Stable URL: http://ancientassociations.ku.dk/assoc/617Download as PDF
Last Updated on 23 Mar 2017

Author: Benedikt Eckhardt

CAPInv. 617: techne pseiloton

I. LOCATION

i. Geographical area The Near East and Beyond
ii. Region Phoenicia
iii. Site Sidon

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) τέχνη ψειλωτῶν (SEG 54: 1628, l. 7)
ii. Full name (transliterated) techne pseiloton

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 104 AD

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

ii. Name elements
Professional:pseilotai
iii. Descriptive terms τέχνη, techne
Note techne: SEG 54: 1628, l. 7

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) SEG 54: 1628 (AD 104)
Note See also AGRW 277
Online Resources AGRW ID 4839
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Greek building inscription
i.c. Physical format(s) Marble plaque
ii. Source(s) provenance Sidon, sanctuary of Eshmun

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς τέχνης ψειλωτῶν, hoi apo tes technes pseiloton (l. 7)

XII. NOTES

i. Comments Six persons are responsible for the erection of a monument, they are "from the association of pseilotai" (οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς τέχνης ψειλωτῶν, hoi apo tes technes pseiloton, l. 7). The word is not known; ed. pr. regard it as based on the semitic root psl, hence "stone-cutters" (against a derivation from ψιλόω, psiloo, which would lead to "barbers").

The six members have made the construction "with their wifes and children". This does not prove that women and children were members of the association; the six persons, although οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς τέχνης ψειλωτῶν, hoi apo tes technes pseiloton, do not seem to have acted on behalf of the association, but for themselves and their families.
iii. Bibliography Stucky, R.A., Mathys, H.-P., and Wachter, R. (2005), ‘Ψειλωτής (Psilotes). Ein neues griechisches Wort aus dem Eschmun-Heiligtum in Sidon’, AA: 39-46.
Wachter, R. (2005), ‘Die griechischen Inschriften’, in R.A. Stucky (ed.), Das Eschmun-Heiligtum von Sidon. Architektur und Inschriften, Basel: 319-31, esp. 322.

XIII. EVALUATION

i. Private association Probable
Note Professional associations in the 2nd/3rd century AD were often very close to the official civic institutions, but they probably remained essentially private associations.