Montanist Inscriptions and Testimonia: Epigraphic Sources Illustrating the History of Montanism

This six-part volume of epigraphic sources is the companion volume to Ronald E. Heine’s The Montanist Oracles and Testimonia (PMS 14; Mercer University Press, 1989). Whereas Heine’s piece includes the literary texts relating to Montanism, Tabbernee’s volume completes the picture by providing a comprehensive collection of related epigraphic material, including “all inscriptions known to me which have been claimed by reputable scholars to be Montanist or likely to be Montanist, even if I doubt their Montanist nature” (6). T’s broad criterion for inclusion makes this an encyclopedic work of inestimable value for Montanist scholars.

Tabbernee divides the collection first chronologically and then geographically. The six chronological divisions include testimonia relating to the period C.E. 165–179, and inscriptions from C.E. 180–224, 225–274, 275–313, 314–394, and 395–600. The main geographical divisions follow Roman provincial boundaries, and include the regions of Africa Proconsularis, Galatia, Italia, Lydia, Mysia, Numidia and, of course, Phrygia. Within these regional divisions, inscriptions are further sub-divided according to cities (or villages) and their environs. Over one hundred inscriptions in all are discussed in this volume, ninety-five being reproduced and analyzed in detail.

Each of the six parts begins with T’s introduction to the period under examination followed by the location, dating, editio princeps, and text of the inscriptions. Epigraphs are reproduced first in the original language and subsequently in English translation, with text-critical notes and references to pertinent secondary discussions. Tabbernee engages in a multi-factorial analysis of provenance, onomastics, Montanist terminology, open profession of Christianity, early use of the cross, epigraphy (e.g., use of the “bull’s horn” omega or quadratic sigma) and orthography, specific symbols (e.g., the wreath-loaf, panis quadratus), workshops, distinctive formulae, date, and connections with other known or alleged Montanists. Frequent line drawings are provided to augment the excellent set of plates appended to the text.

Part I begins with a brief survey of Montanist origins, including sketches of each of the original leaders of the New Prophecy and the status quaestionis of the character of the movement.

In Part II, Tabbernee offers the rough outlines of the rapid spread of the New Prophecy—to Lydia, Galatia, Ephesus, Syrian Antioch, Alexandria, Rome, and Carthage—by the first quarter of C.E. III, and discusses the epigraphic data in relation to the available textual materials.

Tabbernee wisely resists the idea that the open profession of Christianity at this early period (i.e., before C.E. 313) can be the sole grounds for identification of inscriptions as “Montanist.” As he notes in Part III, this raises questions about the alleged Montanism of the “Christians for Christians” inscriptions (147–150). On this basis, he classifies as possibly Montanist only one of the allegedly Montanist inscriptions of the period C.E. 225–274—#21, in memory of Moundane—this based on the way her given name associates her with “Phrygia’s most famous schismatic” (173). Similarly, in Tabbernee’s judgment, only one of the allegedly Montanist inscriptions from C.E. 275–313 (#55) warrants categorizing as likely Montanist.

In Part V, covering the period C.E. 314–394, Tabbernee notes the appearance of the formula (abbreviated as IIII) on a Phrygian tombstone honoring the woman Mountane (#63), who is denoted a . This conjunction of evidence supports classification of other inscriptions using the phrase or the IIII formula also as Montanist. Thus is Ablabes’ epitaph (#72) found to be Montanist. The inscription for the “prophetess,” Nanas (#68), is the third and final one from this period that Tabbernee definitively accepts as Montanist.

Part VI, covering C.E. 395–600, contains the largest number of definitely Montanist inscriptions (#77, 80, 84–87, 93, 95), bringing to seventeen the total number of certain testimonia or inscriptions. Tabbernee then draws some general conclusions regarding the location of Montanist communities (from the provenance...