Dedication of a statue of Kore
created: Transcription (Reynolds).
source date: Late second to early third centuries CE
language: ar; en; fr; de; grc; grc-Latn; el; he

Bibliography

[...], 23-4 (the statue); [...], 455-6 (the statue), 462-3 (the text); [...] 35.1721, [...] 1985.844; [...], A.41.

Ἑλβία Τειμαρέτα κατ’ ὄναρ χρηϲμόν λαβοῦϲα ἀνέθηκε Δήμητρι καὶ Κόρηι Κόρηϲ ἄγαλμα τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ ϲείτου

Helvia Timareta, having received an oracle in a dream, dedicated to Demeter and Kore the statue of Kore, the Kore who presides over the wheat

Commentary

Helvia Timareta probably belonged to the family of Helvius Rufus, a clerk of the city of Cyrene who died in CE 89-90 (C.607); the family may be one of Italian immigrants to Cyrene but could, alternatively, be Greek recipients of Roman citizenship at a comparatively early date. She uses the koine dialect normal in the city by the mid second century CE

The receipt of divine instructions in dreams is a quite common feature in the ancient world. Also common is the dedication of a statue of one deity to another. It was more normal to regard Demeter as the Goddess who presided over the corn than Kore (although she is of course widely associated with corn). The formula used for her position is not a common one and recalls the Greek title of the Roman praefectus annonae (ὁ ἐπὶ τοῦ σίτου).

The reason for the dedication is not stated but might well be the occasion of an especially good harvest.