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Last Updated on 23 Feb 2017

Author: Ilias Arnaoutoglou

CAPInv. 872: to koinon ton (peri ton Dionyson) techniton

I. LOCATION

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

II. NAME

i. Full name (original language) τὸ κοινὸν τῶν (περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον) τεχνιτῶν (Aneziri no. A1, ll. 13-14; Aneziri no. A2, l. 1; Aneziri no. A3a, l. [3]; Aneziri no. A3b, ll. 70-71; Aneziri no. A4A, l. [3]; Aneziri no. A6, l. 38; Aneziri no. A11, l. 53; Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. [30], 35; Aneziri no. C1Ac, ll. 33-35)
ii. Full name (transliterated) to koinon ton (peri ton Dionyson) techniton

III. DATE

i. Date(s) 279 - 75 BC

IV. NAME AND TERMINOLOGY

i. Name in other forms ἡ σύνοδος (τῶν τεχνιτῶν) (Aneziri no. Α1, ll. 2-3; Aneziri no. A3a, ll. 12-13, 17, 31-[32], 72-74, 78; Aneziri no. A4, ll. [8-9]; Aneziri no. A5b, l. 44; Aneziri no. A6, ll. 1, 6, [30]-31; Aneziri no. A9, l. 3; Aneziri no. A10, ll. [37-38]; Aneziri no. A11, ll. 11, 55, 58-59, 73; Aneziri no. A12, ll. 6, 16, 26, 32, 38, 41, 44; Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. 11, 21-22)
οἱ περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον τεχνῖται (οἱ ἐν Ἀθήναις) (Aneziri no. A3a, ll. 1, 21, 68, 75-76; Aneziri no. C1Ba, l. 20)
οἱ Ἀθήνησιν τεχνῖται (Aneziri no. C1Ba, l. 22)
οἱ τεχνῖται οἱ ἐν τῆ Ἀττικῆ, hoi technitai hoi en te Attike, (Aneziri no. C2, ll. [32], 38, 57-59)
ii. Name elements
Geographical:Athenesin, en Athenais, en te Attike
Professional:technitai
Status-related:technitai
Theophoric:peri ton Dionyson
iii. Descriptive terms κοινόν, koinon
σύνοδος, synodos
Note koinon: Aneziri no. A1, l. 13; Aneziri no. A2, l. 1; Aneziri no. A3a, l. [3]; Aneziri no. A3b, ll. 70-71; Aneziri no. A4A, l. [3]; Aneziri no. A6, l. 38; Aneziri no. A11, l. 53; Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. [30], 35; Aneziri no. C1Ac, l. 33

synodos: Aneziri no. Α1, l. 2; Aneziri no. A3a, ll. 12-13, 17, 31-[32]; Aneziri no. A3b, ll. 72, 78; Aneziri no. A4, ll. [8-9]; Aneziri no. A5b, l. 44; Aneziri no. A6, ll. 1, 6, [30]-31; Aneziri no. A9, l. 3; Aneziri no. A10, ll. [37-38]; Aneziri no. A11, ll. 11, 55, 58-59, 73; Aneziri no. A12, ll. 6, 16, 26, 32, 38, 41, 44; Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. 11, 21-22

V. SOURCES

i. Source(s) Aneziri no. A1 (229-203 BC?)
Aneziri no. A2 (210-170 BC)
Aneziri no. A3 (157-130 BC)
Aneziri no. A4 (135-122 BC)
Aneziri no. A5a (279-277 BC)
Aneziri no. A5c (130/29 BC)
Aneziri no. A6 (128/7 BC)
Aneziri no. A8 (late 2nd century BC)
Aneziri no. A9 (125/4 BC?)
Aneziri no. A10 (106/5 BC)
Aneziri no. A11 (98/97 BC)
Aneziri no. A12 (76/75 BC?)
Aneziri no. C1Ac (117-112 BC)
Aneziri no. C1Ba (117 BC)
Aneziri no. C2 (112 BC)
IG II2 5060 (first half of 2nd century AD)
Ath. 212d-e = FGrHist 87 F36 (86 BC)
Note Ed. pr.:
Aneziri no. A2: BCH 3 (1879): 352
Aneziri no. A3:BCH 19 (1895): 540
Aneziri no. A4: Koumanoudes, Matthaiou, Σ.Α. Κουμανούδη 50
Aneziri no. A12: An.Ép. 1841: 408, no. 556

Other publications:
Aneziri no. A1: Michel, Recueil, no. 1555; IG II2 1320; Le Guen I 3; Ruggeri, Siewert and Steffelbauer 2007: no. C22
Aneziri no. A2: IG II2 3211; Michel, Recueil, no. 1262; Syll3 1093; Le Guen I 3bis
Aneziri no. A3: IG II2 1330; Le Guen I no. 5; Ruggeri, Siewert and Steffelbauer 2007: no. C23
Aneziri no. A4: IG II2 1331; Le Guen I 4; Ruggeri, Siewert and Steffelbauer 2007: no. C23
Aneziri no. A5: Michel, Recueil, no. 1009B; IG II2 1132-1133; Le Guen I 2, 6-7
Aneziri no. A6: F.Delphes III.2 47; Le Guen I 10
Aneziri no. A8: Kerameikos III A7; Ruggeri, Siewert and Steffelbauer 2007: no. C25
Aneziri no. A9: IG II2 1332; Le Guen I 16; Ruggeri, Siewert and Steffelbauer 2007: no. C24
Aneziri no. A10: F.Delphes III.2 49; Le Guen I 13
Aneziri no. A11: F.Delphes III.2 48; Le Guen I 14 (ΑΡΜΑ 2: 63, no. 48.9)
Aneziri no. A12: Lueders no. 75; Michel, Recueil, no. 1010; IG II2 1338; Le Guen I 15; I.Eleusis 271
Aneziri no. C1Ac: IG II2 1134; CID IV 120; Le Guen I 12E
Aneziri no. C1Ba: IG II2 1134; CID VI 117; Le Guen I 11
Aneziri no. C2: F.Delphes III.2 70a; Le Guen I 12A
IG II2 5060: Ruggeri, Siewert and Steffelbauer 2007: no. C27
Ath. 212d-e: Ruggeri, Siewert and Steffelbauer 2007: no. C26

Cf. SEG 28: 365; SEG 38:133; SEG 42: 1776; SEG 45: 131 and 2324; SEG 48: 20; SEG 50: 1716; SEG 52: 119 and 377, 515; SEG 55: 295 and 1973; SEG 56: 204 and 2145; SEG 57: 36; SEG 59: 139.
Online Resources IG II2 1320
IG II2 1321
IG II2 1330
IG II2 1331
IG II2 1132
IG II2 1131
F.Delphes III.2 47
F.Delphes III.2 50
Kerameikos III A 7
IG II2 1332
F.Delphes III.2 49
F.Delphes III.2 48
IG II2 1338
CID IV 120
CID IV 117
F.Delphes III.2 70
IG II2 5060
Ath. 212d-e
i.a. Source type(s) Epigraphic source(s)
Literary source(s)
i.b. Document(s) typology & language/script Aneziri no. A1: Greek honorary decree for Sophilos and Sositheos, hieropoioi.
Aneziri no. A2: Greek honorary inscription for Xenokrates of Kydantidai.
Aneziri no. A3: Greek honorary decree for Ariarathes, king of Kappadocia and Nysa his queen.
Aneziri no. A4: Greek honorary decree for Aribazos, son of Seleukos of Piraeus.
Aneziri no. A5: Two Greek decrees of the Amphictyony about the immunities enjoyed by the group and a letter accompanying the decree.
Aneziri no. A6: Greek honorary decree of Delphoi for the association (sending an embassy at Pythia).
Aneziri nos. A8-9: Greek decrees of the association.
Aneziri nos. A10-11: Greek honorary decree of Delphoi for the association (sending an embassy at Pythia).
Aneziri no. A12: Greek honorary inscription for Philemon, steward.
Aneziri no. C1Ac: Greek letter of the Amphictyony to the Athenians about the decision of the Council over a dispute between the technitai of Athens and of Isthmos.
Aneziri no. C1Ba: Greek decree of the Amphictyony reaffirming the privileges of the koinon and recognizing the right of the association's priests to wearing the ancestral crown.
Aneziri no. C2: Greek decision of the Roman Senate about the dispute between the tehnitai of Athens and those of Isthmus.
Ath. 212d-e: Greek literary work, Athaeneus's The Learned Banqueters.
i.c. Physical format(s) Aneziri no. A1: Marble stele measuring 0.48x0.382m.
Aneziri no. A2: Marble stele broken on top and bottom, measuring 0.17x0.29m.
Aneziri no. A3: Marble stele, measuring 0.96x0.29m.
Aneziri no. A4: Two joining fragments of marble stele.
Aneziri no. A9: Marble stele measuring 0.28x0.26m.
Aneziri no. A12: Marble stele broken above and below measuring 0.56x0.50m.
ii. Source(s) provenance Most of the documents were found either in Athens (Aneziri no. A4; Aneziri no. A5c), near the Dipylon (Aneziri no. A1 (now in the Epigraphical Museum, EM 6)), the Dionysos theatre (Aneziri no. A2 (now in EM 8741); Aneziri no. A5a; Aneziri no. A9 (now in the National Archaeological Museum)), the Panathenaikon Stadion (Aneziri no. A3), Kerameikos (Aneziri no. A8), or in Delphi in the treasure of the Athenians (Aneziri nos. A6-7; A10-11; Aneziri no. C1Ac; Aneziri no.C1Ba; Aneziri no. C2). One (Aneziri no. A12 now in the Archaeological Museum of Eleusis 295) was found in Eleusis.

VI. BUILT AND VISUAL SPACE

i. Archaeological remains For the identification of the precinct of technitai see Aneziri 2000. For a summary account of the precinct and its surroundings see Ruggeri, Siewert and Steffelbauer 2007: 57.
ii. References to buildings/objects There are references to a στήλη, stele (Aneziri no. A1, l. 15; Aneziri no. A3, l. 64), to a dedication of Poseidippos (ἀνάθημα, anathema Poseidippou, Aneziri no. A1, ll. 16-17), a statue (ἄγαλμα, agalma, Aneziri no. A3, l. 24), a bronze portrait ([εἰκόνα χαλ]κῆν, [eikona chal]ken, Aneziri no. A3, ll. 24-26, 36), portraits (εἰκόνες, eikones, Aneziri no. A4B, l. [9]), a precinct (τέμενος, temenos, Aneziri no. A3, l. 25; Aneziri no. A9, l. 6; Aneziri no. A12, ll. 10-11, 22, 26, 36), a sanctuary (ἱερόν, hieron, Aneziri no. A9, ll. 6-7, 11; Aneziri no. A12, l. 36), and gateways to a temple (προπύλαια, propylaia, Aneziri no. A3, l. 25), and to an altar (βωμός, bomos, Aneziri no. A12, ll. 9-11, 27, 37).

VII. ORGANIZATION

iii. Members Members are called τεχνῖται, technitai, (Aneziri no. A1, ll. 7, 18; Aneziri no. A3, ll. [4], 21, [23]; Aneziri no. A4B, ll. [2-3], [7-8], 11; Aneziri no. A5, ll. [9], 14, 16, 43-44, 80, [87-88], 93-94; Aneziri no. A6, ll. 34; Aneziri no. A8, l. 5; Aneziri no. A9, l. [12]; Aneziri no. A10, ll. 40-41; Aneziri no. A11, l. 64; Aneziri no. A12, ll. 20, 24, 33, 43; Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. 25-27, 35; Aneziri no. C1Ac, ll. 18, 25) or οἱ περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον (τεχνῖται οἱ ἐν Ἀθήναις), hoi peri ton Dionyson (technitai hoi en Athenais) (Aneziri no. A3, ll. 9, 56-57; Aneziri no. A5, ll. 37, 69, 74-75, 80; Aneziri no. A10, l. 1; Aneziri no. A11, ll. 1, 3), μετέχοντες τῆς συνόδου, metechontes tes synodou (Aneziri no. A3, l. 32; Aneziri no. A5, ll. 43-44), or οἱ τεχνῖται οἱ ἐν τῆ Ἀττικῆ, hoi technitai hoi en te Attike, (Aneziri no. C2, ll. [32], 38, 57-59).
iv. Officials Steward, ἐπιμελητής, epimeletes (Aneziri no. A1, l. 4; Aneziri no. A3, ll. [6-7], 28-[29], 33, 41, 51, 65; Aneziri no. A4B, ll. 4-5, [8]; Aneziri no. A6, l. 29; Aneziri no. A8, l. 5; Aneziri no. A10, l. 1; Aneziri no. A11, ll. [3], 15, 60; Aneziri no. A12, ll. 12, 34, 42).
Secretary (γραμματεύς, grammateus, Aneziri no. A3, l. [63]; Aneziri no. A8, l. 10).
Priest of Dionysos (ἱερεὺς τοῦ Διονύσου, hiereus tou Dionysou, Aneziri no. A3, l. 30; Aneziri no. A12, l. 42; Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. 23, 25, 39).
Hieropoioi, ἱεροποιοί (Aneziri no. A1, l. 8).
For the magistrates in this association see Le Guen I 65-68 and Aneziri 127-50.
Known practice of appointment Stewards in Aneziri no. A1 are elected, προσαιρεθέντων, prosairethenton, ll. 3-4.
Also the steward in Aneziri no. A12 has been elected three times, ll. 12-13, 34.
v. Other staff Servant (ὑπηρέτης, hyperetes, Aneziri no. A3, l. 35).
Ambassadors (πρέσβεις, presbeis, Aneziri no. A3, ll. 66, 72; Aneziri no. A5, ll. [37-38], 42, 70; Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. 23, 38-39).
Chief-theoros (ἀρχιθέωρος, architheoros) and θέωροι, theoroi (Aneziri no. A6, ll. 6-7; Aneziri no. A10, l. 40; Aneziri no. A11, ll. 15-16, 61).
A committee of 3 members to take care the dedication of the portraits, Aneziri no. A3, ll. 46-49 and another group of 3 individuals to deliver the decree to Ariarathes, Aneziri no. A3, ll. 57-62.
On these offices see discussion in Aneziri 156-64.
Known practice of appointment The members of the committees are to be elected (ἑλέσθαι, helesthai, Aneziri no. A3, ll. 46, 57).
vi. Laws and rules An obscure reference to laws, νόμοι, nomoi in Aneziri no. A12, l. 46.
vii. Judicial system In Aneziri no. A3, ll. 41-42 it is prescribed that a fine will be imposed on an individual who has not performed.
ix. Privileges In Aneziri no. C1Ac, ll. 44 and 102, the priests of the group were granted the right to wear under all circumstances a golden crown, Le Guen I 97.

VIII. PROPERTY AND POSSESSIONS

ii. Realty Precinct (τέμενος, temenos) is mentioned in Ath. 212e, Aneziri no. A3, l. 25; Aneziri no. A9, l. 6; Aneziri no. A12, ll. 10-11, 22, 26, 36.
iii. Income In Aneziri no. A3, l. 29 income is described as common receipts, κοινοὶ πρόσοδοι, koinoi prosodoi. The association was probably involved in widespread (?) lending and borrowing as the expression 'the circle of loans' ὁ κύκλος τῶν δανείων, ho kyklos ton daneion in Aneziri no. A12, ll. 29-30 suggests; see Aneziri 191. Another source of income was the promised donation by king Ariarathes, Aneziri no. A3, l. 15.

IX. MEMBERSHIP

ii. Gender Men
Note The attested names of members are all male names.
iii. Age Adults

X. ACTIVITIES

ii. Meetings and events The organization of a music-contest is ordained in Aneziri no. A3, ll. 42-46, while theatrical, musical and athletic contests are envisaged in Aneziri no. A12, ll. 4-5.
Envoys sent to Delphi during Pythia.
iii. Worship A sacrifice is mentioned (θυσία, thysia, Aneziri no. A3, ll. [28], [30], 54; Aneziri no. A12, ll. 4, 7-8, 14, 23, 31; Ath. 212e), incense burning (θυμιᾶν, thymian, Aneziri no. A3, l. 37), put a torch to stand (δᾶιδα ἱστάνειν, daida histanein, Aneziri no. A3, l. 37), sacrifice of an ox (ἐβουθύτησε, ebouthytese, Aneziri no. A3, l. 78), libation (σπένδειν, spendein, Aneziri no. A12, ll. 9-10, 19; Ath. 212e), singing of paeans (παιᾶνας ἐπιτελεῖν, paianas epitelein, Aneziri no. A12, ll. 10, 19), and ritual wine drinking (ἐπιχύσεις, epichyseis, Aneziri no. A12, l. 19).
Deities worshipped Ἀπόλλων, Apollon.
Διόνυσος, Dionysos.
Δήμητρα, Κόρη, Demetra, Kore, Aneziri no. A12, ll. 14-15, 19, 31.
iv. Honours/Other activities Award of a praise (Aneziri no. A1, ll. 7-8) and a ivy-leaves crown (κιττοῦ στεφάνωι, kittou stephanoi, Aneziri no. A1, ll. 10-11) for their piety (εὐσέβεια, eusebeia) and their zeal (φιλοτιμία, philotimia, Aneziri no. A1, ll. 11-14). The association honours Ariarathes Eusebes and Philopator with a bronze portrait, a statue next to the god, proclamation of portraits (Aneziri 24-26) because of piety (εὐσέβεια, eusebeia), righteoussness (δικαιοσύνη, dikaiosyne) and zeal (φιλοτιμία, philotimia) to associates.
Crowning the statue of the king Ariarathes, Aneziri no. A3, l. 36. The celebration of an ἐπώνυμος ἡμέρα, eponymos hemera is prescribed in Aneziri no. A3, ll. 38-42.

XI. INTERACTION

ii. Interaction abroad The association maintained friendly relations with Delphi and the sanctuary of Apollo. It enjoyed protection and exemption from seizure, tax, and conscription (ἀσυλία, ἀτέλεια, ἀσφάλεια, ἀστρατεία, asylia, ateleia, asphaleia, astrateia, Aneziri no. A5, ll. 8-15, 75-76, 80-84), was granted priority in consulting the oracle and exemption from seizure (προμαντεία, ἀσυλία, promanteia, asylia, Aneziri no. A6, l. 34), in leading a procession and proxeny (ἀσυλία, προμαντεία, προπομπεία, προξενία, asylia, promanteia, propompeia, proxenia, Aneziri no. A10, ll. 41-42 and Aneziri no. A11, l. 66).
The king of Cappadocia Ariarathes granted to the technitai inviolability (ἀσυλία, asylia), security (ἀσφάλεια, asphaleia), exemption from tax and duties (ἀτέλεια, ateleia), Aneziri 44-46. Also the association petitioned (Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. 25-28) and was granted the right for their priests to wear a crown (στεφανηφορεῖν, stephanephorein) and χρυσοφορεῖν τοῖς θεοῖς, chrysophorein tois theois, Aneziri no. C1Ba, ll. 30-32; Aneziri no. C1Ac, l. 26. For an assessment of the privileges awarded to the association see Aneziri 243-52. For the meaning of chrysophorein as wearing a golden insignia see Kuhn 2014: 55-8.
Another dimension of the interaction of the group is the bitter controversy with the technitai of Isthmos in the late second century BC and the resolution of the dispute by the Roman Senate, details in Le Guen I 102-5 and Aneziri 306-16.

XII. NOTES

i. Comments On the name of the association see Aneziri 2003: 25-6 and Ceccarelli 2004. In the paean Le Guen 2001: 16-7 the group is described as ὁ δὲ τεχνιτῶν πρόπας ἑσμός, ho de techniton propas hesmos.

Inscription Agora XVI 296 (161/60 BC) is associated by its editor to the group of peri ton Dionyson technitai, on the basis of Dionysiakon, l. 105 and the phrase πρὸς τὰς τῶν συνόδων χρείας, pros tas ton synodon chreias, l. 14. However, the plural synodoi does not signify the association but the meetings.
ii. Poland concordance Poland Δ1α, Δ1Βα (Aneziri no. A5a)
Poland Δ*1β (Aneziri no. A5c)
Poland Δ*1Α (Aneziri no. A1)
Poland Δ1Β*β (Aneziri no. C1Ba)
Poland Δ*1C (Aneziri no. A6)
Poland Δ*1D (Aneziri no. A11)
Poland Δ*1Ε (Aneziri no. A10)
Poland Δ*1F (Aneziri no. C1Ac)
Poland Δ*2Α (Aneziri no. A3)
Poland Δ3 (Aneziri no. A9)
Poland Δ4 (Aneziri no. A4)
Poland Δ5 (Aneziri no. A12)
Poland Δ8 (Aneziri no. A2)
Poland Δ*10Β (Aneziri no. C2)
iii. Bibliography Aneziri, S. (2000), ‘Vom Haus des Pulytion zum temenos des Dionysos Melpomenos. Funktionsaenderung und Lokalisierungsversuch eines viel besprochenen Grundstuecks in Athen’, MDAI(A) 115: 259-79.
Aneziri, S. (2003), Die Vereine der dionysischen Techniten im Kontext der hellenistischen Gesellschaft. Untersuchungen zur Geschichte, Organisation und Wirkung der hellenistischen Technitenvereine. Stuttgart.
Ceccarelli, P. (2004), ‘"Autour de Dionysos": remarques sur la denomination des artistes dionysiaques’, in Ch. Hugoniot, F. Hurlet and S. Milanezi (eds.), Le statut de l'acteur dans l'antiquite grecque et romaine, Tours: 109-42.
Le Guen, Br. (2001). Les associations de technites dionysiaques à l’époque hellénistique. Nancy.
Le Guen, Br. (2007), ‘L'association des technites d'Athenes ou les ressorts d'une cohabitation reussie’, in J.-Chr. Couvenhes and S. Milanezi (eds.), Individus, groupes et politique a Athenes de Solon a Mithridate, Tours: 339-64.
Kuhn, A. (2014), ‘The chrysophoria in the cities of Greece and Asia Minor in the Hellenistic and Roman periods’, Tyche 29: 51-87.
Lightfoot, J. (2002), ‘Nothing to do with the technitai of Dionysus?’, in P. Easterling and E. Hall (eds.), Greek and Roman actors. Aspects of an ancient profession, Cambridge: 209-24.
Ruggeri, C., Siewert, P., and Steffelbauer, I. (eds.) (2007). Die antiken Schriftzeugnisse ueber den Kerameikos von Athen. Teil 1. Der Innere Kerameikos. Wien.
Tracy, S. (1990), Attic letter-cutters of 229 to 86 B.C.. Berkeley: 44, 71, 187.

XIII. EVALUATION

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