Marie-Kathrin Drauschke Die Aufstellung zwischenstaatlicher Vereinbarungen in griechischen Heiligtümern

About this book

The functional diversity of ancient Greek sanctuaries is attested not only by archaeological and literary evidence but also by a rich epigraphical tradition. The appearance of ancient cult sites was characterized by numerous inscriptions, some of them less immediately related to their respective installation site than others – among the former were a great number of interstate agreements such as sympolities, symmachies, arbitral rulings etc. The study aims at setting out and interpreting the practice of setting up inscribed interstate agreements in Greek sanctuaries from the beginnings until the late Hellenistic period. On the basis of the available evidence the study demonstrates a range of possibilities regarding the form and context of the installation of such documents as well as the choice of installation place.

Part of the study is a compilation of all relevant literary and epigraphic sources. By including literary sources and considering installation places named in the agreements themselves, the catalogue offers a comprehensive picture of the installation behavior. An analytical part discusses possible motives that may explain the placement of an inscribed political act in a sacred space; moreover, regional differences and possible changes over time are outlined. The study investigates whether a preference of certain cult places is discernable and if the choice of installation place was made according to certain criteria. The symbolic character of the inscriptions, their significance for the contracting partners and their value as both political and simultaneously sacred artefact are discussed. The functions of the sanctuaries as installation places that were both of religious importance and places of encounter are illuminated with regard to the overarching theme of the complex relationship between religion and politics that is characteristic for the ancient world. The study can thus contribute to a better grasp of the diverse roles of sanctuaries in interstate coexistence.