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Last Updated on 24 Nov 2018

Author: Mario C.D. Paganini

CAPInv. 64: synodos neaniskon ek tou Osireiou

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Egypt
ii. Nome Arsinoites (00)
iii. Site Theadelpheia

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) σύνοδος νεανίσκων ἐκ τοῦ Ὀσιρείου (I.Fayoum II 119)
ii. Full name (transliterated) synodos neaniskon ek tou Osireiou

III. DATE

i. Date(s) ii / i BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Topographical:Osireion (temple of Osiris)
Other:neaniskoi (age-group)
iii. Descriptive terms σύνοδος, synodos
Note Synodos: I.Fayoum II 119, l. 1

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) I.Fayoum II 119 (ii/i BC)
Note Other editions: SB I 5022.
Online Resources I.Fayoum II 119
TM 7195
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek dedication.
i.c. Physical format(s) Stele. Above the inscription there is a religious relief with the gods Osiris and Harpocrates, and a winged animal (dog or cat).

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects The association of the neaniskoi was attached to the temple of Osiris, where they probably met.

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii. Leadership προστάτης, prostates (ll. 3-4). The man is called Petosoronophris.
Eponymous office ἐπὶ Πετοσορονῶφρος | προ[στάτου], epi Petosoronophros pro[statou] (ll. 3-4)
iv. Officials The (eponymous) expression in ll. 2-3 ἐπὶ Φανίου τοῦ γενομένου | ἀρχιερέως, epi Phaniou tou genomenou archiereos, clearly indicates that Phanias occupied an official position in the association. However, his office of (former) high-priest is to be linked to the Osireion. Perhaps Phanias was also priest of the association, charge which he retained even after retiring from his office in the temple of Osiris. Unless one should restore προ[στατῶν], pro[staton] in l. 4 and Phanias and Petosoronophris shared the presidency of the association. However, the presence of the preposition ἐπί, epi, before both names and titles seems to suggest that the two men occupied two different position.
Eponymous officials Phanias, the former high-priest of Osiris, is used for dating purposes: ἐπὶ Φανίου τοῦ γενομένου | ἀρχιερέως, epi Phaniou tou genomenou archiereos (ll. 2-3).

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note The preservedv names are male names.
iii. Age Adults
Note The neaniskoi are an age-group of young lads or adults, normally older than ephebes.
iv. Status The term neaniskoi may indicate young lads, linked or not to the gymnasium, or cadets in the army: cf. Sacco 1979; Kleijwegt 1991: 56 and Chankowski 2004: 62–63. It is not easy to say whether the present association stemmed from a gymnasial or military background. Both often somewhat overlapped.
vi. Proper names and physical features Φανίας ὁ γενόμενος ἀρχιερεύς
Πετοσορονῶφρις προ[στάτης]

XI. INTERACTION

i. Local interaction The association was linked with the local temple of Osiris.

XII. NOTES

iii. Bibliography Chankowski, A. (2004), ‘L'entraînement militaire des éphèbes dans les cités grecques d’Asie Mineur à l'époque hellénistique: nécessité pratique ou tradition atrophiée?’, in J.–C. Couvenhes and H.–L. Fernoux (eds.), Les cités grecques et la guerre en Asie mineure à l’époque hellénistique. Actes de la journée d’études (Lyon, 10 octobre 2003), Tours: 55–76.
Kleijwegt, M. (1991), Ancient youth. The ambiguity of youth and the absence of adolescence in Greco–Roman society. Amsterdam.
Sacco, G. (1979), ‘Sui νεανίσκοι dell’età ellenistica’, RFIC 107: 39–49.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The term synodos, the internal organisation, and the presence of officials make it certain that this group was a private association.