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Last Updated on 24 May 2019

Author: Maria-Gabriella Parissaki

CAPInv. 1785: hie]ros doumos

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Thrace
ii. Region Inland Thrace
iii. Site Serdica

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) ἱε]ρὸς δοῦμος (IGBulg IV 1925b, col. d, l. 20)
ii. Full name (transliterated) hie]ros doumos

III. DATE

i. Date(s) ii - iii AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Other:ἱερός, hieros
iii. Descriptive terms δοῦμος, doumos
Note doumos: IGBulg IV 1925b, col. d, l. 20

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IGBulg IV 1925b (ii - iii AD)
Online Resources IGBulg IV 1925b
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek dedication with catalogue of names engraved in three columns.
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble plaque, only partially preserved.
ii. Source(s) provenance Found at Veslets str. no. 47, at the city-center of Sofia.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects The term doumos may refer to a clubhouse.

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members Collectiverly designated as μύστριαι, mystriai (col. d, l. 21).
iv. Officials μήτηρ δενδροφόρ(ων), meter dendrophor(on) (col. c, l. 3).
v. Other staff The expression μεμυίασα στολίδος, memyiasa stolidos occurs at the end of the text (col. d, l. 18), possibly accompanying the name of the dedicand. Mihailov suggests for στολίς, stolis, 'vestis in mystarum usu fuisse videtur'.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Women
Note Only female names included in the list.
iv. Status Personal names indicating an eastern origin (e.g. Mithridates, Pontiake) and the total absence of names of Thracian origin are signs of the members' possible eastern origin.

XII. NOTES

i. Comments An earlier Latin inscription - a dedication to Cybele and Attis in honor of Hadrian - occurs on the front side of the stone.
For the term hieros doumos and its attestations mainly in regions of Asia Minor, see the relevant comments at CAPInv. 306
iii. Bibliography Slavova, M. (2002), ‘Mystery Clubs in Bulgarian Lands in Antiquity’, OAth 27: 137-49.
Tacheva-Hitova, M. (1983), Eastern Cults in Moesia Inferior and Thracia (5th Century B.C. – 4th Century A.D.). Leiden: 116-8, no. 101.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note That this was a private association devoted to the cult of Cybele is indicated by the descriptive term doumos and the presence of a meter dendrophorou.