Chios (Northern islands, Aegean Islands — Pleiades map), I BCE
W. G. Forrest, "Some Inscriptions of Chios," ABSA 61 (1966) 197–206, at 198-200 (no. 3)
= IChiosMcCabe 82
= PHI 246467
= AGRW ID# 21392
Copenhagen Inventory info: 1927
Slab of grey, white-veined limestone (64 x 32 x 9.5 cm; letter height: 1.3 cm). Found built into the church of Panagia Chrysokephalos about 1 km south of Volissos on the road to Chora. This is a list of women involved in the dedication and/or adornment of a temple. However, it is not clear what type of group or organization these women may have belonged to (a board in a temple or a less institutional association) or whether they belonged to a ongoing group at all (i.e. they are donors without a continuing connection to one another). The translation below suggests that the four groupings were likely members or donors of specific groups under the leadership of the named cultic officials. It is possible that, instead of an indicator of belonging, that these are cases of the genitive of time, in which case this is a list of donations over time with an indication of who was in leadership at the temple in that period ( e.g. "When Theodosia daughter of Theodoros was female therapeutist and Theorodos son of Leokon was male therapeutist, etc."). Most often, the term "therapeutist" (here as a participle with an alternate spelling with a nu: e.g. therapneuousa) is encountered as a self-designation for members of associations or devotees of Asklepios or Egyptian deities (especially Sarapis – search "therapeutist" on this site for examples). But here it seems that only the leaders have this title. Overall, then, the nature of these groups remains uncertain, but the inscription is included here either because associations may be involved or because of the use of the "therapeutist" title (relevant to comparative study of associations).
(beginning lost, perhaps just one or two lines missing) . . .
The devotees belonging with (?) Name the priestess (?). . ., Theodosia daughter of Theodoros the female therapeutist (therapneuousa), and Theorodos son of Leokon the male therapeutist (therapneuōn), built (or: furnished) and further decorated the temple (hieron) from their own resources: Aspasia daughter of Derkylos, Thallousa daughter of Asklepiodoros, Diogenis daughter of Apollodoros, (10) Diaphanea daughter of Diaphanes, Megiste daughter of Diophantos.
The devotees belonging with (?) Pasios the sacred herald (hierokērux), Asklepiodora daughter of Zenis the female therapeutist, Hipparchos son of . . . Name the male therapeutist, and Nike daughter of Apollodoros the cultic role . . .: Popillia daughter of Marcus, Megiste daughter of Phesinos, Theodasia daughter of Artemidoros, (20) Laodike daughter of Demetrios.
The devotees belonging with (?) Asklepiodora the priestess (hierēteuousa): Hedea daughter of Seuthos, Paso daughter of Zenon, Porphyria (?) daughter of Name. . .
The devotees belonging with (?) Antheia (?) . . . the female therapeutist and Akestorides the male therapeutist: Lysilla daughter of Iollos . . . (remaining names lost).
Translation by: Harland
{beginning lost; perhaps just one or two lines missing} [— — —]|ού̣σης Να̣[․ca.5․] τῆ[ς θε]|[ραπν]ευούσης Θεοδοσία[ς] | [Θ]εοδώρου, θεραπνεύο[ντος] | [Θεο]δώρου τοῦ Λεω̣κῶν̣[τος] || [κ]ατεσκεύασαν καὶ προσ[εκόσ]|[μη]σαν τὸ ἱερὸν ἐκ τῶν ἰδί[ων] | Ἀ̣[σ]π̣ασία Δ[ε]ρ̣κύλου̣ | [Θα]λλοῦσα Ἀσκληπιοδώρου̣ | [Δι]όγενις Ἀπολλοδώρου || [Δια]φάνηα [Δι]αφάνους | Μεγίστη Διοφάντου· | ἱερο̣[κηρ]υ̣κεύοντος Πασίο[υ] | Ἀσκληπιοδώρα Ζήνιδο[ς] | θεραπνευούσης [․․]οσύνης τῆς [τοῦ] || θεραπνεύοντος Ἱππάρχου τοῦ [—] | Νίκη Ἀπολλοδώρου | Ποπίλλια Μάρκου | Μεγίστη Φησίνου | Θεοδοσία Ἀρτεμιδώρου || Λαοδίκη Δημητρίου | [ἱ]ερ̣ητευούσης Ἀσκληπιοδώρας | [Ἡ]δῆα Σ̣εύθου | Π̣ασὼ Ζήνωνος | [․․․]φ̣ι̣[․․]ΑΓ̣[․․]κίου || [θερα]π̣ν̣ευούσης ἈνΘ̣Γ̣[—] | [θερα]πνεύοντος Ἀκεστορ̣[ίδου] | [Λ]υσίλλα Ἰόλλου | {continuation lost}
Item added: January 11, 2016
Item modified: March 18, 2021
ID number: 21392
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=21392