Jews and Others
Oulpianoi in Tyre. For one such Oulpianos is a participant in Athenaeus’
Deipnosophistai(The Learned Diners), and is moreover treated there as, in
part, a representative of Phoenician tradition. For, instance, one of the other
participants speaks of words which are found only rarely, ‘‘unless in the works
of those who have writtenPhoinikika, Sanchuniathon and Mochos, your fel-
low citizens.’’^7 It is worth noting, however, in view of the modern attribu-
tions of ethnicity quoted at the beginning, that at one point Oulpianos is
described as a ‘‘Syrian’’ (Syros).^8 The family of Oulpianoi certainly continued
in Tyre, for one of its members, a Christian, was martyred there in the early
fourth century.^9
An awareness of the ancient history of Tyre,but as envisaged within Graeco-
Roman culture, can be proved beyond doubt for the third-century colony. For
its coinage, with legends in both Greek and Latin, shows Dido, Cadmus, and
Europa.^10 Do we have any reason to believe that the Phoenician language
was still used? There are two possible hints. One comes from Ulpian himself,
discussing whether anobligatioin Roman law could be created by a verbal
undertaking in Greek, or in another language (sermo)—‘‘perhaps Punic or
Assyrian’’ (Poenum forte vel Assyrium).^11
Given the indeterminacy and fluidity of ancient labels for languages and
ethnic identities, there can be no certainty as to which languages are referred
to. ButAssyriussermoought to be either the Aramaic used, in various dialects,
in the two provinces of Syria, as well as Syria Palaestina and Arabia, or per-
haps specifically the dialect and script of Aramaic which we call ‘‘Syriac,’’ used
in Mesopotamia (as Nöldeke showed long ago,Assyrios/usas used by Graeco-
Roman writers has nothing to do with ‘‘Assyria’’ proper—in this period part
of the Sassanid Empire—and is used simply as a variant forSyros/us).^12 So, if
Assyriussermorefers to the Aramaic of any part of the Roman provincial area,
it is quite possible thatPoenus sermois Phoenician, rather than the neo-Punic
still in use in the province of Africa.
That remains, however, no more than a hypothesis. If our concern is to
ask in what sense Porphyry should be understood as ‘‘Phoenician,’’ we have
. Athenaeus,Deipn. A.
. Athenaeus,Deipn. B.
. Eusebius,Mart.Pal. , : ‘‘A youth in the city of the Tyrians with the name Oulpianus.’’
. F. Millar,Roman Near East(n. ), .
.Dig. , , . Cf. A. Wacke, ‘‘Gallisch, Punisch, Syrisch oder Griechisch statt Latein?,’’
ZRG (): –.
. Th. Nöldeke, ‘‘ΑΣΣΥΡΙΟΣ,ΣΥΡΙΟΣ,ΣΥΡΟΣ,’’Hermes (): ; see F. Millar,
Roman Near East(n. ), , ff.