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Last Updated on 01 Mar 2017

Author: Paschalis Paschidis

CAPInv. 478: hoi synetheis hoi peri Posidonin ton archisynagogon

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Macedonia
ii. Region Bottia
iii. Site Beroia

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) οἱ συνήθεις οἱ περὶ Ποσιδώνιν τὸν ἀρχισυνάγωγον (I.Beroia 371)
ii. Full name (transliterated) hoi synetheis hoi peri Posidonin ton archisynagogon

III. DATE

i. Date(s) s. ii - f. iii AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Personal:hoi peri Posidonin ton archisynagogon
Other:synetheis, common collective

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) I.Beroia 371 (ii/iii AD)
Note See also: SEG 27 267
Online Resources I.Beroia 371 and AGRW ID 15411
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek funerary inscription.
i.c. Physical format(s) Stele with reliefs portraying the deceased and his widow in two zones.
ii. Source(s) provenance The stele was discovered in second use in a northwestern cemetery of Beroia.

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii. Leadership Posidonis the ἀρχισυνάγωγος, archisynagogos, is the leader of the association.
iii. Members The common collective term οἱ συνήθεις, hoi synetheis, is used.
ix. Privileges As so often in the context of associations, the members seem to receive at least part of the cost for their funerary monument.

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The nature of the association is unclear. Συνήθεις, synetheis is a term used for the devotees of Zeus Hypsistos at nearby Edessa (CAPInv. 473); the term ἀρχισυνάγωγος, archisynagogos, often qualifies the leaders of associations of Zeus Hypsistos; finally, the phrase οἱ περὶ τόν, hoi peri ton, “those around X” is used in the terminology of the association of Zeus Hypsistos at Beroia itself (Ι.Beroia 28, see CAPInv. 477). It seems therefore highly probable that the reference here is to the cult association of Zeus Hypsistos.

Nevertheless, the use of the term συνήθεια, synetheia in Beroia itself for a professional association (see Ι.Beroia 372: CAPInv. 479) and the use of the term archisynagogos for cultic associations for other gods in other parts of Macedonia warrant caution. Neither the connection to Zeus Hypsistos, nor even the religious nature of the association should be taken for granted.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note Although the nature of this association is far from clear (see XII.i: Comments, above), the fact that it was an association is certain.