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Last Updated on 21 Feb 2017

Author: Ilias Arnaoutoglou

CAPInv. 235: Dionysiastai

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Attica with Salamis
ii. Region Attica
iii. Site Piraeus

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) Διονυσιασταί (IG II2 1325, ll. 19-20, 24, 34-5; IG II2 1326, ll. 9, 21, 41)
ii. Full name (transliterated) Dionysiastai

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 185 - 175 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

i. Name in other forms The group also uses the designation ὀργεῶνες, orgeones: IG II2 1325, ll. 2, 27, 30 and IG II2 1326, ll. 17, 30, 33, 45.
ii. Name elements
Theophoric:From Dionysos
iii. Descriptive terms σύνοδος, synodos
Note synodos: IG II2 1326 passim
Note that the same term, synodos, appears in IG II2 1325, l. 30 but means the assembly.

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG II2 1325 (185/4 BC)
IG II2 1326 (176/5 BC)
Note Ed. pr.
IG II2 1325: An.Ép. 1884, 39.
IG II2 1326: An.Ép. 1884, 45.
Other publications: Prott - Ziehen II 45; Syll3 1100-1101; Michel no. 986-7; Laum, Stiftungen II, 20.; LSCG 49 (SEG 25: 160); CCIS 2: 51; Jaccottet II no. 1-2; GRA I 33 and 36; AGRW 21.
Cf. SEG 32: 348; SEG 49: 2477; SEG 55: 292.
Online Resources IG II2 1325 and AGRW ID 3991
IG II2 1326 and AGRW ID 3170
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script In IG II2 1325 there are two Greek honorary decrees, the first for Dionysios, son of Agathokles of Marathon, the treasurer, and the second one for Solon, son of Hermogenes of Cholargos.
In IG II2 1326 there is a Greek decree of the group recording privileges granted to the descendants of Dionysios following his death.
i.c. Physical format(s) IG II2 1325: Upper part of a pedimental marble stele measuring 0,975x0,62m.
IG II2 1326: Pedimental marble stele with traces of colour decoration, measuring 0,915x0,345m.
ii. Source(s) provenance Both inscriptions were found in the area between the port of Peiraieus and Zea (then Karaiskake Squ. now Korae Squ.) during the excavation for the building of the Municipal Theatre, in the ruins of a building; they are now in the Epigraphical Museum, EM 7844 (IG II2 1325).

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

i. Archaeological remains The inscriptions were found in a building 23x40m, with a house with its entrance hall, an altar, a cistern, water-pipes and drainage, and a peristyle, von Eickstedt 1991: 156-7.
ii. References to buildings/objects Reference to a sanctuary (ἱερόν, hieron, IG II2 1326, l. 46), temple (ναός, naos, IG II2 1325, ll. 21, 31; IG II2 1326, 49), land (τόπος, topos, IG II2 1325, l. 26; IG II2 1326, ll. 12-3), a stone slab (στήλη, stele, IG II2 1325, ll. 31-2; IG II2 1326, l. 50), dedications (ἀναθήματα, anathemata, IG II2 1325, l. 22), golden and silver gildings (χρυσώματα καὶ ἀργυρώματα, chrysomata kai argyromata, IG II2 1325, l. 25), and the construction of a statue (ἄγαλμα, agalma, IG II2 1326, l. 17) of Dionysos.

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members Members of the group are designated as τοὺς τὴν σύνοδον φέροντας τῶι θεῶι, tous ten synodon pherontas toi theoi, IG II2 1326, ll. 5-6, 23-4. The group also uses the designation orgeones: IG II2 1325, ll. 2, 27, 30 and IG II2 1326, ll. 17, 30, 33, 45
iv. Officials Treasurer (ταμίας, tamias, IG II2 1325, ll. 20, 32; IG II2 1326, ll. 10, 51).
Priest (τὴν ἱερωσύνην τοῦ Διονύσου, ten hierosynen tou Dionysou, IG II2 1325, l. 21; IG II2 1326, ll. 9-10, 33-4).
Known practice of appointment It seems that the succession to priesthood was hereditary: IG II2 1326, 29-31.
vi. Laws and rules Crowning according to the law of the group in IG II2 1325, ll. 27-8; IG II2 1326, ll. 22-3: ἐστεφάνωσαν κατὰ τὸν νόμον, estephanosan kata ton nomon.
According to another law of the association the eldest son of the deceased Dionysios would be appointed to the priesthood, IG II2 1326, l. 29-31: περὶ ὧν καὶ ὁ νόμος τῶν ὀργεώνων καλεῖ πρῶτον ἐπὶ ταῦτα τὸν πρεσβύτατον τῶν ὑῶν (l. υἱῶν), peri hon kai ho nomos ton orgeonon kalei proton epi tauta ton presbytaton ton hyon (l. hyion).

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

ii. Realty The man honoured donated land (τόπος, topos, IG II2 1325, l. 26; IG II2 1326, ll. 12-3) to build a sanctuary in order to honour the god according to the ancestral custom.
iv. Endowments Dionysios has endowed the association with 1,000 dr., so that from the money's proceedings the group will be able to perform the ancestral monthly sacrifices, ἐπέδωκεν δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸ κοινὸν δραχμὰς χιλίας ὅπως ἔχωσιν ἀπὸ τῆς προσόδου θύειν τῶι θεῶι κα|[τὰ μῆνα ἕκαστον κ]ατὰ τὰ πάτρια, epedoken de kai eis to koinon drachmas chilias hopos echosin apo tes prosodou thyein toi theoi ka[ta mena hekaston k]ata ta patria, IG II2 1325, ll. 23-4; IG II2 1326, l. 12.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note Fifteen men are attested in IG II2 1325, ll. 3-17.
iii. Age Adults
iv. Status All are citizens
v. Relations In the group participates Dionysios and his three sons, Agathokles (IG II2 1325, l 4; IG II2 1326, l. 34), Dionysios II (IG II2 1326, l. 42), and Kallikrates (IG II2 1326, l. 32).

X. ACTIVITIES

i. Assemblies Both decrees were issued after an assembly in the month Posideon (December/January); it is designated as the main assembly (ἀγορᾶι κυρίαι, agorai kyriai, IG II2 1325, l. 18; IG II2 1326, l. 2).
iii. Worship Sacrifices (θυσίαι, thysiai, IG II2 1325, 23; IG II2 1326, l. 14) and libations (σπονδαί, spondai, IG II2 1325, l. 29) are mentioned.
Deities worshipped The god Dionysos (IG II2 1325, ll. 1, 21; IG II2 1326, ll. 17, 34) and the heroized Dionysios (ὅπως ἀφηρωϊσθεῖ Διονύσιος, hopos apheroisthei Dionysios, IG II2 1326, ll. 45-6). Ferguson 1944: 115 n.56 claims that the heroized individual was Agathokles, father of Dionysios I.
iv. Honours/Other activities Dionysios is praised (ἐπαινέσαι, epainesai, IG II2 1325, l. 27) and honoured with an ivy leaves crown (κιττοῦ στέφανος, kittou stephanos, IG II2 1325, l. 28) and a proclamation of the crown (καὶ ἀναγορεῦσαι τὸν στέφανον τοῦτον, kai anagoreusai ton stephanon touton, IG II2 1325, l. 29).

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The decrees are dated in the archonships of Eupolemos (IG II2 1325) and Hippakos (IG II2 1326).
The inscription IG II2 2948 preserving an epigram with invocation to Dionysus and thiasos belongs the same context, both archaeological and chronological.
ii. Poland concordance IG II2 1325 = Poland A4a-b
IG II2 1326 = Poland A4c
iii. Bibliography Arnaoutoglou, I. (2003), Thusias heneka kai sunousias. Private religious associations in Hellenistic Athens. Athens: 126-8.
Ferguson, W. (1944), ‘The Attic orgeones’, HThR 37: 61-140.
Garland, R. (1987), The Piraeus. From the fifth to the first century B.C.. London: 215-7.
Ismard, P. (2010), La cité des réseaux. Athènes et ses associations VIe – Ier siècle av. J.-C.. Paris: 359-63.
Koehler, U. (1884), ‘Die Genossenschaft der Dionysiasten in Peiraieus’, MDAI(A) 9: 288-98.
Mikalson, J. (1998), Religion in Hellenistic Athens. Los Angeles: 204-6.
Pakkanen, P. (1996), Interpreting early Hellenistic religion. A study based on the mystery cult of Demeter and the cult of Isis. Helsinki.
Parker, R. (1996), Athenian religion. A history. Oxford: 341.
von Eickstedt, K.-V. (1991), Beiträge zur Topographie des antiken Piräus. Athenai.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The association displays all the hallmarks of a private association: distinct name, membership, organization, property and durability.