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Last Updated on 22 Feb 2017

Author: Ilias Arnaoutoglou

CAPInv. 351: [koinon t]on Sarapiaston

I. LOCATION

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

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) [κοινόν τ]ῶν Σαραπιαστῶν (IG II2 1292, ll. 21-2)
ii. Full name (transliterated) [koinon t]on Sarapiaston

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 215 / 214 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Theophoric:Sarapiastai: Their name is derived from the Egyptian god Sarapis.
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon (?)
Note koinon: IG II2 1292, l. 21 (restored)

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG II2 1292 (215/4 BC)
Note Ed. pr. Osann, F. (1834), Sylloge inscriptionum antiquarum Graecarum et Latinarum. Leipzig: no. 61.
Other publications: Le Bas 381; CIG I 120; Lueders no. 26; Foucart no. 24; GIBM I 21; Michel no. 1553; HThR 30 (1937) 188-97; SIRIS 2; RICIS 101/0201; GRA I 26; Bricault 2013: 298 no. 95b.
Cf. SEG 28: 365; SEG 49: 183. BE 1938, no. 86; 1970, no. 260.
Online Resources IG II2 1292
AGRW ID 3856
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek honorary decree for the magistrates of the association, since they have performed their duties without blemish, followed by a fragmentary list of members.
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble stele broken on top left, measuring 0,355x0,292m.
ii. Source(s) provenance Found in Athens, now in the British Museum, Elgin collection 21.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects There is a reference to the stone slab (στήλη λιθίνη, stele lithine, ll. 25-6) on which the decree shall be inscribed.

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members The members of the group are called Σαραπιασταί, Sarapiastai, ll. 2, 10, 12-3, 17.
iv. Officials Chief-eranistria (προερανίστρια, proeranistria, ll. 23, 29).
Steward (ἐπιμελητής, epimeletes, ll. 3-4).
Treasurer (ταμίας, tamias, ll. 2, 28, 31).
Secretary (γραμματεύς, grammateus, ll. 3, 33).
ἱεροποιοὶ (hieropoioi, l. 14).
The duties of chief-eranistria included the performance of sacrifices, ll. 24-5, see Arnaoutoglou 1994.
vii. Judicial system The honoured magistrates have been scrutinized for their term of office, ll. 6-7: [καὶ τὰς] εὐ|[θύνας] δεδώκα[σιν] περὶ [πάντ]ων παρὰ τὸν [εὔθυνον], [kai tas] eu[thynas] dedoka[sin] peri [pant]on para ton [euthynon].
The hieropoioi omitting to proclaim the honours or the crown are liable to a fine, ll. 15-7: ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἀναγορεύσωσ[ιν ἢ μὴ στε|φα]νώσωσι, ἀποτεισάτω ἕκαστος αὐ[τῶν — — | δ]ραχμὰς ἱερὰς τοῖς Σαραπιασταῖς, ean de me anagoreusos[in e me stepha]nososi, apoteisato hekastos au[ton --- d]rachmas hieras tois Sarapiastais.

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

i. Treasury/Funds The association had a treasury designated as κοινόν, koinon in ll. 27-8: [τὸ] δὲ γενόμενον εἰς ταῦτα ἀνάλω[μα μερίσαι ἐκ | τ]οῦ κοινοῦ, [to] de genomenon eis tauta analo[ma merisai ek t]ou koinou.
iii. Income The association's preserved income was derived mainly from fines as the one prescribed in ll. 15-7.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Women
Note Men: 8
Women: 1

Νικίππη, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (5).
Ζώπυρος, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (145).
Θεοφάνης, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (38).
Σέλευκος, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (40).
Δωρίων, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (12).
Εὐβ̣ουλίδης, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (48).
Ὁλύμπιχος, Athenian Onomasticon s.v. (44) with Matricon-Thomas (2012: 45 n.18).
iii. Age Adults

X. ACTIVITIES

iii. Worship The association performed sacrifices (θυσίαι, thysiai, ll. 13-5 and 23-5).
iv. Honours/Other activities The magistrates are praised (ἐπαινέσαι, epainesai, ll. 10-1, 22) and honoured with an olive-leaves crown with a ribbon (θαλλοῦ [στεφάνωι | σὺν τ]αινιδίωι, thallou [stephanoi syn t]ainidioi, ll. 10-2).
Nikippe the proeranistria is praised and crowned (ἐπαινέσαι δὲ κα[ὶ στεφα|ν]ῶσαι, epainesai de ka[i stephan]osai, ll. 22-3, with no reference to the kind of crown).

XII. NOTES

ii. Poland concordance Poland A34
iii. Bibliography Arnaoutoglou, I. (1994), ‘Archeranistes and its meaning in inscriptions’, ZPE 104: 107-10.
Arnaoutoglou, I. (2003), Thusias heneka kai sunousias. Private religious associations in Hellenistic Athens. Athens.
Bricault, L. (2013), Les cultes isiaques dans le monde greco-romain. Paris.
Bricault, L. (2014), ‘Les Sarapiastes’, in G.Tallet and Chr. Zivie-Coche (eds.), Le myrte et la rose. Melanges offerts a Francoise Dunand par ses eleves, collegues et amis.Montpellier: 41-8.
Dow, St. (1937), ‘The Egyptian cults in Athens’, HThR 30: 188-97.
Dunand, Fr. (1973), Le culte d’Isis dans le bassin oriental de la Méditerranée. Leiden.
Fraser, P. (1960), ‘Two studies on the cult of Sarapis in the Hellenistic world’, OAth 3: 1-54.
Matricon-Thomas, E. (2012), ‘Le culte d'Isis a Athenes: entre aspect ‘universel’ et specificites locales’ in L. Bricault & M. J. Versluys (eds), Egyptian gods in the Hellenistic and Roman Mediterranean: Image and reality between local and global. Palermo: 41-66.
Mikalson, J. (1998), Religion in Hellenistic Athens. Los Angeles.
Pakkanen, P. (1996), Interpreting early Hellenistic religion. A study based on the mystery cult of Demeter and the cult of Isis. Helsinki: 54-63.
Parker, R. (1996), Athenian religion. A history. Oxford.

XIII. EVALUATION

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