I culti civici dei sovrani ellenistici nelle poleis della Ionia d'Asia (323 - 133a.C.) : Uno studio documentale

The dissertation examines the cults that the Ionian poleis belonging to the Ionian koinon and the koinon itself dedicated - or may have dedicated - to Hellenistic rulers between 323 and about 133 BC, from the death of Alexander the Great to that of Attalos III of Pergamon. It builds upon C. Habicht’s study Gottmenschentum und griechische Städte, but with a focus on a specific geographical region and dealing with a partly different chronological period. All available sources attesting to these cults have been collected, translated and studied in detail. A total of fifty-three testimonies were gathered, consisting mainly of inscriptions: civic decrees establishing cults, dedicatory inscriptions and a significant number of documents that briefly mention cultic honours. A total of more than thirty civic cults were identified. However, the number could reach approximately forty when considering uncertain cases. The analysis of the various cults has been guided by the sources themselves, thus avoiding a schematic approach. This method sometimes permitted the exploration of aspects that had been underappreciated in the study of individual cults. Furthermore, the analysis of specific cults has brought to light various issues, many of which reach beyond the geographical boundaries of the study and take on broader significance. The analysis of the sources has led to the emergence of two thematic threads. The first concerns the relationship between civic and dynastic levels, with particular reference to the dynamics between the cultic practices of local communities and those of the ruling dynasties. The second thread focuses on the dynamics of the survival and extinction of these cults: they were not simply maintained or abolished, but underwent various processes that led to their modification, adaptation, or complete disappearance over time. At the outset of this study, the question was raised as to whether a systematic analysis of the available sources might reveal differences in the propensity of Ionian communities to engage in the cultic honouring of Hellenistic rulers. The fragmentary nature of the documentation precludes the drawing of definitive conclusions, but the findings suggest that these communities may have exhibited varying levels of inclination towards such practices. In conclusion, a history of the Ionian civic cults is sketched, which highlights how the political events at the dynastic level were reflected in the cultic practices of these communities.