Syll 1133 : Translation of inscription (original) (raw)

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Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum: 1133

DEDICATION BY PTOLEMAIOS AND KALLISTION IN DELOS

Greek text: IDelos_2072
Date: 115/4 B.C.
Format: see key to translations

This inscription provides an intriguing glimpse of the cosmopolitan worshippers of Egyptian gods on the island of Delos. Ptolemaios came from Crete, where there was an established cult of Tyche Protogeneia (see OGIS_119 ); and in Delos that goddess was further associated with Isis.

The lack of much other information makes it difficult to know the exact relationship between Ptolemaios' title 'aretalogos' and the 'aretalogies' of Isis which appear in several inscriptions ( see for instance the Cyme Aretalogy ). There is a discussion of this term 'aretalogos' by A. Jördens in "Shifting Social Imaginaries in the Hellenistic Period", pp.145-147 ( Google Books ).


Ptolemaios of Polyrrhenia, the son of Dionysios, dream-interpreter and aretalogos, and his wife Kallistion of Antioch, the daughter of Marsyas, [dedicated this] to Isis Tyche Protogeneia, on behalf of the people of Athens, when Gaios of Acharnai was priest.

inscription 1157


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