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Last Updated on 11 Jul 2019

Author: Andreas Victor Walser

CAPInv. 1034: hoi oikodomoi hoi peri E[.... ..]NI--- Epigonon

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Western Asia Minor
ii. Region Ionia
iii. Site Miletus

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) οἱ οἰκοδόμοι οἱ περὶ Ε[.... ..]ΝΙ--- Ἐπίγονον (Milet VI.2 935 ll. 1-2)
ii. Full name (transliterated) hoi oikodomoi hoi peri E[.... ..]NI--- Epigonon

III. DATE

i. Date(s) m. ii - e. iii AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Personal:E[.... ..]NI--- Epigonon
Professional:οἰκοδόμοι, oikodomoi ("builder")

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) Milet VI.2 935
Note SEG IV 439; Merkelbach – Stauber, SGO 01/20701
Online Resources SEG IV 439
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Question and answer to the oracle at Didyma. Greek
i.c. Physical format(s) Block of limestone
ii. Source(s) provenance Theater, back wall in the west wing, in situ

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii. Leadership οἱ περὶ Ε[.... ..]ΝΙ --- Ἐπίγονον, hoi peri E[---] Epigonon

The builders are designated as "those with E--- and (?) Epigonos". Epigonos (and possible together with a second person) is obviously the leader of the group, even if we do not know in what capacity (employer or foreman).
iii. Members οἱ οἰκοδόμοι, hoi oikodomoi

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men

X. ACTIVITIES

Deities worshipped Pallas Tritogeneia (Athena)
Heracles
iv. Honours/Other activities The group has agreed to execute the construction of a part of the theater (ll. 2-3: ἐργολάβοι τοῦ μέρους τοῦ̣ θεάτρου, ergolaboi tou merous tou theatrou). When both technical problems with the construction and difficulties with their employment arose, the builders asked the oracle at Didyma for advice (the nature of the difficulties is disputed; cf. with further literature Dittmann-Schöne 2002: 72-3; Oesterheld 2008: 438-9 n. 277). The oracle recommends to continue the work and to ask an experienced architect for help. Furthermore, the group should sacrifice to Athena and Heracles.

XI. INTERACTION

i. Local interaction The group contacted the oracle in nearby Didyma.

XII. NOTES

iii. Bibliography Dittmann-Schöne, I. (2001), Die Berufsvereine in den Städten des kaiserzeitlichen Kleinasiens. Regensburg.
Oesterheld, Chr. (2008), Göttliche Botschaften für zweifelnde Menschen. Pragmatik und Orientierungsleistung der Apollon-Orakel von Klaros und Didyma in hellenistisch-römischer Zeit. Göttingen.
Sommer, St. (2006), 'Religion und Vereinigungsunruhen in der Kaiserzeit', in A. Gutsfeld and D.-A. Koch (eds.), Vereine, Synagogen und Gemeinden im kaiserzeitlichen Kleinasien, Tübingen: 77-93.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Possible
Note The group of "construction workers around Epigonos" is often regarded as a professional association (e.g. Dittmann-Schöne 2001: 169-170; Sommer 2006: 85).

However, Zimmermann 2002: 163 rightly observes that nothing in the inscription suggests that the "oikodomoi around Epigonos" were indeed organized as an association. They seem to be just a group of workers of the same employer engaged in the same project.