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Last Updated on 11 Jun 2019

Author: Stella Skaltsa

CAPInv. 52: koinon Soteriaston

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Aegean Islands
ii. Region Paros
iii. Site Paroikia

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) κοινὸν Σωτηριαστῶν (SEG 54: 794, l. 2)
ii. Full name (transliterated) koinon Soteriaston

III. DATE

i. Date(s) l. iii BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Cultic:Soter or Sotera: cult epithet, often for Zeus or Artemis.
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon
Note l. 2

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) SEG 54: 794 (late iii BC)
Note ADelt 1999: 790-1
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Boundary stone and deed of sale in Greek.
The first line is inscribed in larger letters (ὅρος χωρίου), followed by the names of the buyers in lines 2 and 3.
The son of Krinagores (the name in the nominative is not preserved) and the koinon bought together a chorion (plot of land: χωρίον ἐν Ἔλητι τῷ κάτω, chorion en Eleti toi kato, l. 4). The area of the chorion is well defined in the deed of sale.
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble stele (H. 130 x W. 53 x Th. 26 cm).
ii. Source(s) provenance Found at Paroikia on Paros.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects The deed of sale contains several topographical features. The plot (chorion) has been demarcated with reference to standing boundary stones in the area. The plot was located outside the city (τῆς ὁδοῦ [ἐκ πό]λεως φερούσης, ll. 6-7) and was adjacent to the oikia (building) and the existing taphoi (graves) (ll. 7-8 ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ τῶν τάφων τ[ῶν] ὑπαρχόντων). The oikia and the taphoi were probably property of the koinon.

VII. ORGANIZATION

i. Founder(s) Hagnotheos was probably the founder or leader of the koinon. He brought together the koinon (οὓς συνήγαγεν Ἁγνόθεος, hous synegagen Hagnotheos, l. 3). According to Poland (Poland 1909: 271, 272*') the verb συνάγω refers to the foundation of an association.

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

i. Treasury/Funds The koinon is engaged in financial transactions (purchase of an estate) and this piece of information can be considered positive evidence that it had some sort of funds.
περιήγητα δραχμῶν ΗΗΗ, periegeta drachmon HHH (l. 11):
the term periegeta has been so far unattested. Velissaropoulos-Karakostas draws parallels with the termamphourion, attested in third century papyrus from Alexandria and she reaches the conclusion that the term stands for documents that could ascertain ownership of the property. Thus, the koinon had to pay 300 drachmas to the vendor in exchange for the documents that would prove the boundaries of the plot of land it purchased (Velissaropoulos-Karakostas 2012: 277-8). However, this interpretation of the term periegeta has been contested by Dreher (2012: 286-7) who proposes instead two interpretations: 1. periegeta standing for the total price of the plot paid by the buyer to the seller; 2. periegeta designating a levy or tax that the buyer had to pay. He mentions that the amount of 300 drachmas, albeit quite small, is not unprecedented (Dreher 2012: 286 n. 11).
ii. Realty The koinon and the son of Krinagores shared ownership of a plot of land (χωρίον, chorion, ll. 4, 11). The oikia and taphoi mentioned in ll. 7-8 may have been property of the koinon.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note The founder was a man.

XI. INTERACTION

i. Local interaction The koinon was engaged in financial transactions overseen by representatives of the city. The koinon together with an individual purchased a plot of land. The sale took place in the presence of μναμόνες (mnamones, l. 12), i.e. registrars of titles, and of μάρτυρες (martyres, l. 13), i.e. witnesses. The inscription is dated after the eponymous of the city (ἐπὶ Ἰσηγορίδου Ἰσοκλ[έους], epi Isegoridou Isokl[eous?], l. 2).

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The son of Krinagores (the name in the nominative is not preserved) and the koinon bought together a chorion (plot of land: χωρίον ἐν Ἔλητι τῷ κάτω, chorion en Eleti toi kato, l. 4). Chaniotis in SEG 54: 794 thinks plausible that the individual who bought the plot together with the koinon was Agnotheos, the founder of the koinon.

Velissaropoulos-Karakostas (2012) discusses at length the legal aspects of the documents. She explains the meaning of ὠνή, one (l. 6) as standing first and foremost for the title deed and less for the sales contract (Velissaropoulos-Karakostas 2012: 268-9), an interpretation, however, questioned by Dreher (2012: 283-4) who reaffirms its meaning as purchase. The term συνπωλητής, sympoletes (l. 15) should be understood as a guarantor in case that third parties would disclaim the purchase.
iii. Bibliography Dreher, M. (2012), 'Ein Kauf-Horos aus Paros. Antwort auf J. Velissaropoulos-Karakostas', Symposion 2011: etudes d'histoire du droit grec et hellenistique (Paris, 7-10 septembre 2011) = Vorträge zur griechischen und hellenistischen Rechtsgeschichte (Paris, 7.-10. September 2011). (Akten der Gesellschaft für griechische und hellenistische Rechtsgeschichte, Bd 23).Wien: 283-91.
Velissaropoulos-Karakostas, J. (2012), 'Périègèta: un nouveau terme de la vente grecque', in
B. Legras and G. Thür (eds.), Symposion 2011: etudes d'histoire du droit grec et hellenistique (Paris, 7-10 septembre 2011) = Vorträge zur griechischen und hellenistischen Rechtsgeschichte (Paris, 7.-10. September 2011). (Akten der Gesellschaft für griechische und hellenistische Rechtsgeschichte, Bd 23).Wien: 267-82.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The term koinon together with the theophoric name (Soteriastai) are indicative of a private association.