Eine Weihung an Herakles zu Ehren Ptolemaios‘ VI. Philometor. (original) (raw)

Weihungen an Apollon Didymeus und Apollon Milesios in Naukratis

Renate Bol – Ursula Höckmann – Patrick Schollmeyer (Hrsg.), Kult(ur)kontakte. Apollon in Milet/Didyma, Histria, Myus, Naukratis und auf Zypern. Akten des Table Ronde in Mainz vom 11.–12. März 2004, 2008

While studying the Archaic finds from Naucratis within the Research Unit 295 of DFG at Mainz University, the question of cult practices within this Greek emporion, and in particular votive practices, became an increasingly interesting aspect to us. Seen against the backdrop of some dedicatory inscriptions to Apollo Milesios on pottery vessels from Naucratis, the dedicatory inscription to Apollo Didymeus on a sherd of an Ionic cup with everted rim is discussed. According to Schlotzhauer the cup was produced in Southern Ionia, presumably in Miletos; he dates the cup, which was used during cult feasts, to 580 – 550 BC. Only one parallel dating from the Archaic period is known for both epithets and that is found on the inscribed bone plaque from Berezan, the predecessor settlement of the Milesian apoikia Olbia. Ehrhardt links both these epithets on the vessels from Naucratis to Apollo in Miletus and Didyma, in particular with the settlers that originally came from Miletus. In addition Ehrhardt and Höckmann demonstrate links between their cults, in particular the aspect of Apollo’s function as protector of young warriors. This aspect becomes evident in an unusually large number of kouros statuettes in Naucratis. Höckmann conjectures that they were votive dedications to Apollo. They are worked in the Cypro-Greek style. As large numbers of kouros statuettes of this same style from Ionia, and in particular from Eastern Doris are known, it is perhaps justifiable to assume that the dedicants were Greek merchants and mercenaries in the Pharaoh’s army. The presence of these mercenaries in Egypt is recorded on inscriptions from Abu Simbel and at other locations. It would seem that by these means the mercenaries offered thanks to their gods not just in Egypt, but also in their home cities on their return.

Herakles am Rand der Erde: Zu Soph. Tr. 98–101, in: Hermes 134, 2006, 239–245

Von Sophokles ist der Sinn „Sag uns, wo in den Winkeln der Meere oder wo am Rand der Erde er weilt“ intendiert worden. Zugrunde liegt die alte Vorstellung einer mehr oder weniger kreisrunden Landmasse, die aus zwei im Osten (am Kaukasus) zusammenhängenden Kontinenten besteht und vom Okeanos ringförmig umflossen wird. Der Wortlaut des v. 101 fordert, sich Herakles (von hoch oben gesehen) in jener Zone vorzustellen, wo ihm – abhängig von seiner momentanen Bewegungsrichtung – beide Kontinente zu einer seiner vier Körperseiten liegen.

Die ‘Geographie’ des Ptolemaios im Spiegel der griechischen Handschriften

2013

This volume taps into the heretofore scarcely leveraged potential offered by a codicological and paleographic approach to reconstruct the history of Ptolemy’s 'Geography'. The author presents many of the work’s manuscripts for the first time, and also provides a number of illuminating insights about the history of the reception of Ptolemy’s 'Geography'.