Personal protection and tailor-made deities: the use of individual epithets

The use of epithets was a fundamental component of Greek polytheism. The present study brings attention to a small subgroup of such divine bynames, referred to as individual epithets because they stem from the names of mortal individuals. The function of these epithets is to designate a deity specifically concerned with the individual in question, thereby providing a close relationship and personal benefits for the eponymous worshipper and his or her close kin. The article exemplifies the phenomenon through the investigation of a goddess Isis Aphrodite Dikaia identified in Hellenistic Delos. Through the epithet Dikaia, two Athenian brothers, Dikaios and Asklepiades, sons of Dikaios, intimately tie the deity to themselves and their family. It is moreover proposed that a positioning of the epithet in its historical and physical context furthers our understanding of its origins and significance.L’usage des épithètes était une composante fondamentale du polythéisme grec. Cet article se penche sur un petit groupe de surnoms de ce genre, que l’on appelle des épithètes individuelles, dans la mesure où elles dérivent du nom d’individus mortels. Ces épithètes ont pour fonction de montrer qu’une divinité est particulièrement concernée par l’individu en question, fournissant dès lors une relation étroite et des bienfaits personnels pour le fidèle éponyme et sa famille proche. L’étude illustre le phénomène en investigant la déesse Isis Aphrodite Dikaia que l’on rencontre dans la Délos hellénistique. Par l’épithète Dikaia, deux frères athéniens, Dikaios et Asklépiadès, fils de Dikaios, associent intimement la divinité à eux-mêmes et à leur famille. Il est en outre proposé qu’un replacement de l’épithète dans son contexte historique et physique approfondit notre compréhension de ses origines et de sa signification

Outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis capsular group W among scouts returning from the World Scout Jamboree, Japan, 2015

The 23rd World Scout Jamboree was held in Japan from 28 July to 8 August 2015 and was attended by over 33,000 scouts from 162 countries. An outbreak of invasive meningococcal disease capsular group W was investigated among participants, with four confirmed cases identified in Scotland, who were all associated with one particular scout unit, and two confirmed cases in Sweden; molecular testing showed the same strain to be responsible for illness in both countries. The report describes the public health action taken to prevent further cases and the different decisions reached with respect to how wide to extend the offer of chemoprophylaxis in the two countries; in Scotland, chemoprophylaxis was offered to the unit of 40 participants to which the four cases belonged and to other close contacts of cases, while in Sweden chemoprophylaxis was offered to all those returning from the Jamboree. The report also describes the international collaboration and communication required to investigate and manage such multinational outbreaks in a timely manner

A study of dedications to Aphrodite from Greek magistrates

Through the identification of a series of inscriptions, mainly datable to the Hellenistic era, a link between Aphrodite and the civic life and administration of the Greek poleis has come to light. The inscriptions in question are dedications to Aphrodite through which magistrates of various cities and varying status express their devotion to the goddess. In certain dedications, the goddess is even invoked by an epithet specifically alluding to a public office. Taking these dedications as its point of departure, the present study analyses Aphrodite’s role as a goddess honoured by magistrates. The present study examines 62 preserved examples of ‘magistral’ dedications, i.e., votive inscriptions from magistrates to Aphrodite or dedications that invoke the goddess by epithets alluding to a magistracy. An analysis of this material shows that magistrates’ worship of Aphrodite existed on a Pan-Hellenic level and that most of the dedications can be dated to the Hellenistic period. It also suggests that these dedications were meant for a very specific goddess: not a protectress of magistrates in general, but a protective deity of defined smaller groups of magistrates or single holders of magistracies. The phenomenon is at its most apparent when the goddess is honoured by epithets created from the titles of the magistrates themselves, e.g., Epistasie, Nomophylakis and Stratagis. The dedications from magistrates to Aphrodite are also studied against the background of dedications to Aphrodite in general as well as magistrates’ dedications to deities other than Aphrodite. A comparison between the chronological and geographical distribution of the core inscriptions and the background material indicates that Aphrodite’s role as a protectress of magistrates was a development in the goddess’ cult, probably begun in the fourth century BC but most apparent in the Hellenistic period. The perspective offered by the background inscriptions also shows that Aphrodite was not the only deity approached by magistrates but that she became highly popular, however, as the recipient of their dedications in the Hellenistic period. Earlier explanations for magistrates’ devotion to Aphrodite have referred to ‘internal’ characteristics of the goddess, e.g., Aphrodite being a goddess of concord. The connections between Aphrodite and concord/homonoia in cult can be shown to be less self-evident than previously thought. The present study instead proposes to seek the reasons for Aphrodite as a protectress of magistrates in the ‘external’ historical and religious context. The present study suggests that magistrates’ worship of Aphrodite can be seen as an expression of two general trends in Hellenistic religious concerns: the search for protection and for individualism. Furthermore, Aphrodite’s strong associations with Hermes, otherwise the most popular god in the studied material, might also have affected her development into a magistrates’ goddess. Finally, most magistrates’ dedications to Aphrodite were presented in a world politically dominated by Rome, and thus the idea of Aphrodite as the ancestress of the Romans might have been a factor strengthening her popularity as a goddess worshipped by officials. In the Hellenistic period, myths and legends were frequently used as diplomatic tools, and a dedication to Aphrodite in these circumstances would also have been a votive to the ancestress of the Roman people

Demand and Supply? The Character of Aphrodite in the light of inscribed votive gifts

Many studies indicate the complex character of Aphrodite. In spite of this the goddess is often pictured as a deity restricted to women’s religion and the private sphere of Greek life. A study of dedications presented to the goddess quickly changes this image. Men surely honoured Aphrodite, often even worshipping the goddess in their roles as magistrates, i.e., as actors on the public scene. It can however be noted that these latter dedications often were erected outside the goddess’ sanctuaries, for example in the agora: a space more connected to the donor than the recipient deity. Likewise, officials honouring Aphrodite often did so calling her by epithets derived from their professional titles: this practice again draws attention to the dedicator. Focusing on dedications presented to Aphrodite by magistrates, this paper examines Aphrodite’s image as mirrored in inscribed dedications, set in a chronological perspective. It is argued that over time, a development in the composition of the character and abilities of Aphrodite can be observed and that the dedicators could affect this development. The nature of a deity could respond to the demands of her worshipers.Beaucoup d’études soulignent le caractère complexe d’Aphrodite. En dépit de cela, la déesse est souvent décrite comme une divinité limitée à la religion des femmes et à la sphère privée. Une étude des dédicaces offertes à la déesse change rapidement cette image. Les hommes ont assurément honoré Aphrodite, notamment dans le cadre de leur fonction de magistrats, c’est-à-dire comme acteurs sur la scène publique. On peut cependant noter que ces dernières dédicaces ont souvent été érigées en dehors des sanctuaires de la déesse, par exemple sur l’agora — un espace davantage lié au donateur qu’à la divinité bénéficiaire. De même, les personnages officiels qui honoraient Aphrodite associaient souvent son nom à des épithètes dérivées de leurs titres professionnels : cette pratique attire à nouveau l’attention sur le dédicant. En se concentrant sur des dédicaces offertes à Aphrodite par des magistrats, cet article examine l’image d’Aphrodite reflétée par ces inscriptions, présentées dans une perspective chronologique. Avec le temps, on peut observer une évolution dans la constitution du caractère et des attributs d’Aphrodite, et les donateurs pouvaient affecter ce développement : la nature d’une divinité pouvait ainsi répondre aux exigences de ses dédicants

Dedications to Double Deities

Dans les corpus épigraphiques grecs apparaissent des dédicaces à des divinités que l’on pourrait appeler « composites » ou « doubles », e.g. Isis Aphrodite. Des dieux « composites » internes à la culture grecque sont également attestés, comme Héra Aphrodite à Sparte ou Zeus Arès en Arcadie. L’objectif de cette étude est d’analyser trois cas où des dieux de cultures différentes sont combinés, en des exemples complexes qui incluent des épiclèses. Ces cas proviennent de la Délos hellénistique : Astarté Palaistine Aphrodite Ourania attestée deux fois (dans un des deux cas, elle est aussi Epekoos) et Isis Soteira Astarte Aphrodite Euploia Epekoos, une déesse cultuellement associée au regroupement masculin Éros Harpocrate Apollon. Comme on peut s’y attendre, ces divinités ont souvent été qualifiées de « syncrétiques » et conçues comme le produit de processus de mise en parallèle, d’assimilation, d’identification, ou même simplement de traduction de divinités d’une culture à l’autre. L’article examine cette terminologie et tente de caractériser ces divinités d’une manière plus spécifique. Il s’avère que, davantage que des « dieux syncrétiques », nous devons plutôt aborder l’attitude « syncrétique » des dédicants et le milieu « syncrétique » dans lequel ils vivent.In the Greek epigraphical corpus can be identified a number of dedications to what we might call composite, or double, deities, e.g., Isis Aphrodite. Related non-cross-cultural composites gods can also be found, such as Hera Aphrodite of Sparta,or Zeus Ares of Arcadia. The focus of this paper is however three cases where gods of different cultures are combined. I will primarily examine three elaborate examples, which include cult epithets. These case studies come from Hellenistic Delos: the paper discusses the twice attested goddess Astarte Palaistine Aphrodite Ourania (in one case further specified as Epekoos) and the once attested Isis Soteira Astarte Aphrodite Euploia Epekoos, a goddess joined in worship to the male mixture Eros Harpokrates Apollon. As might be expected, these deities have often been termed syncretistic gods and they have been discussed as the results of processes of parallelization, assimilation, identification, or even simply of translations of gods of one culture to those of another. The present paper examines this terminology and tries to characterize the divinities in question in a more specific way. I argue that perhaps rather than syncretistic gods, in these circumstances we should discuss the syncretistic behaviour of the dedicators and the syncretistic milieu in which they lived

Religion and family politics in Hellenistic Kalaureia. Three new inscriptions from the sanctuary of Poseidon

This article presents three unpublished Hellenistic inscriptions from the sanctuary of Poseidon in Kalaureia (modern Poros): two found during archaeological excavations on the site and one recorded in a letter that was once part of Ioannis Kapodistrias’ official correspondence. All three inscriptions were dedicatory and carved on bases supporting portrait statues. Interestingly, they were offered to Poseidon by members of a single family already known from other documents in the Kalaureian epigraphic corpus. Remarkably, eight out of the 18 inscriptions discovered in Kalaureia make repeated references to men and women of this very family, which appears to have materially dominated Poseidon’s temenos and its environs during the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC through the careful placement of portraits of its members. Most of these statues were conspicuously placed by the entrance to the sanctuary, though at least one of them was erected inside of the god’s temple. In our article, we present in detail the three new inscriptions, one of them an epigram, and attempt an analysis of the religious behaviour of this prominent local family against the background of contemporary sociopolitical development

Dedications from the dead: the strange case of Hermes Chthonios

No abstract available

Dedications from the dead: the strange case of Hermes Chthonios

No abstract available