Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

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

Imperial Decree and Letter Involving a Dionysiac Society (28/27 BCE) Kyme - Mysia and the Troad


Kyme (Mysia and the Troad, Asia Minor — Pleiades map), ca. 28/27 BCE
AGRW 103 = GRA 104 = IKyme 17 = N. Charbonnel, “À propos de l’inscription de Kymé et des pouvoirs d’Auguste dans les provinces au lendemain du reglèment de 27 av. n.è,” Revue internationale des droits de l'antiquité 26 (1979) 177-225 = SEG 18 (1962), no. 555 = PHI 268287 = AGRW ID# 277
Copenhagen Inventory info: 954


bibliography            

Slab of marble, now in the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden. Here an association devoted to Dionysos (Liber Pater) engages in diplomatic contacts with the Roman governor of Asia in order to have an imperial decree applied to its situation concerning a temple and meeting place. References to “the Noracean” and “the Tycallean” pertain to sub-divisions of Kyme.

Emperor Caesar Augustus, son of god, and Marcus Agrippa son of Lucius, consuls: If there are places owned by the People (dēmos) or temples in the cities or … in front of (?) … the cities of each province (or: district; eparcheia), and if there are or will be any dedications in these places, let … no one (?) … take these things, or buy them, or … sell them (?), or receive them as a gift.  Whatever has been taken, bought, or given as a gift, let … whoever is in charge (?) … of the district (or: province) consider it to be restored as … a place (?) … owned by the People or (10) a temple of the city.  And whatever object … may be given, let him not administer justice concerning this.

(L.) Vinicius, proconsul, sends greetings to the magistrates of Kyme.  Apollonides son of Lucius, Noracean, your citizen, has come to me and shown that the temple of Liber Pater is, through sale, a possession of Lysias son of Diogenes, Tycallean, your citizen.  Since the members of the society (thiaseitae = thiasitai) want to restore the sacred objects to the god as Augustus Caesar has ordered, after having paid the price written on the temple of Liber Pater by Lysias, I want you to see to it that, if this is true, (20) Lysias receives the price written on the temple and restores the temple to the god, and that the following is inscribed on it: “Restored by emperor Caesar Augustus, son of the deified Julius.”  But if Lysias disputes Apollonides’s claim, let Lysias give a security to ensure his appearance in court wherever I am.  I think it is proper for Lysias to offer the temple as security.

During the civic presidency of Phanites, (L.) Vinicius sends greetings to the leaders of the Kymaians. Apollonides son of Lucius, Noracean, a citizen of yours, came and indicated to me that the temple of Dionysos, through sale, is possessed by Lysias son of Diogenes, a citizen of yours, and since …

Translation by: Harland



(ivy crown)

[Α]ὐτοκράτωρ Καῖσαρ θεοῦ υἱὸς Σεβαστός, | [Μ]ᾶρκος Ἀγρίπας Λευκίου υἱὸς ὕπατοι vac. ἐ[νέχυρα] | [εἴ] τινες δημόσιοι τόποι ἢ ἱεροὶ ἐν πόλεσ[ιν ἢ πρὸ] | [π]όλεως ἑκάστης ἐπαρχείας εἰσὶν εἴτε τι[να ἀναθή]–||ματα τούτων τῶν τόπων εἰσὶν ἔσονταί τ[ε, μηδεὶς] | [τ]α̣ῦτα αἰρέτω μηδὲ ἀγοραζέτω μηδὲ ἀπο[διδόσθω] | [ἢ] δῶρον λαμβανέτω. ὃ ἂν ἐκεῖθεν ἀπενη[νεγμένον] | [ἠ]γορασμένον ἔν τε δώρῳ δεδομένον ᾖ, [ὃς ἂν ἐπὶ τῆς] | [ἐ]παρχείας ᾖ, ἀποκατασταθῆναι εἰς τὸν δημ[όσιον τόπον] || ἢ ἱερὸν τῆς πόλεως φροντιζέτω· καὶ ὃ ἂν χρ̣ῆ̣[μα — — —] | [․]ν̣ δοθῇ, τοῦτο μὴ δικαιοδοτείτωι. | [L.] Vinicius proc(consul) s(alutem) d(icit) mag(istratibus) Cumas. Apollonides L. f. No[race(us)] | [c(ivis) v(ester)] me adeit et demostravit Liberei Patris fanum nom[en] | [ven]ḍitiones possiderei ab Lusia Diogenis f. Tucalleus c(ive) [v(estro)], || [et c]ụm vellent thiaseitae sacra deo restituere iussu Au–|[gus]ti Caesaris pretio soluto quod est inscreiptum fano, | [prohi(?)]berei ab Lusia. e(go) v(olo) v(os) c(urare), sei ea ita sunt, utei Lusias quod | [est] positum pretium fano recipiat et restituat deo fa–|[num e]t in eo inscreibatur: Imp(erator) Caesar deivei f. Augustu[s] re[sti]–||[tuit. sei] autem Lusia contradeicit quae Apollonides pos[cit] | [esse vadi]monium, ei satisdato, ubi ego ero. Lusiam prom[ere (?)] | [magi]s vac. probo. vac. ἐπὶ πρυτάνεως Φανίτου· vac. | [Λεύκιος] Οὐινίκιος χαίρειν λέγει ἄρχουσι Κυμαίων· Ἀ[πολ]–|[λωνίδ]ης Λευκίου Νωρακεῖος πολείτης ὑμέτερο[ς μοι] || [προσῆλ]θεν καὶ ὑπέδειξεν Διονύσου ἱερὸν ὄνομ[α] | [πράσεις κ]α̣τ̣έ̣χ̣ε̣σθαι ὑπὸ Λυσίου τοῦ Διογένους [Τυκαλ]–|[λέως πολείτου ὑμετέρο]υ, καὶ ὅτε ἠβού[λοντο οἱ θιασεῖ]–|[ται — — —] | — — — — — —

Item added: November 5, 2011
Item modified: September 22, 2020
ID number: 277
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=277

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