Stable URL: http://ancientassociations.ku.dk/assoc/184Download as PDF
Last Updated on 25 Nov 2018

Author: Mario C.D. Paganini

CAPInv. 184: to politeuma ton Kilikon

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Egypt
ii. Nome Arsinoites (00)
iii. Site Ptolemais Euergetis (?)

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) τὸ πολίτευμα τῶν Κιλίκων (I.Louvre 22, ll. 5-6)
ii. Full name (transliterated) to politeuma ton Kilikon

III. DATE

i. Date(s) s. iii - ii BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Ethnic:Cilicians
iii. Descriptive terms πολίτευμα, politeuma
Note politeuma: I.Louvre 22, l. 5

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) I.Louvre 22 (s. iii - ii BC)
Note Other editions are: I.Fayoum I 15, SB IV 7270, SEG VIII 573.
Online Resources I.Fayoum I 15
TM 5687
AGRW ID 20512
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek dedication of a pylon to Zeus, Athena, and the politeuma.
i.c. Physical format(s) Limestone block, which was probably part of the pylon's façade.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects A πυλών, pylon and τὰ ἐν αὐτῶι πάντα, ta en autoi panta (ll. 3-4) are dedicated to the gods and the politeuma.

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

ii. Realty The pylon and its furnishings (l. 3-4) dedicated to the gods and the politeuma may be a shrine and/or the meeting place of the politeuma itself.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note It is likely that the politeuma was a group formed by people involved in military life, and therefore men.
iii. Age Adults
Note If the military character of the politeuma is correct, it does not seem likely that children took part in it.
iv. Status Arrenides, son of Koderdos, Syrbendeus, who made the dedication, bore the aulic titulature of the protoi philoi of the King and he was an officer of the army and the royal guard τῶν ... χ(ιλι)ά(ρχων) καὶ περὶ τοὺς | βασιλεῖς μα̣χ̣αιροφόρ̣ω̣ν, ton ... chiliarchon kai peri tous basileis machairophoron (ll. 2-3; cf. Mooren 1975: no. 0281). He was probably a member of the politeuma, which is very likely to have gathered people with a military background.
vi. Proper names and physical features Ἀρ̣ρενίδης Κοδέρδ̣ο̣υ Συρβενδεὺς τῶν (πρώτων) φίλων καὶ χ(ιλι)ά(ρχων) καὶ περὶ τοὺς βασιλεῖς μα̣χ̣αιροφόρ̣ω̣ν

X. ACTIVITIES

iii. Worship Given the fact that Arrenides dedicated the pylon to Zeus and Athena, as well as to the politeuma of Cilicians, it is likely that the politeuma as a whole (and not just the dedicant) had a particular devotion to the two gods – especially if the pylon represented the shrine and/or meeting place of the politeuma.
Deities worshipped Zeus (?)
Athena (?)

XII. NOTES

iii. Bibliography Mooren, L. (1975), The Aulic titulature in Ptolemaic Egypt: introduction and prosopography. Brussel.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Probable
Note On the basis of the evidence at our disposal (typology of document, character of the dealings of the politeuma etc), it is very likely that this politeuma functioned and was a private association of a military character. There are no hints to suggest that this group had larger responsibilities of whatever character, like it is the case for other politeumata (cf. CAPInv. 1370).