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Last Updated on 22 May 2019

Author: Nikolaos Giannakopoulos

CAPInv. 711: Leadeitai

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Western Asia Minor
ii. Region Bithynia
iii. Site Prusias ad Hypium

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) Λεαδεῖται (SEG 53: 1416, l. 2)
ii. Full name (transliterated) Leadeitai

III. DATE

i. Date(s) ii AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

i. Name in other forms Depending on the interpretation, the name of the group may have been τὸ δεκάνιον τὸ Λεαδειτῶν, to dekanion to Leadeiton (l. 2). See XII.i: Comments.
ii. Name elements
Other:Dekanion and Leadeitai, see XII.i: Comments.

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) SEG 53: 1416 (ii AD)
Note First edited by Kolb 2003.
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Honorary inscription in Greek set up by to dekanion to Leadeiton for their ekdikos.
i.c. Physical format(s) Base.
ii. Source(s) provenance The inscription was found in the village of Dadali near Akcakova, in the area of Prusias ad Hypium.

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii. Leadership The honouring party is termed as τὸ δεκάνιον τὸ Λεαδειτῶν (to dekanion to Leadeiton, l. 2). The word δεκάνιον (dekanion) is attested here for the first time. It is derived from δεκανός (dekanos) which, along with δεκανεύειν (dekaneuein) denote leadership of small military units, police forces and even associations (Kolb 2003: 116-8 with parallels). Here the term dekanion may refer to a body of leaders of the group called Leadeitai. See also below under field XII.i: Comments.

X. ACTIVITIES

iv. Honours/Other activities To dekanion to Leadeiton honoured their ekdikos probably for services related to legal advocacy and support. The name of the honorand is not preserved (his patronymic was Φίλιππος, Philippos).

XII. NOTES

i. Comments Kolb (2003: 115) dates the inscription to the 2nd century AD based on the form of the letters.
The meaning of the word Λεαδεῖται (Leadeitai) is not clear. Kolb puts forwards three suggestions:
a) It may be an ethnic name of the inhabitants of a village near Prusias ad Hypium. In that case the term to dekanion to Leadeiton may correspond either to the leaders of the village or to a neighborhood association within the village.
b) It may denote an imperial estate, the dekanion being the leaders of the people (slaves?) living and working there.
c) It may finally denote an association of religious and/or professional character, the term dekanion again corresponding to a body of leaders or constituting part of the association’s full name.
As Kolb herself remarks, there is no known etymological connection between the word Λεαδεῖται and any attested words relating to professional activity. In this respect her first suggestion seems more probable.
The cost of the honours awarded to the ekdikos may indicate the existence of a common treasury of the group, but there is no clear proof for that. The cost may have been covered from ad hoc contributions paid by the members of the dekanion.
iii. Bibliography Kolb, A. (2003), ‘Δεκάνιον – ein Hapax legomenon’, EA 36: 115-9.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Possible
Note See above under field XII.i: Comments.