Die Neoi und das Temenos des Dionysas. Eine hellenistische Pachturkunde aus Teos

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Die Neoi und das Temenos des Dionysas. Eine hellenistische Pachturkunde aus Teos

Journal Title: Philia: International Journal of Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Year 2018, Vol 4, Issue

Abstract

Excavations in the Ionian city of Teos in August 2016 brought to light a wellpreserved Hellenistic stele near the temple of Dionysos. Its inscription apparently summarises the most important points of a lease agreement concluded between the neoi (as lessors) and a private person (Demetrios, son of Apollonios, the lessee) about the use of a temenos. The neoi were the owners of the sacred precinct with an altar and at least one building in it. They inherited the estate from a benefactor, whose name is given as Dionysas. A heroic cult was created for the donator and three-day celebrations together with sacrifices were held in the temenos in spring every year. The inscription also mentions a place where torches were kept (lampadeîon) and which could be connected with said celebrations for the heros Dionysas. From other inscriptions such as the gymnasiarchal law of Beroia or I.Iasos 23 we know that the neoi there had their own funds, but the Teos inscription goes further insofar as it shows the neoi acting as a legal body. Another new feature is the fact that the neoi had prostatai. The title must be related to, or borrowed from, the prostatai of the Teian symmories. It suggests that the body of the neoi was a civic institution, not just a loose association, because they were organised on a civic model. One might compare them to those members of the neoi who in other cities were responsible for what Gauthier called a ‘démarche’ to the boule, as they, for example, formally made proposals for someone to be honoured. The temenos was leased out for an indefinite period of time (εἰς ἀεί, l. 5). The annual rent (150 drachmai) is called ἄτμενον, a rare word (adjective) related to ἀτμήν meaning «slave» or «servant» and, as far as we can see, hitherto unattested with the meaning it has in our inscription. From the neoi’s perspective the annual rent was indeed a kind of ‘servant’ or ‘slave’ of the capital value of the property. The neoi were the owners of the temenos which earned them a regular annual income of 150 drachmai. Most of the inscription is concerned with the lessee’s duties. He had to conduct repair and maintenance work on the building(s) in the temenos, but their connection with the actual contract is not clear at all. The condition of the building(s) and of the inventory in the temenos was checked annually by a commission appointed by the neoi. Under certain circumstances the neoi could terminate the lease agreement. Important information about the whereabouts of the temenos (was it located outside or inside of the city?) and the economic activities that took place within it (was it used for agricultural or manufacturing purposes?) goes unmentioned, since the inscription is only a kind of protocol. All details of the lease agreement were presumably written down in a separate document (συνγραφή) mentioned in line 13.

Authors and Affiliations

Mustafa Adak, Konrad Stauner

Keywords

Teos; neoi gymnasion leasing agreement temenos Heros lampadeion Dionysas timouchoi

EP ID EP428863
DOI -
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