Stable URL: http://ancientassociations.ku.dk/assoc/755Download as PDF
Last Updated on 28 Feb 2017

Author: Sophia Zoumbaki

CAPInv. 755: technitai peri ton Dionys[on ex Isthmou] kai Nemeas hoi eis Elin symporeuomenoi

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Peloponnese with Adjacent Islands
ii. Region Eleia
iii. Site Olympia

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) τεχνῖται περὶ τὸν Διόνυσ[ον ἐξ Ἰσθμοῦ] κ̣αὶ Νεμέας οἱ εἰς Ἦλιν συμπορευόμενοι (IvO 405, ll. 1-2)
ii. Full name (transliterated) technitai peri ton Dionys[on ex Isthmou] kai Nemeas hoi eis Elin symporeuomenoi

III. DATE

i. Date(s) i BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Geographical:ex Isthmou] kai Nemeas
eis Elin
Professional:technitai
Status-related:technitai
Theophoric:peri ton Dionys[on
Other:symporeuomenoi

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IvO 405 (I BC)
Note See also Le Guen I no. 37; Aneziri no. B16.
Online Resources IvO 405
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Honorary inscription in Greek for an individual of Messenian origin, whose name is not preserved. He is honoured as proxenos (l. 3) and benefactor of the technitai peri ton Dionyson ex Isthmou kai Nemeas hoi eis Elin symporeuomenoi (ll. 1-2).
i.c. Physical format(s) Two fragments of the upper block of a statue base; on the upper surface of the one fragment there is the footprint of the statue and in front of it a trace, perhaps of the setting of a bronze lamina.
ii. Source(s) provenance Olympia, north of Leonideon

X. ACTIVITIES

iv. Honours/Other activities The association honours a Messenian as proxenos and benefactor.

XI. INTERACTION

ii. Interaction abroad The relations of the Dionysiac artists of Elis with an individual from Messenia, who they name their proxenos, show that they had a superlocal activity or fame.

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The existence of a branch of Dionysiac artists in Elis has nothing to do with the famous festival of Olympia, where no musical contests took place. It is probably to be connected with the important cult of Dionysos in Elis and the whole region of Eleia. Pausanias (VI. 26, 1-2: μάλιστα Διόνυσον σέβουσιν Ἠλεῖοι, malista Dionyson sebousin Eleioi) stresses the special respect of the Eleans for the cult of Dionysos, whilst Athenaios I. 34a (FGrHist II. B, 595-596, Nr. 277 [Theopompos von Chios, Nr. 115]) reports ὅτι ὁ Θεόπομπος ὁ Χῖος τὴν ἄμπελον ἱστορεῖ εὑρεθῆναι ἐν Ὀλυμπίᾳ παρὰ τὸν Ἀλφειόν, hoti ho Theopompos ho Chios ten ampelon historei eurethenai en Olympia para ton Alpheion. For the Dionysiac festival thyia in Elis, the acclamation of the god "ἄξιε ταύρε", axie taure (Plutarch, Qu. gr. 36, 299 A-B) and generally the cult of Dionysos in Elis see Mitsopoulos-Leon1984.
Worship is known from other branches of the dionysiac technitai (see CAPInv. 753): it may be supposed for the present group too.
The dedication of the monument in honour of their proxenos to Olympian Zeus is explained by the fact that they erect it in the famous sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia.
iii. Bibliography Aneziri, S. (2003), Die Vereine der dionysischen Techniten im Kontext der hellenistischen Gesellschaft. Untersuchungen zur Geschichte, Organisation und Wirkung der hellenistischen Technitenvereine. Stuttgart: 60, 368 B16.
Mitsopoulos-Leon, V. (1984), ‘Zur Verehrung des Dionysos in Elis. Nochmals: ΑΞΙΕ TAYPE und die sechszehn heiligen Frauen’, MDAI (A) 99: 275-90.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The well-known character of the technitai proves that they were a private association.