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Last Updated on 24 Feb 2017

Author: Ilias Arnaoutoglou

CAPInv. 1530: eranistai hoi meta Blepaiou

I. LOCATION

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

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) ἐρανισταὶ οἱ μετὰ Βλεπαίου (Agora XIX H 94, l. hand II.5)
ii. Full name (transliterated) eranistai hoi meta Blepaiou

III. DATE

i. Date(s) m. iv (?) BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Personal:meta Blepaiou

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) Agora XIX H 94
Note Ed. pr. Fine (1951: 13 no. 26).
Other publications: Finley (1951: no. 31A-B).
Online Resources Agora XIX H 94
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek horos of land and building sold under the right of redemption for 1,300 dr.
i.c. Physical format(s) Two fragments of a marble slab measuring 0,24x0,215x0,072m.
ii. Source(s) provenance Found built in a house NW of the Areopagos Hill, now in the Agora, I 5881.

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii. Leadership On the basis of the expression meta Blepaiou in the name of the group, perhaps Blepaios (Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (1) ) was the leader.

XII. NOTES

i. Comments Since Βλεπαίο[υ] (Blepaio[u]) is restored, it is likely that the genitive Βλεπαίο, Blepaio, points to a date c. mid 4th century BC, see Threatte 1998: ii 150-4.
iii. Bibliography Arnaoutoglou, I. (2003), Thusias heneka kai sunousias. Private religious associations in Hellenistic Athens. Athens.
Cohen, E. (1992), Athenian economy and society. A banking perspective. Princeton: 207-15.
Faraguna, M. (2012), ‘Diritto, economia, societa: riflessioni su eranos tra eta omerica e mondo ellenistico’, in B. Legras (ed.), Transferts culturels et droits dans le monde grec et hellenistique, Paris: 129-53.
Fine, J. (1951), Horoi. Studies in mortgage, real security, and land tenure in ancient Athens. Baltimore.
Finley, M. (1951), Studies in land and credit in ancient Athens, 500-200 B.C. The Horos inscriptions. New Brunswick.
Harris, E. (2013), ‘Finley’s Studies in land and credit sixty years later’, Dike 16: 123-46.
Ismard, P. (2010), La cité des réseaux. Athènes et ses associations VIe – Ier siècle av. J.-C.. Paris: 281-4.
Millett, P. (1991), Lending and borrowing in ancient Athens. Cambridge.
Thomsen, Chr. (2015), ‘The eranistai of classical Athens’, GRBS 55: 154-75.
Threatte, L. (1980), The grammar of Attic inscriptions. Berlin.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note Although it was forcibly argued by Finley 1951 and Millett 1991 that eranistai in horoi inscriptions should not be regarded as associations, I think that there are good grounds to consider these groups as private associations (see also Thomsen 2015). Firstly, in almost all cases they are identified as eranistai hoi meta… or hoi peri, an element that points to a certain embryonic or nascent collective identity. Secondly, they also pull their resources (or part of it) together to lend money, for which they acquire the legal standing as creditors, whose claim is secured. Thirdly, in case the repayment of the loan does not proceed, they may be represented in law courts.