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Last Updated on 22 Feb 2017

Author: Ilias Arnaoutoglou

CAPInv. 354: koinon ton Soteriaston

I. LOCATION

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

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) κοινὸν τῶν Σωτηριαστῶν (IG II2 1343, ll. 8-9, 32-3, 37-8)
ii. Full name (transliterated) koinon ton Soteriaston

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 35 / 34 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Theophoric:Soteriastai from the epithet of Artemis (?) Soteira
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon
σύνοδος, synodos
Note koinon: IG II2 1343, ll. 8-9, 32-3, 37-8
synodos: IG II2 1343 passim

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG II2 1343 (35 / 34 BC)
Note Ed. pr. An.Ép. 1893: 49.
Other publications: Syll3 1104; Michel no. 973; GRA I 48; Ruggeri 2013, 50 no. C17.
Cf. SEG 39: 311; SEG 45: 229; SEG 48: 20. BE 1999, no. 263; 2007, no. 217.
Online Resources IG II2 1343 and AGRW ID 3960
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek honorary decree for Diodoros, son of Sokrates of Aphidnai, for his performance on his repeated tenure of treasurership, his benefactions and contribution to the well-being of the group. It was approved unanimously.
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble pedimental stele with a crown carved into the pediment, measuring 0.62x0,32m.
ii. Source(s) provenance Found in Athens, in the Dipylon area, now in Epigraphical Museum, EM 7849.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects The precinct (τέμενος, temenos, l. 40) of Soteira.
The decree will be inscribed on a stone slab (στήλη λιθίνη, stele lithine, l. 39).

VII. ORGANIZATION

i. Founder(s) It has been argued that Diodoros, son of Sokrates, qualified in ll. 10-2 as: γενηθεὶς δ[ὲ] | καὶ παραίτιος τῆς ἄνωθεν συλλογῆς καὶ | τὴν σύνοδον αὐτὸς κτίσας, genetheis d[e] kai paraitios tes anothen sylloges kai ten synodon autos ktisas, was the founder of the association (see also l. 42); see GRA I 48.
Gender Male
iii. Members The members of the association are called ἐρανισταί, eranistai, l. 26.
iv. Officials Chief-eranistes (ἀρχερανιστής archeranistes, l. 12-3, 33, 37).
Treasurer (ταμίας, tamias, l. 13, 17-8, 20, 22, 36).
Priests (ἱερεῖς, hiereis, l. 24, 37).
v. Other staff It seems that the four individuals mentioned in ll. 30-2 were appointed as an ad hoc committee to attribute the honours to Diodoros, ll. 28-30: ὁμοθυμαδὸν προεβάλετο τοὺς εἰσοίσοντας αὐτοῖς τὰς καθηκούσας τιμάς, homothymadon proebaleto tous eisoisontas autois tas kathekousas timas.

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

ii. Realty It is not certain that the association was the owner of the sanctuary (τέμενος, temenos, l. 40) of Soteira.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note The names of the members recorded are male names.
Διόδωρος Σωκράτους Ἀφιδναῖος, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (60).
Λεύκιος Ἀρτεμιδώρου Ἀζηνιεύς, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (26).
Δημήτριος Ἀρτεμιδώρου Λαμπτρεύς, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (357).
Διότιμος Δημητρίου Κηφισιεύς, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (54).
Φίλιππος Φιλίππου Ἰκαριεύς, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (83).
iii. Age Adults
iv. Status All of them are Athenian citizens as their demotic proves; see Baslez 2004: 107.

X. ACTIVITIES

i. Assemblies The association held meetings on the sixth of Mounichion (mod. April/May).
Known voting practice The association voted with votes (lit. pebbles) ψήφοι, psephoi and the result is reported in ll. 44-6: τῶ〚ι〛ν ψή|φων αἷς ἐδόκει τόδε τὸ δόγμα κύριον εἶναι, ἑξήκον[τα] | αἷς δὲ οὐκ ἐδόκει οὐδεμία, ton psephon hais edokei tode to dogma kyrion einai, hexekon[ta] hais de ouk edokei oudemia.
ii. Meetings and events Diodoros has organized and financed from his own pocket a feast to the members of the group, ll. 25-7: καὶ ἀφιλαργύρως | ἱστανόμενος ἡστίασεν τοὺς ἐρανιστὰς ἐκ τῶ〚ι〛ν ἰδίων | ἀναλώσας οὐκ ὀλίγον χρῆμα·, kai aphilargyros histanomenos hestiasen tous eranistas ek ton idion analosas ouk oligon chrema.
iii. Worship Mention of the priest and temple of Artemis (?) Soteira may suggest worship y the group (ll. 24, 40).
Deities worshipped (Ἄρτεμις?) Σωτείρα, (Artemis) Soteira (?)
iv. Honours/Other activities The association praises (ἐπαινέσαι, epainesai, l. 33) and honours Diodoros son of Sokrates with an olive-leaves crown (θαλλοῦ στέφανος, thallou stephanos, l. 34) and an annual proclamation (ἀναγορεύεσθαι, anagoreuesthai, ll. 37-9) of the crown.

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The decree was passed in the archonship of Theopithes.
ii. Poland concordance Poland A47a
iii. Bibliography Arnaoutoglou, I. (1994), ‘Archeranistes and its meaning in inscriptions’, ZPE 104: 107-10.
Arnaoutoglou, I. (2003), Thusias heneka kai sunousias. Private religious associations in Hellenistic Athens. Athens: 159-60.
Baslez, M.-F. (2004), ‘Les notables entre eux. Recherches sur les associations d’Athènes à l’époque romaine’ in S. Follet (ed.), L’Hellénisme d’époque romaine: Nouveaux documents, nouvelles approches (Ier s. a.C. – IIIe s. p.C.) (Actes du colloque international à la mémoire de Louis Robert, Paris, 7-8 juillet 2000). Paris: 105-20.
Baslez, M.-F. (2006), ‘Entraide et mutualisme dans les associations des cités grecques à l’époque hellénistique’ in M. Molin (ed.), Les régulations sociales dans l’antiquité (Actes du colloque d’Angers 23 et 24 mai 2003). Rennes: 157-70.
Follet, S. (2005), ‘Deux inscriptions attiques inedites copiees par l'abbe Michel Fourmont (Parisinus Suppl. gr. 854)’, REG 118: 1-14.
Ismard, P. (2010), La cité des réseaux. Athènes et ses associations VIe – Ier siècle av. J.-C.. Paris: 347, 363.
Lambert, S. (1993), The phratries of Attica. Ann Arbor: 89.
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: 342.
Ruggeri, Cl. (2013), Die antiken Schriftzeugnisse ueber den Kerameikos von Athen. Teil 2: Das Dipylon-Gebiet und der aeussere Kerameikos. Wien.

XIII. EVALUATION

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