Ephebic names
created: Transcription (Reynolds).
source date: First or early second century CE; b.ii: 25-26 CE
language: ar; en; fr; de; grc; grc-Latn; el; he

Bibliography

b.1 cited, [...] 39, whence [...], 1999.627

Θεομηδ[...]

[...]λαμα

[...]μαχος

[...]στπλλ

[...] απο

[...]πος ἔθος [...]

[...] Ἀρίμμαι

[...] Καρνήδαι

Θε[...]

[...] Σόφων ἔθος Φερετίμωι

ἔτους νϛ Ξένων Ἀριστίππω

Ἀμμ

Σῶσος

Θρασ[...]

νινν σ[...]

Σωτο[...]

[...]εροκλῆς

εειπ ιππι

Ἐμισαχθις

Apparatus

Translation

[I.a.i] Theomed[es. [I.i.b c] [Traces of names].

[II.a.i] . . .-]pos, customary companion [ . . . [II.a.ii] Arimmas [II.a.iii] Karnedas. [II.b.i] Sophon customary companion to Pheretimos. [II.b.ii] Year 56 Xenon son/friend of Aristippos. [II.b.iii, v] Traces of names. [II.b.iv] Sosos.

[III.i-iv] Traces of names. [III.v] Emisachthis

Commentary

For a general account of the dating see Reynolds (loc.cit.).

This is the first of several groups of texts found in the Gymnasium clearly cut by or for ephebes: T.27-T.34, T.37-T.49; also those on the internal face of the city wall which seems to have been utilised as the east wall of the gymnasium, T.84-T.214, and those on the north wall, T.50-T.82. For parallels see the texts on walls at Ptolemais, P.1-P.27, P.35-P.45. A number of blocks inscribed with similar graffiti have been found loose or re-used in late buildings at Taucheira; it is probable that all originated here and were dispersed when the gymnasium was dismantled in late antiquity. A number of the gymnasium graffiti are dated, the earliest certain date being CE 9/10 (T.145, T.163, T.186) and the latest CE 88/9 (T.196). Some among the undated instances show features in their letter-forms which might suggest a Hellenistic rather than a Roman date, but we feel little confidence in applying such criteria to these roughly-cut texts.

That the texts are ephebic and that the building was originally, therefore, a gymnasium, follow from the reference to ephebeia in some of these wreathed texts, see especially the γραμματεὺς τοῖς ἐφήβοις of T.210, but also specific references at T.44, T.45, T.74 and T.729. Close parallels for the wreaths within which the texts are cut exist at Ptolemais (see on P.167); outside the province there are ἐφήβοι οἱ στεφανωθέντες at Gela (IG XIV 256, at PHI 140558) . They must imply a victory won by ephebes. For some discussion of ephebic competitions see E. Zeibarth, Aus dem greichischen Schlwesen (2nd ed.) (Leipsig, 194) 136 f.; especially relevant is IG V.1.20 from Sparta (at PHI 30359) which includes among regulations for them the instruction ...τοὺς δὲ νεικήσαντας ἀναγράψουσιν οἱ γραμματεῖς ἐν τῷ γυμνασίῳ.

II a.i, b.i: This formula, with a name in the nominative case followed by ἔθος and a name in the genitive or dative is frequent at Teucheira: T.83, T.102, T.144, T.160, T.166, T.173, T.182, T.226, T.227, T.229, T.230, T.234, T.711, ἔθει T.83, or ἔθη T.95, T.136, T.143, T.170, T.241, T.708; we have found no exact parallel. Oliverio, on T.136, suggested that it might be equivalent to ὅς καί or an indication of adoption, but quite apart from linguistic considerations the case of the second name is against the former and the number of instances against the latter interpretation. We would connect it with the ephebic terms φίλος (see on P.9) συμπάλοι (P.40) and σύγκοιτος (see on P.3), used to indicate companions; συνήθεις is found at Pergamum, PHI 316727 and at Ancyra Sidera: οἱ συνήθεις φίλοι MAMA X.458, at PHI 269369. Compare the adjective ἐθάς used in this sense (Suda E 294: Ἐθάδας: συνήθεις, φίλους. Ἐθὰς ἡ εὐθεῖα) and the closely related ἠθεῖος (Hesychios, s.v.); but while the meaning seems clear, the use of the noun here is curious. There is perhaps a parallel in the use of ψυχή in a similar construction, in T.148.