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Last Updated on 28 Feb 2017

Author: Sophia Zoumbaki

CAPInv. 416: [koi]non ton mysto[n ...]

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area Peloponnese with Adjacent Islands
ii. Region Argolid
iii. Site Argos

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) [κοι]νὸν τῶν μυστῶ[ν ---] (IG IV 659, ll. 5-6)
ii. Full name (transliterated) [koi]non ton mysto[n ...]

III. DATE

i. Date(s) ii - iii AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Cultic:ton myston
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon
σύσ[τημα], sys[tema]
Note koinon: IG IV 659, ll. 5-6.
systema (?): IG IV 659, l. 22.

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) IG IV 659 (inc.)
Online Resources IG IV 659
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek donation of some property to the koinon on the part of an individual who was a lifelong priest of the koinon of the mystai.
i.c. Physical format(s) Cylindrical limestone base
ii. Source(s) provenance Argos, in a private house

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

ii. References to buildings/objects A temenos is mentioned (l. 14 and perhaps ll. 6-7, [- - -]|μενος, [- - -]|menos), whilst the word κτήσεως (kteseos, l. 17) perhaps implies some property. The lifelong priest donated also a garden and a dwelling to the koinon.

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members The restoration of the text in l. 13 as θ[ιασώταις], th[iasotais] is not to be regarded as certain.
iv. Officials ἱερεὺς διὰ βίου, hiereus dia biou, l. 5.
Known practice of appointment ἱερεὺς διὰ βίου κ[ατασταθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ κοι(?)]|νοῦ τῶν μυστῶ[ν] (hiereus dia biou k[atastatheis hypo tou koi?]nou ton mysto[n], ll. 5-6), is a possibility, but it cannot be regarded as certain.

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

ii. Realty A temenos is mentioned (l. 14 and perhaps ll. 6-7, [- - -]|μενος, [- - -]|menos), whilst the word κτήσεως (kteseos, l. 17) perhaps implies some property. The lifelong priest donated also a garden and a dwelling to the koinon.
iv. Endowments The inscription records the donation of some landed property to the koinon on the part of a lifelong priest. A garden and a house are probably part of the donated property.

X. ACTIVITIES

iii. Worship The fragmentary state of the text prevents a complete understanding of the worship of the koinon ton myston. The inscription begins with an invocation to the Great Gods, whilst the Mother of the Gods is mentioned in the dative case in l. 3. In l. 16 deities are mentioned in plural, θρησκείας τοῖς θεοῖς (threskeias tois theois), which perhaps implies that the koinon worshipped more than one deity. According to Loukas (1989: 234-5), the term σύσ[τημα] (sys[tema]) which is encountered in l. 22 that we deal with a thiasos devoted to the cult of Cybele.
Further finds related to the cult of Cybele in Argos, two marble reliefs and a terracotta figurine, are mentioned by Vermasseren (1982: 470-2).
Deities worshipped Megaloi Theoi (?), Mother of the Gods

XII. NOTES

ii. Poland concordance Poland B 4
iii. Bibliography Vermasseren, M.J. (1982), Corpus Cultus Cybelae Attidisque, vol. II, Leiden.
Loukas, I. (1986), ‘Περί των αργολικών μυστηριακών λατρειών κατά τους υστερορρωμαϊκούς χρόνους’, in Πρακτικά του Β' Τοπικού Συνεδρίου Αργολικών Σπουδών, Άργος 30 Μαίου-1 Ιουνίου. Athens.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Certain
Note The terminology used (koinon) points towards a private association.
ii. Historical authenticity The epigraphic evidence renders the historical authenticity of the association indisputable.