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Last Updated on 23 Feb 2017

Author: Ilias Arnaoutoglou

CAPInv. 268: thiasotai

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Attica with Salamis
ii. Region Attica
iii. Site Athens

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) θιασῶται (IG II2 1297, ll. 9, 15)
ii. Full name (transliterated) thiasotai

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 236 / 235 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Cultic:thiasotai
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon (ll. 2, 6, 8)
θίασος, thiasos
Note koinon: IG II2 1297, ll. 2, 6, 8)
thiasos: IG II2 1297,l. 4
cf. Arnaoutoglou 2003: 64-66 who claims that thiasos describes the community of worshippers, wider than the members of a koinon.

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG II2 1297 (236/5 BC)
Note It is written stoichedon.
Ed. pr. An.Ép 1905: 234 no. 9.
Other publications: Michel no. 1554; GRA I 24; Ruggeri 2013, 45 no. C8.
Cf. SEG 44: 255; SEG 47: 157. BE 1998, no. 122.
Online Resources IG II2 1297 and AGRW ID 3835
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek honorary decree for Sophron who has been chief-eranistes (ἀρχερανιστής, archeranistes), because he has been instrumental in convening the group and has contributed to the well-being of the association by financing the erection of a stele. The decree orders also the inscription of the names of the association's members, separately for men and women. A list of members is appended at the bottom of the decree.
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble pedimental stele with a crown in relief, measuring 0,82x0,35m.
ii. Source(s) provenance It was found in Athens, next to the ancient road leading from the Dipylon Gate to the north, now in the Epigraphical Museum, EM 31.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects In ll. 4-5 there is a reference to a stele (στήλη).
In l. 5 the decree refers to a sanctuary (ἱερόν, hieron) but it is not clear whether the association's precinct is meant.

VII. ORGANIZATION

ii. Leadership Sophron, the honoured individual, was the leading figure in forming a fund (ἔρανος, eranos), and perhaps of the group.
iii. Members Members are designated as θιασῶται, thiasotai, l. 20.
iv. Officials Hieropoioi (ἱεροποιοὶ, Hieropoioi, l. 12)
Chief-eranistes (ἀρχερανιστής, archeranistes, ll. 10, 15-6).
vii. Judicial system The hieropoioi who will fail to proclaim the crown to Sophron will have to pay a fine of 4 dr. to the goddess, ll. 17-8.

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

ii. Realty It is not certain that the association owned the sanctuary (ἱερόν, hieron) mentioned.
iii. Income The income of the association comes partly from the fine imposed on the hieropoioi failing to proclaim the honours to Sophron (see above).

IX. MEMBERSHIP

i. Number Fifty-eight names of members are recorded.
ii. Gender Men
Women
Note The catalogue lists separately 37 names of men and 21 of women.
iii. Age Adults

X. ACTIVITIES

iii. Worship The associations' hieropoioi performed sacrifices (θυσίαι, thysiai) and libations (σπονδαί, spondai), ll. 12-3.
Deities worshipped The goddess (ἡ θεός, he theos, ll. 17-18).
IG ad. loc. suggests that the term refers to Artemis Kalliste, since an honorary decree (IG II2 788) for Antidoros of Pergase, priest of Kalliste was found in the same spot. This is corroborated by the reference in the last line of IG II2 to a priest, Dionysodoros of Semachidai. However, Mikalson 1998: 149 claims that the deity was not Artemis Kalliste (who was worshipped by citizens) but an unknown Artemis.
iv. Honours/Other activities Sophron is honoured with an olive-leaves crown (θαλλοῦ στέφανος, thallou stephanos, ll. 10-1) and a ribbon around his head (λημνίσκος, lemniskos, l. 11). On top of that, hieropoioi are to proclaim (ἀναγορευέτωσαν, anagoreuetosan, ll. 14-5) after the sacrifices the following text: [ο]ἱ θιασῶται στεφανοῦσι τὸν ἀρχερανι|στὴν Σώφρονα ἀρετῆς ἕνεκεν καὶ εὐσεβείας τ|ῆς εἰς τὴν θεόν, [ho]i thiasotai stephanousi ton archeranisten Sophrona aretes heneken kai eusebeias tes eis ten theon, ll. 15-7.

XI. INTERACTION

i. Local interaction The reference to a priest (ἰερεύς, hiereus) in the last line of the decree may suggest a relationship to a polis sanctuary.

XII. NOTES

i. Comments The decree was passed in the archonship of Kimon.
Parker 1996: 340 and Mikalson 1998: 149 have argued that the group may be the same as the one attested in IG II2 1298 (CAPInv. 269), both worshipping Artemis Kalliste in the Dipylon Gate area.
ii. Poland concordance Poland A22A
iii. Bibliography Arnaoutoglou, I. (1994), ‘Arkheranistes and its meaning in inscriptions’, ZPE 104: 107-10.
Arnaoutoglou, I. (2003), Thusias heneka kai sunousias. Private religious associations in Hellenistic Athens. Athens.
Arnaoutoglou, I. (2011), ‘‘Ils étaient dans la ville, mais tout à fait en dehors de la cité’. Status and identity in private religious associations in Hellenistic Athens’, in van Nijf, O., and Alston, R. (eds.) Political culture in the Greek city after the classical age. Leuven: 27-48.
Eckhardt, Ε. (2017) ‘Vereins- und Stadtkult im Heiligtum der Artemis Kalliste in Athen’, Athenaeum 105: 31-42.
Ismard, P. (2010), La cité des réseaux. Athènes et ses associations VIe – Ier siècle av. J.-C.. Paris: 353.
Mikalson, J. (1998), Religion in Hellenistic Athens. Los Angeles.
Osborne, M. (2009), ‘The archons of Athens 300/299–228/7’, ZPE 171: 83–99.
Pakkanen, P. (1996), Interpreting early Hellenistic religion. A study based on the mystery cult of Demeter and the cult of Isis. Helsinki.
Parker, R. (1996), Athenian religion. A history. Oxford.
Ruggeri, Cl. (ed.) (2013), Die antiken Schriftzeugnisse über den Kerameikos von Athen. Teil. 2: Das Dipylon-Gebiet und der aeussere Kerameikos. Wien.
Tracy, S. (2003), Athens and Macedon. Attic letter-cutters of 300 to 229 B.C.. Berkeley: 132.
Wilhelm, A. (1905), ‘Attika psephismata’, An.Ép: 234-52.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The association displays all the hallmarks of a private association: distinct name, membership, organization, property and durability.