IRhamn 179 Council decree on the cult of Agdistis at Rhamnous

Council decree on the cult of Agdistis at Rhamnous

I Rhamnous 179 Date: 35/4-18/7 BC

To the gods. Servants (litourgoi): Supporter (hupostatēs) of [Agdistis]:^[1] Zenon (son of Zenon) of Antioch. Foster-father (epitithēnos) . . . : Nikias (son of Nikias) of Karystos. Ankon-bearer(s?) (ankonophor-): Chroto and Stratonike. Adamma : . . . (5) daughter of Dionysios of Miletos; Ankon-bearer and . . . ^[2] relief^[3] from the Metroon, with good fortune. In the archonship of Pammenes,^[4] fourth day of Mounichion. Xenophon of Thria proposed: since Zenon (son of Zenon) of Antioch, having made an approach (to the Council), demonstrates that he has served (lelitourgēkenai) in the sanctuary at Rhamnous (10) of Agdistis, and also in addition he has been consecrated (as priest) to these gods for a very long time, but now, being oppressed (epibaroumenos) by some people, he is prevented from his duty (para to kathēkon), and therefore he calls on the Council, which looks after piety (eusebeias) towards the gods, to take proper (kathēkousan) (15) care of him. For good fortune, the Council shall decide that Zenon (son of Zenon) of Antioch is allowed to serve (litourgein) the gods who are at Rhamnous, just as from the beginning, being stopped by no one^[5] . . .

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References:

I Rhamnous 179 (Translated text) (PHI)

SEG 50.2 (date)

Knoepfler, Trésor documentaire, 199-200

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Council)

Findspot: Athens, near Roman Agora (EM 12665)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This is a Council decree from the late first century BC regarding a religious association that worshipped Agdistis at Rhamnous. Agdistis was an alternative name for the goddess Kybele (the “Mother of the Gods” or “Magna Mater”), associated particularly with the sanctuary of Pessinous in Phrygia. Kybele was widely worshipped in the Greek world from the late sixth century BC onwards (see L. Roller, In Search of God the Mother, 1999, 143-262). In Athens, she had a sanctuary in the Agora, next door to the Council-house, known as the Metroon (see n. 5); another sanctuary at Agrai, which was associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries; and an active religious association in Piraeus from the fourth century BC (see IG II² 1273, IG II³ 4, 1337). The sanctuary of Agdistis at Rhamnous has been identified with a building located to the west of the theatre and stibadeion (V. Petrakos, Ergon 46, 1999, 18-21), where dedications to Agdistis have been found (I Rhamnous 506-7, cf. Knoepfler, 200). The findspot suggests that this stele was set up in Athens, not at Rhamnous; it is not clear why. On decrees of the Council and People in the period between the Sullan sack in 86 BC and the death of Augustus in AD 14, see I Rhamnous 423 with notes [2] The priestly personnel are all non-Athenians and their titles are obscure. The “supporter” (hypostates), Zenon of Antioch appears below as the public representative of the cult. The nature of the “foster-father ...” (epitithenos ...) is unknown; the title seems to have continued on the lost portion of the stele. Chresto and Stratonike, the two ankon-bearers probably carried the ankones (literally “elbows,” but here probably “treasures,” cf. LSJ) in processions; neither of them have ethnics, which may mean that they were slaves or freedwomen. Adamma is a variant form of the Phrygian name, Attis. In the Greek world, Attis was often worshiped as Agdistis/Kybele’s young male consort, but at Pessinous (and on Samothrace) it was the title of her chief priest. These Pessinountine priests, also known as Galli, were eunuchs and are often referred to in texts with feminine grammatical forms (Roller, 1999, 178). The Adamma in this inscription is also referred to with feminine forms and thus might be a priestess or a eunuch. In the second century AD, the cult of Agdistis at Rhamnous was administered by a single Athenian priestess (SEG 51.217). [3] The relief shows two large sprigs of myrtle with berries, facing one another. [4] Not the archon of 83/2 BC but his grandson who was a leading figure in Athens in the early Augustan period (see IG II³ 4, 10) and probably served as archon between 35/4-18/7 BC (SEG 50.2 = S. Follet, REG 113, 2000, 188-92), perhaps in the late 20s BC (Schmalz, Julio-Claudian Athens, 297-98, 320). [5] The worshippers of Agdistis have been prevented from celebrating their rites by "some people," whose identity and motivations are left vague. It may have been due to hostility to Agdistis' rites, which is attested in many Hellenistic sources (Roller, 1999, 227-32) or hostility to the association as foreigners (J. Pouilloux, Rhamnonte, 1954, 139-141), or for some other reason. The Council emphasises its traditional role in overseeing the administration of Attic cults (ll. 13-15, cf. IG II³ 1, 292 and Kourouniotes, no. 3 with notes), also stressed in other Post-Sullan decrees (IG II² 1046 and IG II³ 4, 1132a), as well as its particular connection with Kybele by mentioning that the document had been taken "from the Metroon" (l. 6), the sanctuary of Kybele, which was also the traditional meeting place of the Council and site of the Athenian archives.

Added: 12 Dec 2022
Updated: 31 Dec 2022
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