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Last Updated on 20 May 2019

Author: Benedikt Eckhardt

CAPInv. 1338: hymnoidoi

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Western Asia Minor
ii. Region Ionia
iii. Site Smyrna (?)

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) ὑμνῳδοί (Ι.Smyrna 697, l. 39)
ii. Full name (transliterated) hymnoidoi

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 123 - 200 (?) AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

i. Name in other forms συνυμνῳδοὶ θεοῦ Ἁδριανοῦ (I.Smyrna 595, ll. 16-17)
ii. Name elements
Cultic:hymnodoi (the connotation is cultic rather than professional)
Personal:theos Hadrianos - the deified emperor.

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) I.Smyrna 697 (123/124 AD)
I.Smyrna 595 (200 AD)
Note See also:
GRA II 139

I.Smyrna 697 can be dated to 123 or 124 AD (Ameling 2004: 178; contrast Harland 2014: 311 ["shortly after 124"]); 595 is dated to around 200 AD.
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script I.Smyrna 697 is a list of donors that mentions the establishment of hymnodoi in Smyrna.
I.Smyrna 595 is a dedicatory inscription on an altar.

In greek.
i.c. Physical format(s) I.Smyrna 697: white marble stele
I.Smyrna 595: white marble pillar
ii. Source(s) provenance The Smyrnaean origin of both inscriptions is not certain, but likely.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects βωμός, bomos (I.Smyrna 595, l. 18): An altar was dedicated to the synhymnodoi theou Hadrianou.

XII. NOTES

ii. Poland concordance Poland B 349 (I.Smyrna 595)
Poland B 347 (I.Smyrna 697)
iii. Bibliography Ameling, W. (2004), Inscriptiones Judaicae Orientis. II: Kleinasien. Tübingen.
Belayche, N. (2013), ‘L’évolution des formes rituelles: hymnes et mystèria’, in L. Bricault and C. Bonnet (eds.), Panthée: Religious Transformations in the Graeco-Roman Empire, Leiden, Boston: 17-40.
Harland, P.A. (2014), Greco-Roman Associations: Texts, Translations, and Commentaries. II. North Coast of the Black Sea, Asia Minor. Berlin, Boston.
Poland, F. (1909), Geschichte des griechischen Vereinswesens. Leipzig.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Possible
Note The problematic status of hymnodoi for the study of ancient associations was already noted by Poland (1909: 46-9). In many cases, the degree of organization is uncertain. But even where an association can plausibly be assumed, as in Smyrna, its private character is doubtful. In this case, the establishment of a group of hymnodoi was a privilege given to Smyrna by Hadrian. It is important to see both sides of the phenomenon: On the one hand, the official character of the hymnodoi and their connection with official cults (especially emperor worship) is beyond doubt, on the other hand, private initiative may be assumed, because civic elites were eager to found exclusive clubs that demonstrated their allegiance to the emperor and distinguished them from other citizens (Belayche 2013: 30-5).
ii. Historical authenticity Certain