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Last Updated on 23 May 2019

Author: Sofia Kravaritou

CAPInv. 1031: hoi synsitoi (l. hoi syssitoi)

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Central Greece
ii. Region Thessaly. Perrhaibia (south).
iii. Site Damasi. Ancient city of Phalanna.

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) οἱ σύνσιτοι (IG IX.2 332, l. 3)
ii. Full name (transliterated) hoi synsitoi (l. hoi syssitoi)

III. DATE

i. Date(s) iii BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

i. Name in other forms οἱ σύσσι]τ̣ο̣ι̣ (Arvanitopoulos 1914: 17, no. 221, ll. 1-2)
ii. Name elements
Status-related:The name designates ephebes or soldiers encamped in various locations (Arist., Ath. Pol., 42.3).

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG IX.2 332 (iii BC)

Note See also:
Arvanitopoulos 1913: 144, no. 332
Heinz 1998: 402, no. A41
Online Resources IG IX.2 332
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script IG IX.2 332 is a fragmentary votive inscription to Apollo Agreus. The dedicants are Aristophanes, son of Thersites, and the synsitoi. The text delivers six names and patronymics of members of that group. A fragmentary seventh name is also mentioned.
i.c. Physical format(s) IG IX.2 332 is a fragmentary stone base, which supported a statue of the God or some other votive object (Arvanitopoulos 1913: 144, no. 332; Heinz 1998: 402, no. A41)
ii. Source(s) provenance Damasi (Ancient city of Phalanna). The stone has been originally transported in the Archaeological Collection of Tyrnavos (Arvanitopoulos 1913: 144, no. 332). Now in the Museum of Larisa?

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

i. Archaeological remains The site of ancient Phalanna has been tentatively identified with the ruins located in the site Kastri (west of modern Ampelona). The site is not excavated. Many inscriptions from Kastri have been located at the neighbouring sites of Damasi, Ampelonas, Tyrnavos and Derelia (Stählin 1967: 30-1; Ntasios 2012: 217-8).

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members IG IX.2 332, l. 2 delivers the names and patronymics of six members of that group. Other names seem to follow.
iv. Officials IG IX.2 332, l. 2 delivers the name of Aristophanes, son of Thersites, before the names of the other persons described as synsitoi. Is he a priest or the chief of that group?

IX. MEMBERSHIP

i. Number IG IX.2 332, l. 2 delivers the names and patronymics of six members of that group. Other names seem to follow.
ii. Gender Men
iv. Status Ephebes? Soldiers?
v. Relations IG IX.2 332, l. 2 mentions a chief/priest? (Aristophanes, son of Thersites) and members of the group called synsitoi.

X. ACTIVITIES

ii. Meetings and events The name synsitoi refers to encampments.
iii. Worship The group dedicates a statue to Apollo Agreus.
Deities worshipped Apollo Agreus

XII. NOTES

iii. Bibliography Arvanitopoulos, A.S. (1914), ‘Θεσσαλικαί Επιγραφαι’, AEph: 17, no. 221.
Arvanitopoulos, A.S. (1913), ‘Εις Θεσσαλίας Επιγραφάς’, AEph: 144, no. 332.
Heinz, M. (1998), Thessalische Votivstelen. Bochum: 402.
Ntasios, Ph. (2012), ‘Φάλαννα’, in E. Nikolaou and S. Kravaritou (eds.), Αρχαίες Πόλεις Θεσσαλίας & Περιοίκων Περιοχών, Volos: 217-8.
Stählin, Fr. (1967), Das Hellenische Thessalien. rev. edn. Amsterdam.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Probable
Note The dedication to Apollo Agreus indicates that the group might have displayed corporal activity of low intensity.
ii. Historical authenticity The inscription permits the historical authenticity of the group. The question, whether this is a private group or not stays open.