Stable URL: http://ancientassociations.ku.dk/assoc/256Download as PDF

Author: Ilias Arnaoutoglou

CAPInv. 256: koinon ton thiasoton

I. LOCATION

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

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) κοινὸν τῶν θιασωτῶν (IG II2 1261, ll. 14-15, 38-39)
ii. Full name (transliterated) koinon ton thiasoton

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 302 - 299 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Cultic:thiasotai
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon
Note koinon: IG II2 1261, ll. 14, 38

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG II2 1261 (302/1-300/299 BC)
Note The inscription is written partly stoichedon.
Ed. pr. Athenaion 8 (1879) 296-7. (APMA 1, 91 no. 344)
Other publications: Syll3 1098; Michel 975-78, GRA I 9; AGRW 14.
Cf. SEG 16.108; 46.2363; 52.105; 55.31.
Online Resources IG II2 1261 and AGRW ID 3064

i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Three succesively issued Greek honorific decrees for Stephanos son of Mylothros, breast-plate maker (θωρακοποιός, thorakopoios), l. 3.
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble stele measuring 1,25x0,33m.
ii. Source(s) provenance Found in Piraeus, Alkibiadou str. near the ruins of a sanctuary of Aphrodite, then in possession of Al. Meletopoulos. Now in the Piraeus Museum 2175.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects In the inscription there is a reference to a dedication (ἀνάθημα, anathema, l. 51) and to a sanctuary (ἱερόν, hieron, l. 51-52)

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members Members are called θιασῶται, thiasotai, ll. 2, 11, 23, 26, 35, 42, 47-48, 55.
iv. Officials Steward (ἐπιμελητής, epimeletes, ll. 3-4, 27). Hieropoios (ἱεροποιός, hieropoios, ll. 28, 45-46).

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

i. Treasury/Funds The term κοινόν, koinon in l. 50: δοῦναι αὐτῶι ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ, dounai autoi apo tou koinou means the treasury.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note Σωκλῆς, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (11).
Στέφανος Μυλωθροῦ, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (102).
iii. Age Adults

X. ACTIVITIES

iii. Worship The association organized a procession (πομπή, pompe, l. 9) during the festival of Adonia, performed a sacrifice (θυσία, thysia, ll. 31-32, 46-47) to Aphrodite.
Deities worshipped In the inscription there are references to Ἀφροδίτη, Aphrodite (l. 22, 41, 47) and Ἄδωνις, Adonis (l. 9).
iv. Honours/Other activities The association honoured Stephanos with a praise (ἐπαινέσαι, epainesai, ll. 11-12, 35-36, 48) and awarded an olive-leaves crown (θαλλοῦ στέφανος, thallou stephanos, ll. 15-16, 39-40, 49) to the honorand in each decree. It also granted an amount of money to erect a dedication (ἀνάθημα, anathema, ll. 16, 40). The text of the dedication is preserved in ll. 17-21: στεφανωθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ ἀνέθηκε τὴν Δήμητρα Ὁμόνοιαν τοῦ κοινο͂ (l. κοινοῦ) (stephanotheis hypo tou koinou anetheke ten Demetra Homonoian tou koinou).

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The decrees in the inscription are dated in the archonships of Nikokles, Klearchos, Hegemachos respectively.
Mikalson 1998: 143 associates this group with the Kitian traders of IG II2 337 (CAPInv. 295), probably on the basis of Aphrodite worshipped and the provenance of both inscriptions, and with IG II3 (4) (3) 1815 = IG II2 4985 (CAPInv. 574).
ii. Poland concordance Poland A13a-b
iii. Bibliography Arnaoutoglou, I. (2003), Thusias heneka kai sunousias. Private religious associations in Hellenistic Athens. Athens.
Baslez, M-F. (2001), ‘Entre traditions nationales et intégration: les associations sémitiques du monde grec’ in S. Ribichini, M. Rocchi and P. Xella, (eds.), La questione delle influenze vicino-orientali sulla religione greca. Stato degli studi e prospettive della ricerca (Atti del Colloquio Internazionale Roma, 20-22 maggio 1999). Roma: 235-47.
Baslez, M.-F. (2006), ‘Entraide et mutualisme dans les associations des cités grecques à l’époque hellénistique’ in Molin, M. (ed.), Les régulations sociales dans l’antiquité (Actes du colloque d’Angers 23 et 24 mai 2003). Rennes: 157-70.
Mikalson, J. (1998), Religion in Hellenistic Athens. Los Angeles: 143-7.
Parker, R. (1996), Athenian religion. A history. Oxford: 160-1

XIII. EVALUATION

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