Stable URL: http://ancientassociations.ku.dk/assoc/55Download as PDF
Last Updated on 24 Nov 2018

Author: Mario C.D. Paganini

CAPInv. 55: U-EGY-001

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Egypt
ii. Nome Elephantine (U01)
iii. Site Philae

II. NAME

i. Association with unknown name U-EGY-001

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 118 - 116 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

iii. Descriptive terms σύνοδος, synodos ?
Note Synodos?: l. 4

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) I.Philae 20 (118-116 BC)
Note Other editions: SB I 3448.
Online Resources I.Philae 20
TM 80769
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek dedication to Kalanthes, Pan, and the Saviour God.
i.c. Physical format(s) Altar.
ii. Source(s) provenance The block of stone bearing the dedication is now stuck on the northern side of the southern wall of the Western Portico in the front courtyard of the Isis temple on Philae.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects βωμόν, bomon (l. 7)

VII. ORGANIZATION

iv. Officials γραμματεὺς τῆ̣[ς συνόδου], grammateus te[s synodou] (l. 4)

IX. MEMBERSHIP

iv. Status If the restoration of the term synodos is correct, the secretary of the association (grammateus) held the aulic title of syngenes and the offices of epistrategos and strategos of the Thebaid (ll. 2-4), and was connected with the military forces (infantry, cavalry, and navy) stationed in the polis Ptolemais Hermeiou.
vi. Proper names and physical features Δημήτριος ὁ συγγε̣[νὴς καὶ ἐ]π̣ιστράτηγο̣ς̣ καὶ στρατ[ηγὸς τῆς Θ]ηβαίδος καὶ γραμματεὺς τῆ̣[ς συνόδου]

X. ACTIVITIES

iii. Worship If this text indeed records a grammateus of an association, the dedication to Kolanthes, Pan, and the Saviour God shows the devotion of the association (or at least of one of its members) to these deities.
Deities worshipped Kolanthes
Pan
Saviour God

XI. INTERACTION

i. Local interaction The secretary of the association (providing that the restoration is valid) was engaged in the military and administrative life of the Thebaid, as epistrategos and strategos (ll. 2-4).

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Possible
Note The possibility of this inscription attesting an association lies in the validity of the restoration γραμματεὺς τῆ̣[ς συνόδου] grammateus tes synodou in l. 4. The man who bore this title, Demetrius (who was also epistrategos and strategos of the Thebaid), dedicated the altar together with the infantry, cavalry, and naval forces stationed in the polis of Ptolemais Hermeiou (ll. 2-7: Δημήτριος ὁ συγγε̣[νὴς | καὶ ἐ]π̣ιστράτηγο̣ς̣ καὶ στρατ[ηγὸς | τῆς Θ]ηβαίδος καὶ γραμματεὺς τῆ̣[ς συνόδου | καὶ αἱ ἐ]ν̣ Πτολεμαίδι τεταγμέ[ναι δυνάμεις | π̣ε̣ζ̣ι̣]καὶ καὶ ἱππικαὶ καὶ ναυτικα[ὶ] | τὸν βωμόν, Demetrios ho syngenes kai epistrategos kai strategos tes Thebaidos kai grammateus tes synodou kai hai en Ptolemaidi tetagmenai dynameis pezikai kai hippikai kai nautikai ton bomon). One can but wonder whether the supposed association was an association of soldiers, cavalrymen, and navy troops.