Miscellanea Epigraphica Nubica III: Epimachos of Attiri: a Warrior Saint of Late Christian Nubia

Abstract

The third paper of this series shifts focus to a special category of artistic and epigraphic production from the kingdoms of Medieval Nubia, namely the wooden plaques depicting a small variety of figures of the Christian faith. It particularly discusses one of these objects, found at a site called Attiri, which depicts a horseman with his mount spearing a trodden figure. The focal point of this paper is the inscription in the particular language of the Nubians of the Late Christian period that was carved on the back of that object and identifies the represented figure with Saint Epimachos.