Stable URL: http://ancientassociations.ku.dk/assoc/623Download as PDF
Last Updated on 23 Mar 2017

Author: Benedikt Eckhardt

CAPInv. 623: [to] symposion [ton] ou(a)nnon (ie. vannon)

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area The Near East and Beyond
ii. Region Syria
iii. Site Palmyra

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) [τὸ] συμπόσιον [τῶν] ου(α)ννων (IGLS XVII.1 55, ll. 4-5)
ii. Full name (transliterated) [to] symposion [ton] ou(a)nnon (ie. vannon)

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 257 / 258 AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Professional:It is unclear what vannoi means, but the analogy to other symposia suggests that it designates a profession.
iii. Descriptive terms συμπόσιον, symposion
Note symposion: IGLS XVII.1 55, l. 4

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IGLS XVII.1 55 (AD 257/8)
Online Resources AGRW ID 10298
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek dedicatory inscription
i.c. Physical format(s) Base of hard limestone
ii. Source(s) provenance Great colonnade at Palmyra

X. ACTIVITIES

iv. Honours/Other activities The association honours Odainath, the Palmyrene dynast (and Roman consul).

XII. NOTES

i. Comments Much speculation about the term vannoi has not led to an acceptable result. For suggestions made, see Yon 2012: 66 and Kaizer 2002: 153-4.
The term symposion is frequent at Palmyra. It designates associations (the Aramaic equivalent being mrzḥ’), but also banqueting halls.
iii. Bibliography Kaizer, T. (2002), ‘The Symposium of the Konetoi in an Inscription set up in Honour of Odaenathus at Palmyra’, Studi epigrafici e linguistici sul vicino oriente antico 19: 149-56.
Yon, J.-B. (2012), Inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie XVII.1: Palmyre. Beyrouth.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Probable
Note Professional associations in the 2nd/3rd century AD were often very close to the official civic institutions, but they probably remained essentially private associations.