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I. LOCATION

i.	Geographical area	Western Asia Minor
ii.	Region	Pamphylia / Pisidia
iii.	Site	Karain

II. NAME

i.	Full name (original language)	θίασος (SEG 41: 1329, A l. 4.)
ii.	Full name (transliterated)	thiasos

III. DATE

i.

Date(s)

i - iii AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

iii.	Descriptive terms	θίασος, thiasos
	Note	thiasos : SEG 41: 1329, A l. 4.

V. SOURCES

i.	Source(s)	SEG 41: 1329 (i - iii AD)
i.a.	Source type(s)	Epigraphic source(s)
i.b.	Document(s) typology & language/script	Dedication and subscription list. Greek.
i.c.	Physical format(s)	Inscription carved in a niche located on the middle column just before the entrance of the cave.
ii.	Source(s) provenance	Caves of Karain

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii.

References to buildings/objects

The thiasos is dedicating an ἀναυλιτήριον, anauliterion (A l. 3) (stall?)

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii.

Leadership

ἀρχιθιασείτης, archithiaseites (A l. 6)

The same Samos, son of Artemos, son of Samos, who appears as archithiaseites in this dedication is also referred to as ἀρχιμύστης, archimystes (B l. 4) in another inscription carved right under the subscription list. Another worn out vow found at Karain (SEG 41: 1330, l. 2) probably records the position of μυστηριάρχης, mysteriarches. Apparently, all these names could be used to indicate leadership in the group (EBGR XVIII 211).

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

i.

Treasury/Funds

The inscription indicates that the object dedicated by the thiasos was prepared with their own funds: κ̣[ατε]σκεύασαν ἐκ τῶν ἰδ̣ί̣ων, k[ate]skeuasan ek ton idion (A ll. 23-26).
The subscription list attached to the dedication would therefore imply that the members of the association provided these funds.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

i.	Number	The subscription list records the names of at least 12 individuals.
ii.	Gender	Men Women
	Note	While male members include patronymics, women are only referred to by their names.
iv.	Status	Only one of the members, M. Cocceius Troilos, is a Roman citizen.

X. ACTIVITIES

iii.	Worship	In the dedication, the group is recorded as θίασος αὐτῆς, thiasos autes (A ll. 4-5). The latter demonstrative pronoun is referred to the deity to which the object was dedicated. Consequently, the relation between the thiasos and her cult cannot be doubted. The name ἀρχιμύστης / μυστηριάρχης, archimystes / mysteriarches bestowed upon the leader of the group would indicate the performance of some sort of mysteries in the caves.
	Deities worshipped	Μήτηρ Ὀρεία, Meter Oreia (A ll. 1-2). She is referred to by the thiasos as a 'goddess who listens to prayers'. For other attestations of this deity in Asia Minor (see Petzl 2009: 92-4).

XII. NOTES

i.	Comments	The presence of a M. Cocceius Troilos probably gives a t.p.q. in the 1st century AD. On the other hand, the absence of Aurelii in this area of Asia Minor normally implies a t.a.q in the 3rd century AD. The caves of Karain were visited by people inscribing vows to Meter Oreia and the activities of the thiasos should be placed in this cultic context.
iii.	Bibliography	Petzl, G. (2009), ‘Zwei bronzene Weihegaben’, ZPE 169: 89-94. Şahin, S. (1991), ‘Bemerkungen zu Lykischen und Pamphylischen Inschriften’, EA 17: 113-38.

XIII. EVALUATION

i.	Private association	Certain
	Note	The well-attested cultic activity at the caves of Karain and the capacity of the thiasos to dedicate objects to the goddess whom they worshipped confirm the existence and purpose of this association. Moreover, it had a certain internal hierarchy and members who contributed to its maintenance.

CAPInv. 1668: thiasos