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Last Updated on 11 Jun 2019

Author: Stella Skaltsa

CAPInv. 17: hoi Sarapiastai

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Aegean Islands
ii. Region Thasos
iii. Site Thasos

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) οἱ Σαραπιασταί (IG XII Suppl. 365, l. 2).
ii. Full name (transliterated) hoi Sarapiastai

III. DATE

i. Date(s) ii BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Theophoric:Sarapis
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon
Note koinon, ll. 6, 16.

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG XII Suppl. 365 (ii. BC)
Note RICIS no. 201/0101 (Bricault 2013: 95).
SIRIS no. 265.
Online Resources IG XII Suppl. 365
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Decree in Greek of the Sarapiastai concerning the sale of the eponymia (the post of the eponymous office) of the association.
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble door jamb broken below (H. 78 x W. 31 x Th. 22 cm).
ii. Source(s) provenance It was found in 1924, reused as a threshold in the ‘gate of the deity on a chariot’ in Thasos (NW part of the city).

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects ἱερὰ κλισία, hiera klisia (l. 8) (sacred banquet room or sacred couch)
κώθων, kothon (banquet) (l. 17)
ἱερόν, hieron (sanctuary) (l. 34)
ἐπιφανέστατος τόπος, epiphanestatos topos (l. 35)
στρόφιον λευκόν, strophion leukon (ll. 8-9)

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members συνσαραπιασταί, synsarapiastai (ll. 31-32).
iv. Officials ἐπώνυμος, eponymos (l. 36)
ἱερεύς, hiereus (l. 18) (priest)
γραμματεύς, grammateus (ll. 19, 33-34) (secretary)


The eponymous magistrate was entitled to the following privileges (gera, l. 6):
- to recline in the sacred banquet room (or in the sacred couch) wearing a white headband (ll. 7-9)
- to be crowned with the eponymous crown in every synodos at the expenses of the koinon (ll. 9-12)
- to have his name written on the administrative acts of the Sarapiastai throughout his life (ll. 13-17)
- to vote along with the priest and the secretary in the kothon (ll. 17-20).
- to have the stele of the decree set up in the most conspicuous place in the sanctuary whenever he wishes to (ll. 34-36).
Eponymous officials ἐπώνυμος, eponymos (l. 36)
Known practice of appointment eponymous: by bid (96 dr.)
v. Other staff δοχεύς, docheus (l. 11) (host)
ἱεροκήρυξ, hierokeryx (l. 13) (sacred herald)
vi. Laws and rules προστέ[τα]κται ἐν τῶι νόμωι, proste[ta]ktai en toi nomoi (l. 20)
vii. Judicial system The Sarapiastai issued administrative acts (ll. 13-15).
The eponymous magistrate along with the priest and the secretary had the right to vote in the kothon as prescribed by the law (ll. 17-20).

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

i. Treasury/Funds The eponymos should pay 96 drachmas to the koinon (i.e. to the treasury) in three annual instalments.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

i. Number Six names are preserved in the stele (the lower part of the stele is broken).
ii. Gender Men
Note All names inscribed in the stele are of men.
iv. Status All members were citizens (name followed by patronymic).

X. ACTIVITIES

i. Assemblies κώθων, kothon (l. 17): the epomymos was allowed to vote along with the priest and the secretary in the kothon (ll. 17-20).
ii. Meetings and events σύνοδος, synodos (l. 10): the epomymos was to be crowned with the eponymous crown in every synodos at the expenses of the koinon (ll. 9-12).

XII. NOTES

iii. Bibliography Fraser, P.M. (1960), 'Two studies on the cult of Sarapis in the hellenistic world', OpAth 3: 1-54, esp. 51-52 no. 5.
Seyrig, H. (1927), 'Quatre cultes de Thasos', BCH 51: 178-233, esp. 219-33.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The use of the term koinon to describe the group, its theophoric name (Sarapiastai), its internal organization (i.e. officials) taught with the regularity of meetings suggest that this group is a private association.