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Last Updated on 22 May 2019

Author: Nikolaos Giannakopoulos

CAPInv. 714: syngeneia

I. LOCATION

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

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) συνγένεια (l. συγγένεια, TAM IV.1 74, ll. 7-8)
ii. Full name (transliterated) syngeneia

III. DATE

i. Date(s) ii AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

iii. Descriptive terms συνγένεια, syngeneia
Note syngeneia: TAM IV.1 74, ll. 7-8

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) TAM IV.1 74 (ii AD)
Note See also:
Dörner 1941, 65 nr. 39
Schwertheim 1978: 793-794 nr. 2
Ŏğüt-Polat and Şahin 1985: 111 nr. 17
Online Resources TAM IV.1 74
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Dedication in Greek offered as a thanksgiving to Theos Preietos, Kybele and Zeus by the members of a syngeneia.
i.c. Physical format(s) Altar with reliefs on three sides representing Theos Preietos, Kybele and Zeus.
ii. Source(s) provenance The inscription was found at Deli Mahmudlar and transported to Izmit (Nikomedeia).

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects An altar was dedicated by the syngeneia to Theos Preietos, Kybele and Zeus.

VII. ORGANIZATION

viii. Obligations On the possibility of contributions paid by the members of the syngeneia see below under field XII.i: Comments.

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

ii. Realty The altar dedicated by the syngeneia was probably in its possession.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

i. Number Seven members (all male) of the syngeneia are recorded in the last part of the dedication to Theos Preietos (ll. 4-8): Biantion, Damas, Biantion, Moukianos, Sostratos, Theophilos and Sosipatros.
ii. Gender Men
Note All recorded members are male.

X. ACTIVITIES

iii. Worship The members of the syngeneia dedicated an altar as a thanksgiving to Theos Preietos, Kybele and Zeus.
Deities worshipped Theos Preietos
Kybele
Zeus
iv. Honours/Other activities The members of the syngeneia expressed their gratitude to Theos Preietos possibly for protecting their animals as the formula Θεῷ Πρειέτῳ εὐχαριστήριν κατ’ἐπιταγὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν ζῴων (Theoi Preietoi eucharisterin kat' epitagen hyper ton zoion, ll. 2-3) seems to imply (cf. Ŏğüt-Polat and Şahin 1985: 111 on Theos Preietos as God of domestic animals). They also seem to have thanked Kybele (l. 9: Εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῇ [Μητρί], Eucharistoumen tei [Metri]) and possibly Zeus (ll. 10-11 as restored by Ŏğüt-Polat and Şahin 1985: 111, κατ’ ἐπιταγὴν ΤΟΕΙ Διεὶ εὐχαριστ[οῦμεν], kat' epitagen TOEI Diei eucharist[oumen]).

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The cost of the altar may indicate the existence of a common treasury of the group, but there is no clear proof for that. The cost may have been covered from ad hoc contributions paid by the members of the syngeneia, listed by name in the final part of the inscription.
iii. Bibliography Dörner, F.K. (1941), Inschriften und Denkmäler aus Bithynien. Berlin.
Ŏğüt-Polat, S. and Şahin, S. (1985), ‘Katalog der bithynischen Inschriften im archäeologishen Museum von Istanbul’, EA 5: 97-121.
Poland, F. (1909), Geschichte des griechischen Vereinswesens. Leipzig.
Schwertheim, E. (1978), ‘Denkmäler zur Meterverehrung in Bithynien und Mysien’, in S. Şahin, E. Schwertheim, and J. Wagner (eds.), Studien zur Religion und Kultur Kleinasiens. Fetsschrift für Friedrich Karl Dörner zum 65. Geburtstag am 28. Februar 1976. 2 vols, Leiden: 791-837.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Possible
Note On associations defined as syngeneia or with other correlated terms see Poland 1909: 88. Whether the syngeneia of our inscription corresponded to an organized association or was just a group of relatives collaborating on the erection and the dedication of the altar cannot be established with certainty.