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Last Updated on 03 Mar 2017

Author: Maria-Gabriella Parissaki

CAPInv. 718: he speira

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Thrace
ii. Region Propontic Thrace
iii. Site Perinthos

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) ἡ σπεῖρα (I.Perinthos 280, l. 2)
ii. Full name (transliterated) he speira

III. DATE

i. Date(s) i - iii AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

iii. Descriptive terms σπεῖρα, speira
Note speira: I.Perinthos 280, l. 2

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) I.Perinthos 280 (i - iii AD)
Ι.Perinthos 313 (after 212 AD)
Note IPerinthos 313 = SEG 48: 923
Online Resources I.Perinthos 280
I.Perinthos 313 and AGRW ID 14184
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script (Both texts are in Greek)
I.Perinthos 280: Dedication
I.Perinthos 313: Dedication?
i.c. Physical format(s) I.Perinthos 280: Two fragments from the rim of a large marble wine vessel. Relief decoration, depicting Pan and Dionysos.

I.Perinthos 313: Marble base with cyma.
ii. Source(s) provenance I.Perinthos 280: Found at a distance of appr. 2 km SE of the village of Yeniçiftlik, by the Kokonartepe tumulus.

I.Perinthos 313: Found betwen Bağlar Deresi and Yeniçiftlik, at a distance of appr. 5 km NW of Perinthos, see I.Perinth, pl. V.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

i. Archaeological remains I.Perinthos 280 has been found at a small distance from the Kokonartepe tumulus.

The site, where I.Perinthos 313 has been found, could have been a vicus of Perinthos' territory as indicated by the presence of inscriptions (see I.Perinthos 278-285) and sarcophagi, see I.Perinthos, p. 67.

VII. ORGANIZATION

iv. Officials σπείραρχος, speirarchos (I.Perinthos 313, l. 7)

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note On the evidence of the two known cases.
iv. Status The dedicant of I.Perinthos 280 bore a name (or a cognomen) of Greek origin.

The deceased of I.Perinthos 313 was a Roman citizen, owing his citizenship to the Constitutio Antoniniana, as indicated by the nomen Aurelius.

X. ACTIVITIES

ii. Meetings and events The wine vessel (I.Perinthos 280) points to symposia.
iii. Worship The group likely worshiped Dionysos, on the evidence of the term σπεῖρα, speira, and of the relief decoration on I.Perinthos 280.
Deities worshipped Dionysus (?)

XII. NOTES

i. Comments A date during the i-ii cent. AD is suggested for I.Perinthos 280 on the evidence of letter forms; but I.Perinthos 313 is securely dated after 212 AD, due to the presence of the nomen Aurelius.
There are four inscriptions at Perinthos and its territory mentioning a σπεῖρα, speira, or a σπείραρχος, speirarchos: CAPInv. 710 (for the σπεῖρα, speira, of σπαργανιῶται, sparganiotai), CAPInv. 720 (sibylline oracle with mention of a σπείραρχος, speirarchos) and the two presented here. Due to inadequate information regarding their finding place, only the last two can be tentatively associated.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The term σπεῖρα, speira, points to an association devoted to the cult of Dionysos.