The Archaeological Exploration of Sardis

Inscription in the Manisa Museum. (From Malay, Inscriptions in the Manisa Museum, fig. 56.)

Inscribed Stele: Votive Dedication to Men Kamarites, Pluto and Kore, by Apelles, son of Apelles

Monograph 14: Sardis: Greek and Latin Inscriptions, Part II: Finds from 1958 to 2017 (2019) Cat. 452

Date

“First or second century A.D.” (Malay)., Roman

Museum

Manisa, Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum

Museum Inventory No.

Sardis or Museum Inv. No.

Manisa (M14 No. 452)

Material

Marble, Stone

Object Type

Stele, Inscription

Inscription Type

Religious Inscription

Inscription language

Greek

Inscription Text

		[Ἀ]πελλῆς Ἀπελλήου̣ς̣
		[Μ]ηνὶ Καμαρίτῃ καὶ
		[Πλ]ούτωνι καὶ Κόρῃ εὐ-
	4	[χή]ν, ὅτι μοι ἐπήκουσαν
			πάντα.

Inscription Translation

“Apelles, son of Apelles, (has erected this stele) as ex-voto for Men Kamarites, Pluto and Kore, because they have granted me everything (I had asked for).”

Inscription Comment

Site

Allahdiyen

Findspot

From Allahdiyen (according to the museum inventory). Because of the gods Men Kamarites, Kore, and Pluto, who are attested in Nysa, Malay considered “a place close to Nysa” as the real provenance (similarly De Hoz, Kulte, p. 16 n. 75). For Allahdiyen as a possible location of Kore’s sanctuary, see no. 691, 1–2 comm.; it therefore seems that the information of the museum inventory is correct.

Description

“Marble stele with triangular pediment and tenon”. “Above the inscription is represented a winged Nike carrying a palm-branch” (Malay).

Dimensions

H. 0.58, W. 0.25, Th. 0.08, H. of letters 0.01

Comments

1 Ἀπελλήου̣ς̣: The photo confirms Malay’s restoration Ἀπελλήο[υς]; for various forms of the genitive of this name see no. 618, 4–5 comm.

2–3 For the deities see Malay’s commentary and my article quoted in no. 691. It seems that, apart from the present inscription, Men Kamarites is only attested numismatically in Nysa (BMC Lydia 177).

4–5 The addressees of the dedication had fulfilled Apelles’s prayers in every respect; that means that they had probably helped him to a victory (see the relief: “a symbol of victory of gods over evil or death,” Malay).

See Also

Bibliography

Malay, Manisa Museum, pp. 67–68, no. 165, pl. 23, fig. 56 (De Hoz, Kulte, p. 212, no. 35.2).

Author

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