Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

An expanding collection of inscriptions, papyri, and other sources in translation (run by Philip A. Harland)

[19] Regulations of Sacrificing Associates of the Mother of the Gods (183-174 BCE) Piraeus - Attica


Piraeus (Attica, Greece and Macedonia — Pleiades map), 183-174 BCE
AGRW 19 = GRA I 34 = IG II² 1328 = LSCG 48 = PHI 3544 = AGRW ID# 3102
Copenhagen Inventory info: 361


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Plaque of Pentelic marble, now in the Epigraphical Museum of Athens (EM 10550). The plaque contains two decrees dating to 183/182 BCE (A) and 175/174 BCE (B). The second conflicts with the regulation of the first by granting a permanent role to Metrodora.

The sacrificing associates (orgeōnes) honor those who have contribute (in a crown).

(A) In the year that Hermogenes was civic leader (archōn), in the month of Mounichion, at a regular assembly, Simon son of Simon of Poros made the following motion: Whereas there have been many expenses, and because of these expenses any woman who obtains the priesthood is expecting that there be a certain appropriate distribution of funds for them, so that they can perform their service with no additional expense being imposed on them:

For good fortune, it has been agreed by the members that the one who happens to be chosen as priestess for the year following Hermogenes’ civic leadership (archonship) shall, in accord with these and the other things, furnish two thrones of the finest quality, and give an ornament of silver to the cupbearers and those who attend the goddess for the collection of the contributions. If someone acts in violation of these rules, the sacrificing associates are empowered to fine the priestess who offends against any of these rules, up to fifty drachmas. They will exact it in whatever manner seems best to them and it is unlawful for anyone to confer upon them the customary honors. They (the sacrificing associates) shall also be empowered to . . . the leaf concerning the disobedient priestess. Whichever priestess has obtained the priesthood shall appoint an attendant from among those who have already been priestesses. But it is not permitted to appoint the same person twice until all have had their turn. Otherwise, the priestess will be liable to the same fines. The secretary (grammateus) shall inscribe the decree on a stone monument (stele) and set it up in the temple.

(B) In the year that Sonikos was civic leader (archōn), in the month of Mounichion, at the regular assembly, the sacrificing associates approved the motion that Kleippos of Aixoneus proposed: Whereas Metrodora, having been deemed worthy by the priestess Archedike – who became priestess during the civic leadership (archonship) of Hippakos — to serve as an attendant and to co-administer with her for a year, devoted herself to this role and co-administered the matters pertaining to the goddess in an honorable, appropriate, and pious manner, and she fulfilled her obligations both to the priestesses and to the sacrificing associates without reproach. And whereas, accordingly, when Simale became priestess in the year that Sonikos was civic leader (archōn), and when she requested that the sacrificing associates agree to appoint for her Metrodora as an attendant. After the sacrificing associates agreed with her, she co-administered the priesthood – namely what pertained to the goddess, the priestesses, and the sacrificing associates – in an honorable, appropriate and pious manner. For this reason, the priestesses also are eager to appoint her as attendant to the goddess for life. Therefore in order that they might be seen to be taking the best care of the goddess and that they might act in an honorable and pious manner in relation to the matters of the goddess – for good fortune – it has been resolved by the sacrificing associates to act in all matters that pertain to the decree that was proposed by Simon of Poros and to appoint Metrodora as an attendant to the goddess for life, that she serve indefinitely those who happen to be priestesses and that she meets their needs in an honorable and appropriate manner. It was also resolved that they take care that all things pertaining to the goddess take place in a pious manner, just as her mother, Euaxis, continued to do these things. And let the secretary inscribe this decree on the monument (stele) of the sacrificing associates.

Translation by: Kloppenborg



οἱ ὀργεῶνες | τοὺς ἐπιδε|δωκότας (first three lines in a crown). | [ἐπ]ὶ Ἑρ[μο]γέν[ο]υ ἄρχοντος· Μουνιχιῶνος ἀγορᾶι κυρίαι· Σίμων Σίμωνος Πόριος ε[ἶπεν]· || ἐπειδὴ συμβαίνει πλείω [ἀ]νηλώματα γείνεσθαι καὶ διὰ ταῦ[τα ἀξιοῦσιν] | αἱ ἀεὶ λανχάνουσαι ἱέρειαι διάταξίν τινα ἑα[υταῖς] γενέσθαι [ε]ὐσχήμονα | καθ’ ἣν λει[το]υργήσουσιν μηδεμι[ᾶ]ς [α]ὐ[τ]α̣[ῖ]ς ἐπι[θ]έτ̣[ου] δαπάνης ἐπικειμένη[ς], | ἀ[γαθ]εῖ τύχει δεδόχθαι τοῖς ὀργεῶσιν, τὴν λαχοῦσαν ἱέρειαν εἰς [τὸν] μετὰ [Ἑρ]|μογένην ἄρχοντα ἐνιαυτόν, κατὰ ταὐτὰ δὲ καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς [σ]τ[ρω]ννύειν || θρόνους δύο [ὡς] καλλίστους, περιτιθέναι δὲ ταῖς φιαληφόροις καὶ τ[α]ῖ[ς πε]|ρὶ τὴν θεὸν οὔσαις ἐν τῶι ἀγερμ[ῶ]ι κόσμον ἀρ[γυροῦ]ν· [ἐὰ]ν [δ]ὲ παρὰ ταῦ|τα ποιεῖ, κύριοι ἔ[σ]τωσαν οἱ ὀργεῶνες ζημιοῦντε[ς τὴ]ν [π]α[ρ]αβαίνουσά[ν] | τι τῶν γεγραμμένων μέχρι δραχμῶν π[εν]τήκον[τα κα]ὶ εἰσπραττ[όν]|των τρόπωι ὅτωι ἂν [δύνωνται· μ]ὴ ἐξεῖναι δὲ μηθενὶ μηδ’ ἐπιψηφίσαι || τὸν εἰθισμένον ἔπαινον αὐταῖς· κύριοι δ’ ἔστωσαν καὶ τὸ φύλλον τ̣ά̣[ξ]α[ι] | ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀπειθούσης· καθιστάτω δὲ ἡ ἀεὶ λανχάνουσα ἱέρε[ια ζάκο]|ρον ἐκ τῶν ἱερειῶν [τ]ῶν γεγενε<ι>ῶν π[ρ]ότερον, δ[ὶ]ς δὲ τὴν αὐ̣τ̣ὴ̣ν̣ [μὴ ἐξεῖ]|ναι καταστῆσαι ἕωσς ἂν ἅπασαι διέλθωσιν, εἰ δ[ὲ μή], ἔν[οχ]ος ἔ[στω] | ἡ ἱέρεια τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιτιμίοις. ἀναγράψαι δὲ τόδε τὸ ψήφισμα τ[ὸν] || γραμματέα εἰς στήλην λιθίνην καὶ στῆσαι ἐν τῶι ἱερῶι. vac. | ἐπὶ Σωνίκου ἄρχοντος· Μουνιχιῶνος ἀγορᾶι κυρίαι· | ἔδοξεν τοῖς ὀργεῶσιν· [Κλ]έϊππος Αἰξωνεὺς εἶπεν· | ἐπειδὴ Μητροδώρα ἀ[ξι]ωθεῖσα ὑπὸ τῆς ἱερείας Ἀριστ[ο]|δίκης τῆς γενομένης ἐπὶ Ἱπ<π>άκου ἄρχοντος ὥστε ζακο||ρεῦσαι καὶ συνδιεξαγαγεῖν μετ’ αὐτῆς τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ἐπέ|δωκεν αὑτὴν καὶ συνδιεξῆγαγεν καλῶς καὶ εὐσχημόνως | καὶ εὐσεβῶς τὰ πρὸς τὴν θεὸν καὶ ἀνέγκλητον αὑτὴν παρε|σκεύασεν [τ]αῖς τε ἰερείαις καὶ τοῖς ὀργεῶσιν, κατὰ ταὐτὰ δὲ [κ]αὶ | ἐπὶ Σωνίκου ἄ[ρχον]τ[ο]ς γενομένη<ς> ἱερείας Σιμάλης καὶ ἀξι||ωσά[σης] ἐπιχωρῆσαι ἑαυτῆι τοὺς ὀργεῶνας ὥστε καταστ[ῆ]|σαι ζάκορον Μητροδώραν καὶ ἐπιχωρησάντων αὐτῆι καὶ ταύ|τηι συνδιεξήγαγεν τὴν ἱερωσύνην καλῶς καὶ εὐσχημό|νως καὶ εὐσεβῶς τά τε πρὸς τὴν θεὸν καὶ τὰς ἱερέας καὶ τ[ο]ὺς <ὀργεῶνας>· | δι’ ὃ κ̣α̣ὶ φιλοτειμοῦνται αἱ ἱέρειαι τοῦ κατασταθῆναι αὐτὴ[ν] || διὰ βίου ζάκορον τεῖ θεῶι· ὅπως ἂν οὖν φαίνωνται π[λ]είστ[ην] | πρόνοιαν ποιούμενοι τῆς θεοῦ καὶ ἔχηι αὐτ[οῖς] καλῶς καὶ εὐσ[ε]|[βῶς τὰ κατὰ τ]ὴν θεόν, ἀγαθεῖ τύχει δεδόχθαι τοῖς ὀργεῶσιν, | [τ]ὰ μὲν ἄλλα πάν̣τα π̣[ράττ]ειν κατὰ τὸ ψήφισμα ὃ Σίμων Πόριος | εἶπεν, καταστῆσαι [δ]ὲ τοὺς ὀργεῶνας ζάκορον τεῖ θεῶι διὰ [βίου] || Μητροδώραν καὶ λειτουργεῖν αὐτ[ὴν] ἀεὶ ταῖς γινομέναις | ἱερείαις παρεχομένην τὴν χρείαν καλῶς καὶ εὐσχημόνως | καὶ φροντίζουσαν ὅπως εὐσεβῶς ἔχηι τὰ κατὰ τὴν θεὸν κα[θὼς] | ἡ μήτηρ αὐτῆς Εὔα[ξ]ις διετέλεσεν τοῦτο πράττουσα. ἀναγράψαι | δὲ τόδε τὸ ψήφισμα τὸν γραμματέα εἰς τὴν στήλην τῶν ὀργεών[ων].

Item added: September 17, 2012
Item modified: April 6, 2020
ID number: 3102
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=3102

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