der Verstorbene in der legio X Fretensis gedient hat, in die er im Alter von 18 Jahren rekrutiert wurde; mit 28 Jahren ist er verstorben. Das V vor dem Namen des Bruders, der das Grabmal erbaute (aedificavit), ist entweder als abgekürztes Gentilnomen zu verstehen oder auch als Hinweis, dass er den Bau zu Lebzeiten ausführte.

It was in the first and second centuries AD that the Graeco-Roman poleis of Asia Minor began to show an extraordinarily strong interest in their past and increasingly made foundation legends the focal point of their public representation. 1The city of Smyrna was no exception.It prided itself on several glorious mythological and historical founders such as the Amazon, Theseus, Pelops and Alexander the Great. 2 Among the various foundation myths, the myth of Smyrna's foundation by Alexander as attested in Pausanias' Perigsis has particularly caught the attention of modern scholarship.As the story goes, the king of the Macedonians came, whilst hunting, to Mount Pagos.Exhausted, he fell asleep under a plane tree at the nearby temple of the Nemeseis.In a dream, two Nemeseis appeared to him; they told him to found a city at the place where he rested and to make the Smyrnaeans move from their former city (which had been destroyed) and settle there.The citizens thereupon sent ambassadors to the oracle of Apollo at Klaros near Kolophon, from whom they received the following promising message: 'Thrice blessed shall they be and four times blessed again, the men who shall dwell on Pagos beyond the holy river Meles'.As a result, the Smyrnaeans moved the new settlement across the river, and, in addition, started worshipping two Nemeseis rather than one. 3 Pausanias' account, written in the second half of the second century AD, reveals some remarkable differences and inconsistencies when considered against the evidence of the earlier source material. 4In his Geography Strabo does not mention Alexander as a founder of Smyrna at all.Instead, he attributes its foundation to Antigonos Monophthalmos and Lysimachos.He reports that Antigonos and later Lysimachos reassembled the citizens, who had lived scattered in villages after the destruction of their 1 On the importance of foundation myths in the imperial period see Weiss (1984);