VASILIKO (ANCIENT SIKYONA). A BUILDING INSCRIPTION FROM AGIOS NIKOLAOS OF VASILIKO, D. 1578

​A 16th c. building inscription from Vasiliko provides valuable evidence for religious activity during this poorly documented period. The inscription is carved on the exposed face of a marble block that serves as the epistyle of the south door of the church of Agios Nikolaos. The block, which bears rosette decoration, dates from the 8th or 9th century A.D., and thus comes from an earlier church: length (of inscribed surface) 0.25, height. 0.20.

“On May 9th of the year 7086 during the reign of sultan Murat, the great ruler. And the builder Mavroidis Kaniklis”.
Lines 1–4 provide the date of the dedication, May 9, 1578. The sultan mentioned is Murat III, who reigned between 1574 and 1595.
Lines 4–6 refer to the builder, Mavroidis Kaniklis; the name is otherwise unattested in the region.

SOURCES


LolosYannis A., «Land of Sikyon, Archaeology and History of a Greek City State», in Hesperia Supplement 39, The American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 2011, p. 602.

The southern facade of AAgios Nikolaos church (photo by Zacharopoulos Elias)lezantalezantalezantalezantalezanta