PHRC050 : Dedication to Arsinoe Philadelphos, Eretria - Euboea (270-240 BC) Dedication

This small plaque is the only specimen of dedication for Arsinoe Philadelphos from Euboea and from the western coast of the Aegean Sea. It probably belonged to a small altar used for the household cult of the deified queen, as suggested by its find spot which is situated within a Hellenistic house in the western neighbourhood of Eretria.

Permanent ID http://s.phrc.it/phrc050

Images

Photo 1: Photo of the stone, from Reber et al. 1998, photo 141
Photo 2: Plan of the Hellenistic House IV, from Reber et al. 1998, photo 138, with indication of the find spot of the inscription
Photo 3: Plan of the western neighbourhood of Eretria, Reber et al. 1998, photo 2
Photo 4: Aerial photo of the western neighbourhood of Eretria, from Reber et al. 1998, photo 3
Photo 5: Plan of the archaeological site of Eretria, from Reber et al. 1998, photo 1

Current location

Unknown

Support

Object Type: Slab

Complete, with worn-out edges

Material: Limestone

Dimensions:
Height: 18 cm
Width: 20 cm
Depth: cm

Layout

Text written in two lines occupying the upper part of the writing surface.

Clear, although somewhat cursorily cut letters, averagely of the same size, except for O which is smaller. Letter shape of the reign of Ptolemy II. A with horizontal, slightly bowed bar, Σ with diverging hastae, Φ with a slightly flattened circle. The hastae of N are somewhat curvy. Thickening at the end of hastae without apices.

Average letter height of 1.5 cm.

History

Original Place: Eretria, Hellenistic House IV

Date: Between 270 and 240 BC

Justification: Lettering and formulary

Provenance: Found in 1989 during the excavations of the southern section of the Hellenistic House IV, in the western neighrbourhood of Eretria. The stone was discovered in a small corridor between the 'Room with the well' and the 'Corner-room', in a point where the floor was broken.

Bibliography

Text constituted from: Reber 1990, p. 113 (SEG XL 763).

Other editions:

Edition

Ἀρσινόης
Φιλαδέλφου

Translation

(S. Caneva)
Of Arsinoe Philadelphos

Traduzione

(S. Caneva)
Di Arsinoe Philadelphos

Traduction

(S. Caneva)
D'Arsinoé Philadelphos

Commentary

This limestone plaque provides the only known specimen of a genitive dedication for Arsinoe Philadelphos from Euboea and, more generally, from the western coast of the Aegean Sea. This type of small plaque was attached to a cult facility, probably a small altar, to clarify that it belonged to the cult of the deified Ptolemaic queen. The interest of this dedication is that it was discovered during the excavation of the Hellenistic House IV, in the western neighbourhood of Eretria, pointing to a probable context of domestic cult for the queen. The household cult of Arsinoe II is well known in Alexandria, for which see in particular the fragment of a ritual regulation concerning the procession of Arsinoe Philaldephos quoted by Satyrus (P.Oxy. XXVII 2465, fr. 2), with commentary in Robert 1966; Caneva 2014a; Caneva 2020.

Author:

Stefano Caneva, on 19.12.2019

Revisions:

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