Ancient People, Places, Dates
Shipley, The Greek World after Alexander, pp. 153ff.
Bugh, ed., The Cambridge Companion to the Hellenistic World, ch. 10, “Greek Religion: Continuity and Change in the Hellenistic Period”
N.B. Erskine, ed., A Companion to the Hellenistic World, ch. 25, “The Divinity of Hellenistic Rulers”
E. Badian, “The Deification of Alexander the Great”,
R.S. Bagnall and P. Derow, Greek Historical Documents: the Hellenistic Period .
E. Bevan, “The Deification of Kings in the Greek Cities”
E.R. Boak, “The theoretical basis of the Deification of Rulers in Antiquity”
A.B. Bosworth, Conquest &Empire.
J.J. Farber, “The Cyropaedia and Hellenistic Kingship”
J. Ferguson, The Heritage of Hellenism
R.L. Fox, Pagans and Christians.
P.M. Frazer, Ptolemaic Alexandria
M. Hadas, Hellenistic Culture
H. Haerens, “Soter et soteria”
J.R. Hamilton, “The Origins of Ruler Cult”
P. Harding, From the End of the Peloponnesian War to the battle of Ipsus.
A.D. Nock, variously: Hellenistic Religion: the Two Stages.
F.E. Peters, The Harvest of Hellenism.
M. Rostovtzeff, J.H.S. 1935
S. Rowell: “The Alexander Cult and Ptolemaic Ruler-Worship”, Ancient History, vol. 19.2, 1989,
W.W. Tarn and G.T. Griffith, Hellenistic Civilisation
J. Tondriau, “Comparison and Identification of Rulers with Deities in the Hellenistic Period”
F.W. Walbank, The Hellenistic World
[---] indicates an unknown number of letters missing
[words] indicates words missing from the stone and reconstructed by modern scholars
words indicates that the words are still partially visible on the stone.
(1)
Decree of the League of the Islanders establishing a ‘Demetreia’ on Delos, c. 306-5.
The translation is adapted from that of P. Harding, From the End of the Peloponnesian War to the Battle of Ipsus, Cambridge, 1985, Document 136.
[--] the Greeks. [Honours shall be given by the League of the] Islanders worthily in accordance with its ability [to Demetrios] with honours that befit him.
There shall be celebrated [by them on] Delos every second year the festival [of the An]tigone[i]a that they now celebrate, and in [every other] (year
there shall be celebrated) [a sacrifice] and games and a convention (to which) they have given the name [Dem]e[tr]ie[i]a, and delegates shall be sent
[to] these just as they are sent to the [Antigoneia], and [the] preparation of the sacrificial victims and [--] and the hiring of the craftsmen [--] of the prizes
for the [Demetrieia from the] common monies in accordance with [the contribution] that exists at present for the Islanders for the sake of [the Antigo]neia;
and if any of the Islanders [do not pay] for these the contribution that has been imposed [--]
(The inscription here becomes incomprehensible. Translation resumes in line 35.)
When the cities [choose the] delegates who during the follow ing [year] are to attend the Demetrieia, [they shall contribute] the amount of money
that for the Antigone[ia] [was assessed]. Thought shall be taken and consideration given whence it shall be possible to provide [the] money from which
the Demetrieia shall be celebrated by them [for the] time hereafter. However these matters are managed [by themselves], that shall be final.
As for those who after this are sent out as delegates, in accordance with what was assessed [originally] they shall make [their] payments.
Inscription shall be made by the [delegates of this] decree and it shall be set up by the altar [of the] Kings.
2
Lysimachus is honoured with a cult at Priene, c. 286-5.
The translation is adapted from that of S.M. Burstein, The Hellenistic Age from the Battle of Ipsos to the Death of Kleopatra VII, Cambridge, 1985, Doc. 10.
For King [Lysimachos]:
Resolved by the People; decision [of the strategoi. Since] King Lysimachos in [previous times always] continued exercising care [for the people]
of the Prieneans and since now, by sending an army by land [against the Magnesians] and the other Pedieis, [he saved the] city, it has been resolved
by the People that there shall be chosen as ambassadors [from] all the citizens ten men, who, on meeting with him, shall give him the decree and congratulate
the king that he is well and that his army and his other affairs are faring as he wishes, and they shall make known the good will which the People continues
to have for King Lysimachos and they shall crown him with a [gold] wreath [made] from a thousand gold (staters). [The] People shall also erect a bronze
statue [of the king in the agora, and] they shall set up beside it [on the right ---] near [---] there shall also be established an altar for [him. And also sacrifices
shall be made each] year by [all] the [priests and priestesses throughout] the city and all the citizens shall wear wreaths, and both the priests and the board
of magistrates shall conduct a procession with all the citizens [on the birthday of King ] Lysimachos, [and] there shall [also] be present [---] and the
financial administrator shall give [for the offerings to the] sacrificers of the tribes [as much money as is also given for the] Panathenaia [--- ---]
of all the citizens [---] sacrifices yearly [---] shall perform the sacrifice [---] in the countryside each [---] altar shall be established and sacrificed for King ---.
3
Establishment of a Cult of Laodike, wife of Antiochus III
The translation is adapted from that of R.S. Bagnall and P. Derow, Greek Historical Documents: the Hellenistic Period, Scholar's Press, 1981, Doc. 131.
[Anaxim]brotos to Dionytas, greeting. Enclosed is the copy of the decree written by the king concerning the appointment of Berenike,
the daughter of Ptolemy son of Lysimachus, as chief-priestess of the queen in the satrapy. Carry out (the matter) according to the instructions,
just as he enjoins, and see to it that copies, inscribed on a stone stele, are set up in the most conspicuous place. Farewell.
Year 119, Artemisios 19. (May 9th, 193 B.C.)
King Antiochus to Anaximbrotos, greeting. As we desire to increase still further the honours of our sister Queen Laodike,
and as we think this most important for ourselves because she not only lives with us lovingly and considerately but is also reverently
disposed toward the divine, we continue to do lovingly the things which it is fitting and right for her to receive from us and we have
decided that just as there are appointed throughout the kingdom chief-priests of us, (so) there are to be established [in] the same districts
chief-priestesses of her also, who shall wear golden crowns bearing her [images] and who shall be mentioned in (the) contracts after the
chief-priests of our [ancestors] and of us. Since, therefore, in the districts under your administration Berenike, the daughter of our relative
Ptolemy son of Lysimachus, has been appointed, carry everything out according to what has been written above and have copies of the letters,
inscribed on stelae, set up in the most conspicuous places, so that both now and in the future there may be evident to all in these matters also
our policy toward our sister.