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I. LOCATION

i.	Geographical area	Western Asia Minor
ii.	Region	Bithynia
iii.	Site	Nikomedeia

II. NAME

i.

Association with unknown name

U-WAM-009

III. DATE

i.

Date(s)

m. i BC - iii AD

V. SOURCES

i.	Source(s)	TAM IV.1 42 (imp.)
	Note	See also: CIG 3773 Mortdmann 1887: 173-174 IGR III 7 Fernoux 2004: 460 no. 34
	Online Resources	TAM IV.1 42
i.a.	Source type(s)	Epigraphic source(s)
i.b.	Document(s) typology & language/script	The inscription is in Greek and might be an honorary inscription (see below under field XII.i: Comments).
ii.	Source(s) provenance	The inscription was found at Izmit (Nikomedeia)

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii.

Leadership

A ἀρχιμύστης διὰ βίου, archimystes dia biou (l. 4) was at the head of a group of initiates. Dia biou indicates a lifelong tenure of the post.

X. ACTIVITIES

iii.

Worship

The initiates headed by the archimystes dia biou performed mysteries.

XII. NOTES

i.	Comments	The fragmentary state of the stone does not allow us to establish the nature of the document. After the mention of several offices and distinctions in the genitive case (ὑπατικοῦ, ἄρχοντος τὸν α΄ τόπον, ἀρχιμύστου διὰ βίου, ἀγορανομήσαντος, κοινοβούλου, παιδονομήσαντος, hypatikou, archontos ton 1 topon, archimystou dia biou, agoranomesantos, koinoboulou, paidonomesantos), follows a list of φύλαρχοι, phylarchoi, including a γραμματεύς, grammateus, and a ἀργυροταμίας, argyrotamias, of phylarchoi (see on this Bekker-Nielsen 2008: 89 and 104). The mention of koinoboulos and the Roman name of a phylarchos (Severus) enables us to date the document to the Roman Period. Fernoux (2004: 460) believes that it was an honorary inscription set up by the phylarchoi of Nikomedeia for a prominent citizen, possibly an imperial legate as Boeckh’s (CIG 3773) restitution of l. 2 (ὑπα<τι>κοῦ πρεσ[βευτοῦ], hypa<ti>kou pres[beutou]) would suggest, cf. Madsen 2009: 68. See also Adak and Stauner 2013: 147 note 21 with further bibliography.
ii.	Poland concordance	Poland B* 417 (CIG 3773; IGR III 7; TAM IV.1 42)
iii.	Bibliography	Adak, M. and Stauner, K. (2013) ‘Eine Honoratorenfamilie aus Nikomedeia’, Gephyra 10: 146-54. Bekker-Nielsen, T. (2008), Urban Life and Roman Politics in Roman Bithynia: The Small World of Dio Chrysostom. Aarhus. Fernoux, H.-L. (2004), Notables et elites des cités de Bithynie aux époques hellénistique et romaine (IIIe siècle av. J.-C. – IIIe siècle ap. J.-C.). Essai d’histoire sociale. Lyon. Madsen, J.M. (2009), Eager to be Roman: Greek response to Roman Rule in Pontus and Bithynia. London. Mortdmann, J. (1887), ‘Inschriften aus Bithynien’, MDAI(A) 12: 168-83.

XIII. EVALUATION

i.	Private association	Possible
	Note	The term archimystes dia biou suggests the existence of a hierarchical organization within a rather durable group of initiates but does not necessarily indicate a private association. Fernoux (2004: 460), however, speaks of an association of mystai.

CAPInv. 630: U-WAM-009