Vow to Zeus Masphalatenos and Men Tiamou (171/172 CE)

Saittai area [Maionia] (Lydia, Asia Minor — Pleiades map), 171/172 CE
TAM V 537 = CMRDM I 54 = ILydiaHoz 39.68 = PHI 263961 = AGRW ID# 1209
Copenhagen Inventory info: 306

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Slab of marble with a relief of Men in Phrygian garb with his left foot on the head of a prostrate bull (left) and Zeus holding an eagle (right) (see image below). This seems to be the fulfillment of the vow ordered in TAM V 536. However, the god Men Tyrannos ("Ruler") is not mentioned at all, and Zeus is instead described with the adjective τυρράννος ("ruling"). There are 18 members of the association listed.

(relief of Men) (relief of Zeus)

The recently founded (neōtera) sacred association (synbiōsis) (or, possibly: the sacred association of younger men) made this vow according the command of the ruling lord Zeus Masphalatenos and Men Tiamou. Julianus son of Menekrates, Menekrates son of Diodoros, Dionoisios son of Papias, Hermogenes son of Hermippos, Lucius son of Onesimos, Diogenes son of Glykon, Diogenes son of Maximus, Trophimos son of Hermippos, Apollonios II, Theodoros II, Marcianus II, Menandros son of Hermogenes, Hermogenes son of Tatianos, Metrodoros son of Euelpistes, Asklepiades son of Marcianus, Asklepiades son of Dionoisios, Hermogenes son of Trophimos, Sabelos son of Hermogenes. This was done when Julianus and Hermogenes were supervising. Year 256 (of the Sullan era), 6th day of the month of Sebaste.

Translation by: Harland

ἱερὰ συνβίωσις καὶ νεωτέρα κατ’ ἐπι|ταγὴν τοῦ κοιρίου τυράννου Διὸς Μασ|[φ]αλατηνοῦ καὶ Μηνὶ Τιαμου εὐχὴν Ἰουλι|ανὸς Μενεκράτου, Μενεκράτης Διοδώ||ρου, Διονοίσιος Παπιου, Ἑρμογένης Ἑρ|μίππου, Λούκιος Ὀνησίμου, Διογένης | Γλύκωνος, Διογένης Μαξίμου, Τρόφιμο[ς] | Ἑρμίππου, Ἀπολλώνιος β', Θεόδωρος β', |Μαρκιανὸς β', Μένανδρος Ἑρμογένου, Ἑρ||μογένης Τατιανοῦ, Μητρόδωρος Εὐελπίσ|του, Ἀσκληπιάδης Μαρκιανοῦ, Ἀσκληπιά|δης Διονοισίου, Ἑρμογένης Τροφίμου, | Σ̣αβηλος Ἑρμογένου, ἐπιμελησαμένων | Ἰουλιανοῦ καὶ Ἑρμογένου. ἔτους σνϛ', μ(ηνὸς) ϛ' Σ̣(εβαστῇ).

TAM V 537: Relief of Men Tiamou and Zeus Masphalatenos.
Drawing from Salomon Reinach and Philippe Le Bas, Voyage archéologique en Grèce et en Asie Mineure (Paris: Firmin-Didot et Cie, 1888), plate 136 I.
Public domain.

TAM V 537: The Gods Men and Zeus. Drawing by George Keppel, Narrative of a Journey Across the Balcan (London, 1831) 2:349.
Public domain.

Item added: December 3, 2011
Item modified: October 9, 2020
ID number: 1209
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=1209

Category: d) Lydia, Dedication inscription, f) 2nd century CE, i) Images of monuments or buildings, Men, Vow / Prayer, Zeus

Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

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

Vow to Zeus Masphalatenos and Men Tiamou (171/172 CE) ║ Saittai area [Maionia] - Lydia

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