{"slug":"LIT5444rie","id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT5444rie","title":"Text of RIE 187","author":"Anonymous","genre":"other","date":"","tradition":"ethiopic","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:59:10Z","cost_usd":0.001934},"source":{"registry_id":"ethiopic:betmas:LIT5444rie","work_id":"LIT5444rie","edition":"betmas","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"},"stats":{"passages":2,"english_words":427,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":9,"commentary_kinds":5,"derived_notes":1,"ambiguities":5,"work_notes":5,"external_links":0,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"LIT5444rie","abstract":"RIE 187 is an anonymous Geʿez text preserved in the Bet Mas manuscript, cataloged in the Repertorium of Ethiopian manuscripts. The work lacks a known author, date, and explicit liturgical or canonical classification. Its genre is listed as 'other,' and the edition provides only the Geʿez text without translation or commentary. The content appears to be a narrative of military campaigns, including royal titles, first-person plural accounts of battle, and references to places and peoples such as the 'Agʿazāt.' The text contains lacunae and uncertain readings, making its precise historical and literary context difficult to determine.","historical_context":"The text is transmitted in Geʿez, the classical language of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and survives in the Bet Mas manuscript, a source of uncertain date. The mention of 'Ezana, a 4th-century Aksumite king, suggests a possible connection to Aksumite royal inscriptions, but the work's composition date is unknown. The narrative of military campaigns and the term 'Agʿazāt' (likely a people or tribe) align with Aksumite epigraphic traditions, yet the text's genre and purpose remain unclear. It may be a later compilation or a fragment of a larger historical or liturgical work. The lack of a named author and the manuscript's uncertain provenance limit precise historical placement, but the content reflects Aksumite-era political and military themes.","significance":"RIE 187 is significant as a witness to the transmission of Aksumite historical traditions in Geʿez manuscripts. Its references to King 'Ezana and the 'Agʿazāt' connect it to known Aksumite inscriptions, offering potential insights into Ethiopian historiography. The text's fragmentary state and uncertain genre highlight the challenges of studying anonymous, undated works in the Ethiopian manuscript tradition.","timeline":[{"date":"4th c. CE","event":"Reign of King 'Ezana of Aksum, referenced in the text."},{"date":"undated","event":"Composition of RIE 187, possibly later than the events described."},{"date":"undated","event":"Transmission in the Bet Mas manuscript."},{"date":"20th c.","event":"Cataloging as RIE 187 in the Repertorium of Ethiopian manuscripts."}],"relations":[{"work":"RIE 185","relation":"Another Aksumite inscription in the Repertorium, possibly related in content or manuscript tradition.","key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"},{"work":"RIE 186","relation":"Another Aksumite inscription in the Repertorium, possibly related in content or manuscript tradition.","key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"},{"work":"Monumentum Adulitanum","relation":"Aksumite royal inscription with similar military narrative style.","key":"wikipedia:Monumentum Adulitanum","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["The date of composition and manuscript are unknown; the text may be much later than the events it describes.","The work is anonymous, and its authorship is unattested.","The text contains lacunae and uncertain readings, limiting interpretation.","The genre and liturgical or canonical use are not specified."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000374,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:20:29Z"},"checks":{"work":"LIT5444rie","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":2,"translated":2,"commentary_passages":2,"commentary_units":9,"english_words":427,"source_letters":952,"commentary_kinds":5},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The edition is based on the manuscript Bet Mas, as cited in the source edition betmas.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work is transmitted in Geʿez (Ethiopic) and is anonymous, with no named author in the manuscript tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT5444rie","label":"source edition: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"No date is provided for the composition or the manuscript; the work's chronology is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition does not include a translation or detailed commentary; it presents only the Geʿez text.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The work is cataloged as RIE 187, indicating its inclusion in the Repertorium of Ethiopian manuscripts, but its liturgical or canonical use is not specified.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT5444rie","label":"source edition: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in Geʿez; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 2 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"1 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: betmas — CC BY-SA 4.0 (per file); site footer states NC-SA - treat as NC"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":2},"term_index":[],"citations":{"betmas:LIT5444rie":{"label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"},"ed:LIT5444rie":{"label":"source edition: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ዔዛና፡\n\nወልደ፡\n\nእሌ፡\nዐሚዳ፡\nብእስየ፡ ሐሌን፡ ንጉሠ፡\nአክ ሱም፡ ወዘ፡ ሕሜር፡ ወዘ፡ ረይዳን፡\nወዘ፡ ሰበእ፡ ወዘ፡ ሰልሔን፡ ወ ዘ፡ ጽያሞ፡\nወዘ፡ ብጋ፡ ወዘ፡ ካሱ፡ ንጉሠ፡ ነገሥት፡ ወ ልደ፡ መሕርም፡ ዘእይትመዋ፡ ለፀር፡ ፀብኡ፡ አጔዛተ፡\nወበጺሖሙ፡ እንገቦ፡ በህየ፡ ረከበነ፡ አበአልክዖ፡\nንጉሠ፡ አጔዛ ት፡ ምስለ፡ ሕዝቡ፡ ወቦአ፡\nጋዳ፡ ወበጺሐነ፡ ዐልያ፡ መኅደረ፡ ደ ወለ፡ አተገው፡ አውዐልነ፡ ገመለ፡ ወእንስሳ፡ ወዕደ፡ ወአንስተ፡ ወ ሥንቀ፡\nለዕለተ፡ ዕሥራ፡ ፳፡ ወበሥልስተ፡ በጸሕነ፡","english":"‘Ezana\n\nWelde\n\n‘Ella\n\n‘Amida\n\nMan of Ḥalēn, King of\n\nAksum, and of Ḥimyar, and of Raydān,\n\nand of Saba’, and of Salḥēn, and of Ṣayāmō,\n\nand of Bēgā, and of Kāsu, King of Kings, and Son of Maḥrēm, who is invincible to the enemy. His enemies attacked the ‘Ezana Gate,\n\nand when they arrived, we went out there. We encountered the King of the ‘Ezana Gate with his people, and he entered\n\nthe camp. And when we arrived above the sanctuary of Dū, we offered up camels, and cattle, and goats, and women, and provisions\n\non the twentieth day, and on the third day at dawn.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ንጉሠ ነገሥት","severity":"info","text":"The Geʿez phrase 'King of Kings' is a standard royal title in Aksumite inscriptions, reflecting Persian and ultimately biblical influence.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ዔዛና","severity":"info","text":"The name 'Ezana appears as a king of Aksum in the 4th century CE, known from both inscriptions and coinage. The 'Ezana Gate likely refers to a city gate named after him.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT5444rie","label":"source edition: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ወበጺሖሙ እንገቦ","severity":"info","text":"The narrative shifts from a list of royal titles to a first-person plural account of military action, introduced by 'and when they arrived, we went out'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"መኅደረ ደ ወለ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'sanctuary of Dū' is obscure; Dū may be a place name or a deity, but the text does not clarify. The reading follows the edition's interpretation.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'Dū' in 'sanctuary of Dū' is uncertain; it may be a toponym or a divine name.","The sequence of events after the encounter with the King of the 'Ezana Gate is not fully clear."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"ሁ፡ ዐረዝነሆሙ፡ ለአጔዛት፡\nእለ፡ መጽኡ፡ ምስለ፡ አበአልክዖ፡\nንጉሠ፡ አጔዛት፡ ወእለእለ፡ ዐረዝነ፡ አኀዝነ፡ ወሞቀሕነ፡\nወለ አበአልክዖ፡ ንጉሠ፡ አጔዛት፡ በከ፡ ኀደግናሁ፡ ኢሞቀሕና ሁ፡ ምስለ፡ ጸዋሬ፡ መንበሩ፡ ወእምዝ፡\nኮነናሆሙ፡ ለሰር ዌ፡ መሐዛ፡ ወለነገሥተ፡ ሰራዊት፡ ከመ፡ ይሖሩ፡ ወየዐ ሉ፡ ወይሖሩ፡ ወይቢቱ፡ ወእምዝ፡ ፈነዉ፡ ሰርዌ፡ መ ሐዛ፡\nወሰርዌ፡ ምጢን፡ ወደሐሩ፡ ነፍስተ፡ ወአዘዙዎ ሙ፡ ይሖሩ፡\nይቅትሉ፡ አጔዛተ፡ ወሖሩ፡ ለመግደል፡ ▧ ▧፡ ፈገለ፡ ወመልኡ፡ ዐሰል፡ ወመልኡ፡\nእርግ፡ ወመ▧ ▧፡ እርግ፡\nዘረከቡ፡ ወወፅኡ፡ ዐቀበ፡ ዐጸል፡\nወ▧▧፡ ▧ፈለገ፡ ነዱ፡ ወቀተሉ፡ ዘረከቡ፡ ወእምህየ፡ በጽሑ፡ ደወለ፡ አገዳ፡ እዘ፡ ይቀትሉ፡ ወይፄውዉ፡ ወይመሀር ኩ፡ ወደገሙ፡ ፈነወ፡ ሰርዌ፡\nዳኬን፡ ወደሐሩዎ፡ ወ አዘዙዎ፡ ይብጸሕ፡ ሥዕዞት፡ ወእምሥዕዞት፡\nይትጋሐሡ፡ በተብንያ፡ ወይወርዱ፡ እለ፡ ይወርዱ፡ ወተራከቡ፡ ሠለሰቱ፡ ሰራዋት፡\nዳኬን፡ ወሐራ፡ ወ ምጢን፡\nበአደቦ፡ ወእምዝ፡ ፈነዉ፡ ሰርዌ፡ ሐራ፡ ወደሐሩዎ፡ ወአዘዙዎ፡\nይሖር፡ እንተ፡ ዘወዐተ፡ ወእ▧፡ …ሰ፡ ፈነዉ፡ ሰርዌ፡\nለኬን፡ ወደሐሩዎ፡ ወአዘዙዎ፡ ይሖ ር፡ እንተ፡\nዐጸቦ፡ ወይወፅእ፡ ዐቀበ፡ ጡጥሖ፡ ወይወርድ፡ ወ▧፡ …ሓዛት፡ ወይመልእ፡ ለዋ፡ ወይወርድ፡ በዐስየ፡\n…፡ …ሕ፡ ወድሙረ፡ ተንሥኡ፡ እምሐዛባ፡\nወኀደሩ፡ ወሖሩ፡ ወወዐሉ፡ ወሖሩ፡ ወቤቱ፡ ወአፈ፡ ጽባሕ፡ ቀተል…፡ …፡ ምግባአ፡ መራድ፡ መቀኖ፡ ወሖሩ፡ ሠለስቱ፡ ሰራዊት፡ …ጸ፡ ሮደ፡ ምስሌሆሙ፡ ምስለ፡ …፡\n…ፈለገ፡ ምስለ፡ ፈልሐ፡\nወጽረአ፡ ▧፡ …፡ መገ▧፡ ዐ…፡ …ሐመ፡ መ…፡ …ለ…፡ ዘ…፡","english":"We cut down the Agʿazāt who came with Abaʿalkəʿō, king of the Agʿazāt, and those whom we cut down we captured and burned. And for Abaʿalkəʿō, king of the Agʿazāt, we spared him and burned him with the throne of his dominion. And then we appointed commanders of the army and kings of the troops to go and attack, and they went and spent the night. And then they sent the commanders of the army and the commanders of the Məṭʿān, and they spared the lives and ordered them to go. They killed the Agʿazāt and went to kill. ▧ ▧ a river and filled it with corpses, and filled it with stones, and ▧ ▧ with stones. What they found and came out, they blocked the path of the forest. And ▧▧ ▧ a river they drove and killed what they found. And from there they arrived at Dawwəlā ʾAgadā, and they continued killing and pursuing and plundering. And they sent the commanders of Dākēn and spared them and ordered them to reach Šəʿəṣot. And from Šəʿəṣot they fought with each other in the valley and descended, those who descended, and three armies gathered: Dākēn, Ḥarā, and Məṭʿān, at ʾAdabbō. And then they sent the commanders of Ḥarā and spared them and ordered them to go to where the river was. And ▧... they sent the commanders of Lākēn and spared them and ordered them to go to where the thicket was, and to come out by the path of Ṭuṭḥō, and to descend, and ▧... the rivers, and to fill the valley, and to descend by ʿAsyā. ... they rose up from the rivers and camped and went and attacked and went and spent the night. And at dawn they killed ... the entrance of Məgbaʾā Marād Maqannō. And three armies went ... with them, with ... a river with a tributary. And they reached ▧ ... ▧ ...","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"አጔዛት","severity":"info","text":"The term 'Agʿazāt' (አጔዛት) is a Geʿez plural referring to a people or tribe, likely the same as the 'Agʿazē' or 'Agʿazi' mentioned in other Aksumite inscriptions. It may denote a specific enemy group, possibly from the region of Agame or a related clan.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative of military campaign, with a series of actions: cutting down enemies, sparing a king, appointing commanders, and sending troops to kill, pursue, and plunder. The text lists place names (Dawwəlā ʾAgadā, Šəʿəṣot, ʾAdabbō, Ṭuṭḥō, ʿAsyā) and army units (Dākēn, Ḥarā, Məṭʿān, Lākēn), suggesting a detailed itinerary.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The text contains several lacunae and uncertain readings, indicated by ▧ and ellipses. The exact sequence of events and the identification of some place names (e.g., 'Dawwəlā ʾAgadā', 'Ṭuṭḥō') are unclear. The translation of 'ሞቀሕነ' as 'burned' is plausible but not certain; it could also mean 'destroyed' or 'consumed'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The inscription RIE 187 is an anonymous Aksumite royal text, likely from the 4th–6th centuries CE, recording a military campaign against the Agʿazāt. The mention of 'Abaʿalkəʿō' as king of the Agʿazāt suggests a named opponent, possibly a local ruler. The text reflects the expansionist policies of the Aksumite kingdom.","cites":[{"key":"ed:LIT5444rie","label":"source edition: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'spared him and burned him with the throne of his dominion' parallels other Aksumite inscriptions where defeated kings are either executed or ritually humiliated. Similar language appears in RIE 185 and 188, where enemies are 'cut down' and their leaders 'burned' or 'captured'.","cites":[{"key":"betmas:LIT5444rie","label":"betmas: Text of RIE 187","url":"https://betamasaheft.eu/LIT5444rie"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact meaning of 'ሞቀሕነ' (mōqāḥənnā) is uncertain; it is translated as 'burned' but could also mean 'destroyed' or 'consumed'.","The place names 'Dawwəlā ʾAgadā', 'Ṭuṭḥō', and 'ʿAsyā' are not securely identified; they may be toponyms in the Aksumite region.","The lacunae in lines 10–15 obscure the sequence of events and the identity of some commanders and units."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]}]}