PHRC039 : Dedication to Arsinoe Philadelphos, Minoa (Amorgos) - Cyclades (270-240 BC) dedication

This block, originally inserted in an altar or in another structure related to the cult of Arsinoe Philadelphos, bears one of the three known dedications to this deified queen from Minoa. The use of a prestigious material such as marble is counterbalanced by the odd division of the epiclesis in two lines, which is typical of low-quality dedications for Arsinoe.

Current location

Archaeological Museum of Amorgos, Chora

Support

Object Type: Block

Broken on both sides.

Material: Marble

Dimensions:
Height: 18 cm
Width: 40 cm

Layout

Text written in two lines. The epiclesis has been separated between line 1 and 2 (cf. PHRC036 for a similar case).

Letter shape of the reign of Ptolemy II: see in particular the clearly divergent bars of Σ.

History

Original Place: Minoa

Date: Between 270 and 240 BC

Justification: Formulary and lettering

Provenance: Copied in a private house in Chora.

Bibliography

Text constituted from: IG XII 7, 263, following Weil 1876, p. 336, no. 5.

Other editions:

See also: Perdrizet 1896, p. 358, no. 2; Strack 1897, p. 223, no. 20; Caneva 2014, no. 51; Caneva 2020.

Images: Weil 1876, p. 336 (fac-simile).

Further bibliography: Caneva 2014, no. 50 and 52-53 for the other inscriptions from Amorgos.

Online record: PHI

Edition

Ἀρσινόης Φι -
λαδέλφου

Translation

(S. Caneva)
Of Arsinoe Philadelphos

Traduzione

(S. Caneva)
Di Arsinoe Philadelphos

Commentary

This inscription is one of the four dedications to Arsinoe Philadelphos from Amorgos (Caneva 2014, no. 50 from Arkesine; nos. 51-53 from Minoa), all of which are written on marble supports with the exception of one inscribed on a fragment of schist (Marangou 1994, p. 376; Caneva 2014, p. 96 and no. 35). While the schist slab has been discovered in the area of the sanctuary of Sarapis in Minoa, the other texts from this city have been recorded out of their archaeological contexts.

The block was probably meant to be inserted in an altar or in another structure to indicate that it belonged to the cult of Arsinoe. The separation of the epiclesis Philadelphos in two lines usually characterizes low quality dedications for the deified queen. The Aegean and Cypriot dossier of Arsinoe Philadelphos comprises other specimens whereby marble, usually a prestigious material, is used for small supports associated with roughly inscribed dedicatory texts (see commentary to PHRC030).

Author:

Stefano Caneva, on 26.02.2019

Revisions:

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