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Last Updated on 11 Jun 2019

Author: Stella Skaltsa

CAPInv. 99: to koinon ton [presbyteron ton alei]phomenon en tei gero[ntikei palaistrai]

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Aegean Islands
ii. Region Samos
iii. Site Pythagoreion (ancient city of Samos)

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) τὸ κοινὸν τῶν [πρεσβυτέρων τῶν ἀλει]φομένων ἐν τῆι γερο[ντικῆι παλαίστραι] (IG XII.6.2 133, ll. 15-16)
ii. Full name (transliterated) to koinon ton [presbyteron ton alei]phomenon en tei gero[ntikei palaistrai]

III. DATE

i. Date(s) l. ii BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

i. Name in other forms οἱ ἀλειφόμενοι ἐν τῆι γεροντικῆι παλαίστραι (IG XII 6.1 133, ll. 1-3).
ii. Name elements
Status-related:aleiphomenoi: those anointing themselves with oil and partaking in the gymnasion life
Topographical:en tei gerontikei palaistrai
Other:elders: age class
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG XII.6.1 133 (l. ii BC)
Note The dating formula, ἐπὶ + personal name in the genitive case (name of the eponymous archon without patronymic), is common in the Samian decrees. The decree was passed on the 7th day of Lenaion (l. 1).

For the most recent edition: IG XII.6.1 133
Online Resources McCabe, Samos 119
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Decree of the koinon for the gymnasiarch Histiodoros, son of Heroides in Greek.
i.c. Physical format(s) Stele.The inscription is broken into two fragments.
ii. Source(s) provenance Fragment A was found in Dontia close to Pythagoreion (the Hellenistic gymnasion was located in Dontia). Fragment B was found in Glyphada close to Pythagoreion.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

i. Archaeological remains The gymnasion and the station have been located in the area of Dontia.
ii. References to buildings/objects gerontike palaistra (ll. 3-4)

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members The members of the koinon are called aleiphomenoi (l. 18).
iv. Officials γυμνασιαρχῶν, gymnasiarchon (l. 8)
The honorand, Histiodoros, son of Heroides, holds the gymnasiarchy. Histiodoros might have been the gymnasiarch of the koinon, but he might have supervised others as well, as he is praised for conducting himself before everybody according to the magistracy (ἐν τοῖς πᾶσιν, en tois pasin, ll. 8-9)

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note Presumably all members were males since they partook in the gymnasion.
iii. Age Elders
Note They are explicitly called presbyteroi (elders, ll. 7-8, 15). They frequented the palaistra of the elders (ll. 2-3, 16).

X. ACTIVITIES

i. Assemblies ἐκκλησία, ekklesia (ll. 3-4)
The phrase συναχθεῖσιν εἰς ἐκκλησίαν (synachtheisin eis ekklesian, ll. 3-4) is well attested in Samian decrees.
iv. Honours/Other activities The koinon bestowed honours upon Histiodoros, son of Heroides. Histiodoros has disposed himself with zeal, assiduousness, eagerness towards the aleiphomenoi of the elders. He was gymnasiarch, and during his gymnasiarchy he did not fall short of zeal; he took care of the supply of oil (note that the supply of oil constituted the greatest expenditure in the gymnasion). Histiodoros is praised for his arete (ll. 17-8).

XII. NOTES

ii. Poland concordance Poland *15b

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Probable
Note In this case the elders who frequented the palaistra were organized in a koinon and passed a decree in honour of the gymnasiarch. Although their corporate identity is unquestionable, the private nature of the group remains open to question.