Gephyra (May 2021)
New Inscriptions from Aloanda in Lycia
Abstract
This paper introduces two new Greek inscriptions from Asarcık, the ancient name of which can now securely be acknowledged as Aloanda, in western Lycia. Inscription no.1 documents the foundation of a certain Pokomas, son of Ermedepimis, dating from the Hellenistic period. The nature of Pokomas’ foundation is not entirely clear as the text is not fully preserved, but we read in the remaining parts of the text inscribed on four sides of the block that every year 5 brabeutai shall be elected and handed over a certain amount of money. It can be assumed that these brabeutai were responsible for the organisation of annual sacrifices, from which Pokomas and after Pokomas’ death his descendants were to receive an honorary share, and feasts mentioned on Face C. It is possible that Pokomas’ foundation also included an agon as can be inferred from several hints in the text. Pokomas was apparently a prominent figure and benefactor at Aloanda, which is indicated by the proclamation in the potos that Pokomas is crowned by the demos of Aloandeans with a wreath of olive branch. This proclamation also indicates that Pokomas’ foundation had public benefit, and therefore, even though the scale or the context of the sacrificial festivities to be held under Pokomas’ foundation is not clarified in the preserved text, it is possible that these were public events. Yet, alongside this public benefit, Pokomas may explicitly have founded these events or rituals for the commemoration of himself and his family in eternity. Inscription no. 2 is the epitaph of a certain Trokondas, son of Apollonios, set up by his father, his wife and children, also dating from the Hellenistic period.
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