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Last Updated on 24 May 2019

Author: Georgia Malouchou

CAPInv. 1887: hoi naukleroi

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Aegean Islands
ii. Region Chios
iii. Site Chios town

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) oἱ ναύκληροι (SEG XVII 382 A l. 3)
ii. Full name (transliterated) hoi naukleroi

III. DATE

i. Date(s) i BC - i AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Professional:naukleroi

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) SEG XVII 382 A (i BC)
Online Resources Chios 173
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Three honorary inscriptions for xenophylakes by (A) the naukleroi and the epi tou limenos erg[astai], (B) the porthmeis and, (C) the porthmeuontes eis Erythras
i.c. Physical format(s) Two joining fragments of a base of local grey limestone. Fragment a preserves the original top, front and left sides, fragment b the original front and left sides. Above the inscription a crown in relief. There are two other honorary inscriptions for xenophylakes (B, C) written on the left side of the base.
ii. Source(s) provenance Found in Chios town by the port (Paspates 1888: 415). Now in the Archaeological Museum of Chios.

X. ACTIVITIES

iv. Honours/Other activities The naukleroi and the epi tou limenos erg[astai] (CAP Inv. 1589) jointly offer a golden crown to the xenophylakes of the year of the eponymous prytanis Demochares(?).

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The naukleroi are possibly attested -again with the ergastai- in another inscription of Chian origin IG XII. 8 16 (see CAP Inv. 1888), if the restoration of lines 2-3 ([οἱ ναύκληροι κ]αὶ οἱ ἐργασταὶ | [οἱ ἐπὶ τοῦ λιμένος]) suggested by Robert (Robert 1929: 37) stands.
The office of the xenophylakes is otherwise unattested. Τhe name of the office indicates that their function was to watch and protect the xenoi (see LSJ 9, s.v.), i.e. the foreigners who visited Chios. That is why the xenophylakes are honored by professional groups, such as the ferrymen, the shipowners and the ergastai in the harbor (cf. Robert 1929: 38, and Reger 2003: 191).The office of the xenophylakes is otherwise unattested. Τhe name of the office indicates that their function was to watch and protect the xenoi (see LSJ 9, s.v.), i.e. the foreigners who visited Chios. That is why the xenophylakes are honored by professional groups, such as the ferrymen, the shipowners and the ergastai in the harbor (cf. Robert 1929: 38, and Reger 2003: 191). Engelmann and Merkelbach take the word xenophylakes to be ῾Zollbehörde’.
Concerning the date of the inscription. It can be dated by letter forms to the i BC or i AD (i BC, Forrest, SEG XVII 382 A). Compared to the inscriptions B and C written on the same stone it is of a later date.
ii. Poland concordance Poland E 32
iii. Bibliography Paspates, A. G. (1888), Τὸ Χιακὸν Γλωσσάριον, Athens: 415 no. 35.
Studniczka, Fr. (1888), ῾Aus Chios’, MDAI(A) 13: 169-70 no. 10 (a).
Robert, L (1929), ῾Trois inscriptions de l'Archipel’, REG 42: 36-7 (D).
SEG XVII 382 A.
McCabe, D. and Brownson, J. (1986), Chios Inscriptions. Texts and List. The Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton: no. 173.
Ziebarth, E. (1896), Das griechische Vereinswesen, Leipzig: 31.
Vélissaropoulos, J. (1980), Les Nauclères Grecs, Genève - Paris.
Reger, G. (2003), Aspects of the Role of Merchants in the Political Life of the Hellenistic World, in: Zaccagnini, C. (Ed.), Mercanti e Politica nel Mondo Antico, Roma: 165-197.
Ψφ. Engelmann, H., Merkelbach, R. (1972), Die Inschriften von Erythrai und Klazomenai. Bonn: no. 74 [only C].

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The professional terminology of the association of shippers and their activity toward the xenophylakes ensures the private character of the association.