Email this article The Antigonids and the Ruler Cult. Global and Local Perspectives?
Abstract
Demetrius Poliorketes is considered by modern scholars the true founder of ruler cult. In particular the Athenians attributed him several divine honors between 307 and 290 BC. The ancient authors in general consider these honors in a negative perspective, while offering words of appreciation about an ideal sovereignty intended as a glorious form of servitude and embodied in Antigonus Gonatas, Demetrius Poliorketes’ son and heir. An analysis of the epigraphic evidences referring to this king leads to the conclusion that Antigonus Gonatas did not officially encourage the worship towards himself.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Andrei 1989 – O. Andrei, Introduzione, in Plutarco. Vite parallele. Demetrio e Antonio, a cura di O. Andrei - R. Scuderi, Milano 1989, 35-116.
Baron 2011 – Ch.A. Baron, The Delimitation of Fragments in Jacoby’s «FGrHist»: Some Examples from Duris of Samos, GRBS 51 (2011), 86-110.
Billows 1990 – R.A. Billows, Antigonos the One-Eyed and the Creation of the Hellenistic State, Berkeley - Los Angeles 1990.
Boiy 2007 – T. Boiy, Between High and Low: A Chronology of the Early Hellenistic Period (Oikoumene. Studien zur antiken Weltgeschichte 5), Frankfurt am Main 2007.
Bringmann - von Steuben 1995 – K. Bringmann - H. von Steuben, Schenkungen hellenistischer Herrscher an griechische Städte und Heiligtümer. 1. Zeugnisse und Kommentare, Berlin 1995.
Bruneau 1970 – P. Bruneau, Recherches sur les cultes de Délos à l’époque hellénistique et à l’époque impériale (BEFAR 217), Paris 1970.
Bruneau - Ducat 19833 – P. Bruneau - J. Ducat, Guide de Délos, Paris 19833.
Buraselis 1982 – K. Buraselis, Das hellenistische Makedonien und die Ägäis. Forschungen zur Politik des Kassandros und der drei ersten Antigoniden (Antigonos Monophthalmos, Demetrios Poliorketes und Antigonos Gonatas) im Ägäischen Meer und in Westkleinasien, München 1982.
Carney 2000 – E.D. Carney, Women and Monarchy in Macedonia, Norman (OK) 2000.
Champion 2007 – C.B. Champion, In Defense of Hellas. The Antigonid «Soteria » and «Paneia» at Delos and the Aetolian «Soteria» at Delphi, AJAH, n.s., 3-4 (2004-2005 [2007]), 72-88.
Chaniotis 2011 – A. Chaniotis, The Ithyphallic Hymn for Demetrios Poliorketes and Hellensitic Religious Mentality, in P.P. Iossif - A.S. Chankowsky - C.C. Lorber (eds.), More than Men, Less than Gods. Studies on Royal Cult and Imperial Worship (Studia Hellenistica 51), Leuven 2011, 157-195.
Cioccolo 1990 – S. Cioccolo, Enigmi dell’ἦθος: Antigono II Gonata in Plutarco e altrove, Studi ellenistici 3 (1990), 135-190.
Courby 1912 – F. Courby, Le portique d’Antigone ou du nord-est et les constructions voisines (Exploration archéologique de Délos faite par l’École Française d’Athènes 5), Paris 1912.
D’Agostini 2011 – M. D’Agostini, Filippo V e la Storia Romana di Appiano, Aevum 85 (2011), 99-121.
Domingo Gygax 2013 – M. Domingo Gygax, Gift-giving and Power Relationships in Greek Social Praxis and Public Discourse, in M.L. Satlow (ed.), The Gift in Antiquity, Malden (MA) - Oxford 2013, 45-60.
Dunand 2002 – F. Dunand, L’athéisme est-il vivable? Autour de l’hymne athénien à Démétrios Poliorcète, in G. Dorival - D. Pralon (éd.), Nier les dieux, nier dieu, Aix-en-Provence 2002, 69-80.
Durrbach 1904 – F. Durrbach, Fouilles de Délos (1902). Inscriptions, BCH 28 (1904), 93-190.
Durrbach 1907 – F. Durrbach, Ἀντιγόνεια, Δημητρίεια. Les origines de la Conféderation des Insulaires, BCH 31 (1907), 208-227.
Ehrenberg 1935 – V. Ehrenberg, Athenische Hymnus auf Demetrios Poliorketes, Die Antike 7 (1935), 279-295.
EKM 1.Beroia – L. Gounaropoulou - M.B. Hatzopoulos (eds.), Epigraphes Kato Makedonias (metaxy tou Vermiou orous kai tou Axiou potamou). Teuchos A'. Epigraphes Veroias, Athenai 1998.
Erskine 2014 – A. Erskine, Ruler Cult and the Early Hellenistic City, in H. Hauben - A. Meeus (eds.), The Age of the Successors and the Creation of the Hellenistic Kingdoms (323-276 BC) (Studia Hellenistica 53), Leuven 2014, 579-597.
Ferguson 1911 – W.S. Ferguson, Hellenistic Athens: An Historical Essay, London 1911.
Fraser 1958 – P. Fraser, Ruler-worship, CR 8 (1958), 153-156.
Gabbert 1997 – J.J. Gabbert, Antigonus II Gonatas. A Political Biography, London - New York 1997.
Gallo 2009 – L. Gallo, La lega dei Nesioti: le vicende storiche, in C. Ampolo (a cura di), Immagine e immagini della Sicilia e di altre isole del Mediterraneo antico, I, Pisa 2009, 335-339.
Geominy 1998 – W. Geominy, Zum Daochos-Weihgeschenk, Klio 80 (1998), 369-402.
Geominy 2007 – W. Geominy, The Daochos Monument at Delphi: The Style and Setting of a Family Portrait in Historic Dress, in P. Schultz - R. von den Hoff (eds.), Early Hellenistic Portraiture, Cambridge 2007, 84-98.
Green 1990 – P. Green, Alexander to Actium. The Historical Evolution of the Hellenistic Age (Hellenistic Culture and Society 1), Berkeley - Los Angeles 1990.
Grzybek 1993 – E. Grzybek, Eine Inschrift aus Beroea und Jahreszählweisen der Diadochen, in Ancient Macedonia V, Papers Read at the Fifth International Symposium Held in Thessaloniki 1989, Thessaloniki 1993, 521-527.
Haake 2011 – M. Haake, Antigonos II. Gonatas und der Nemsistempel in Rhamnous. Zur Semantik göttlicher Ehren für einen hellenistischen König an einem athenischen , in M. Haake - M. Jung (hrsgg.), Griechische Heiligtümer als Erinnerungsorte: von der Archaik bis in den Hellenismus, Stuttgart 2011, 109-127.
Habicht 1996 – Ch. Habicht, Divine Honours for King Antigonus Gonatas in Athens, SCI 15 (1996), 131-134.
Hauben 2010 – H. Hauben, Rhodes, the League of the Islanders and the Cult of Ptolemy I Soter, in A. Tamis - C.J. Mackie - S.G. Byrne (eds.), Philathenaios: Studies in Honour of M.J. Osborne, Athens 2010, 103-121.
Heckel 2006 – W. Heckel, Who’s Who in the Age of Alexander the Great. Prosopography of Alexander’s Empire, Oxford 2006.
Holton 2014 – J.R. Holton, Demetrios Poliorketes, Son of Poseidon and Aprhrodite: Cosmic and Memorial Significance in the Athenian Ithyphallic Hymn, Mnemosyne 67 (2014), 370-390.
Jacquemin - Laroche 2001 – A. Jacquemin - D. Laroche, Le monument de Daochos ou le trésor des Thessaliens, BCH 125 (2001), 305-332.
Kralli 2003 – I. Kralli, The Date and Context of Divine Honours for Antigonos Gonatas: A Suggestion, in O. Palagia - S.V. Tracy (eds.), The Macedonians in Athens, 322-229 B.C., Oxford 2003, 61-66.
Krumeich 2007 – R. Krumeich, Human Achievement and Divine Favor: The Religious Context of Early Hellenistic Portraiture, in P. Schultz - R. von den Hoff (eds.), Early Hellenistic Portraiture, Cambridge 2007, 161-180.
Kuhn 2006 – A.B. Kuhn, Ritual Change during the Reign of Demetrius Poliorcetes, in E. Stavrianopoulou (ed.), Ritual Communication in the Graeco-Roman World (Kernos, Suppl. 16), Liège 2006, 265-282.
Landucci Gattinoni 1981 – F. Landucci Gattinoni, La divinizzazione di Demetrio e la coscienza ateniese, in M. Sordi (a cura di), Religione e politica nel mondo antico (CISA 7), Milano 1981, 115-123.
Landucci Gattinoni 1981/1982 – F. Landucci Gattinoni, Ieronimo e la storia dei Diadochi, InvLuc 3-4 (1981/1982), 13-26.
Landucci Gattinoni 2003 – F. Landucci Gattinoni, L’arte del potere. Vita e opere di Cassandro di Macedonia (Historia Einzelschriften 171), Stuttgart 2003.
Landucci Gattinoni 2004 – F. Landucci Gattinoni, L’Etolia nel protoellenismo: la progressiva centralità di una periferia «semibarbara», in G. Vanotti - C. Perassi (a cura di), In limine. Ricerche su marginalità e periferia nel mondo antico, Milano 2004, 105-130.
Landucci Gattinoni 2010 – F. Landucci Gattinoni, Il cortigiano, in G. Zecchini (a cura di), Lo storico antico. Mestieri e figure sociali (Pragmateiai 17), Bari 2010, 97-114.
Landucci Gattinoni 2011 – F. Landucci Gattinoni, Politica e ideologia in età ellenistica, Politica antica 1 (2011), 89-105.
Landucci Gattinoni 2014 – F. Landucci Gattinoni, La divinizzazione del sovrano nella tradizione letteraria del primo ellenismo, in T. Gnoli - F. Muccioli (a cura di), Divinizzazione, culto del sovrano e apoteosi. Tra Antichità e Medioevo, Bologna 2014, 71-84.
Lefèvre 1998 – F. Lefèvre, Traité de paix entre Démétrios Poliorcète et la confédération étolienne (fin 289), BCH 122 (1998), 109-141.
Lévy 1996 – Ed. Lévy, La tyrannie et son vocabulaire chez Polybe, Ktèma 21 (1996), 43-54.
Lichtenberger et al. 2012 – A. Lichtenberger et al. (hrsgg.), Das Diadem der hellenistischen Herrscher. Übernahme, Transformation oder Neuschöpfung eines Herrschaftszeichens? (EUROS 1), Bonn 2012.
Manni 1953 – Plutarchi Vita Demetrii Poliorcetis, a cura di E. Manni, Firenze 1953.
Mari 2009 – M. Mari, La tradizione delle libere poleis e l’opposizione ai sovrani. L’evoluzione del linguaggio della politica nella Grecia ellenistica, in G. Urso (a cura di), Ordine e sovversione nel mondo greco e romano (I convegni della Fondazione Niccolò Canussio 8), Pisa 2009, 87-112.
Mastrocinque 1979 – A. Mastrocinque, Demetrio tragodoumenos, Athenaeum 67 (1979), 260-276.
Meadows 2013 – A. Meadows, The Ptolemaic League of Islanders, in K. Buraselis - M. Stefanou - D.J. Thompson (eds.), The Ptolemies, the Sea and the Nile: Studies in Waterborne Power, Cambridge 2013, 19-38.
Muccioli 2011 – F.M. Muccioli, Il culto del sovrano di epoca ellenistica e i suoi prodromi. Tre casi paradigmatici: Ierone I, Lisandro, la tirannide di Eraclea Pontica, in G.A. Cecconi - C. Gabrielli (a cura di), Politiche religiose nel mondo antico e tardo antico. Poteri e indirizzi, forme del controllo, idee e prassi di tolleranza, Bari 2011, 97-132.
Palagia 2010 – O. Palagia, Philip’s Eurydice in the Philippeum at Olympia, in E.D. Carney - D. Ogden (eds.), Philip II and Alexander the Great: Father and Son, Lives and Afterlives, Oxford - New York 2010, 33-41.
Palumbo Stracca 2000 – B.M. Palumbo Stracca, L’inno itifallico per Demetrio Poliorcete, in M. Cannatà Fera - S. Grandolini (a cura di), Poesia e religione in Grecia: studi in onore di G. Aurelio Privitera, II, Napoli 2000, 503-512.
Panichi 2001 – S. Panichi, Ieronimo di Cardia, Alessandro e gli Antigonidi, Studi ellenistici 13 (2001), 155-166.
Petrakos 1992 – B.C. Petrakos, Anaskaphē Ramnountos, PAAH 144 (1989 [1992]), 1-37.
Petrakos 1999 – B.C. Petrakos, Ho dēmos tou Ramnountos. Synopsē tōn anaskaphōn kai tōn ereunōn (1813-1998), II. Hoi epigraphes, Athenai 1999.
Prandi 2005 – L. Prandi, Memorie storiche dei Greci in Claudio Eliano, Roma 2005.
Schultz 2009 – P. Schultz, Divine Images and Rojal Ideology in the Philippeion at Olympia, in J.T. Jensen et al. (eds.), Aspects of Ancient Greek Culture: Context, Ritual and Iconography (Aarhus Studies in Meditteranean Antiquity 8), Aarhus 2009, 125-193.
Sherwin White 1978 – S.M. Sherwin White, Ancient Cos: An Historical Study from the Dorian Settlement to the Imperial Period (Hypomnemata 51), Göttingen 1978.
Smith 1989 – R.R.R. Smith, Hellenistic Royal Portraits, Oxford 1989.
Tarditi 1999 – C. Tarditi, Architettura come propaganda. Esame dell’attività edilizia degli Antigonidi in Grecia e nuove proposte di attribuzione, Aevum(ant) 12 (1999), 43-74.
Tarn 1913 – W.W. Tarn, Antigonos Gonatas, Oxford 1913 (repr. 1969).
Thonemann 2005 – P.J. Thonemann, The Tragic King: Demetrios Poliorketes and the City of Athens, in O. Hekster - R. Fowler (eds.), Imaginary Kings: Royal Images in the Ancient Near East, Greece and Rome, Stuttgart 2005, 63-86.
Virgilio 2003a – B. Virgilio, Storiografia e regalità ellenistica, in E. Luppino Manes (a cura di), Storiografia e regalità nel mondo greco, Alessandria 2003, 303-330.
Virgilio 20032b – B. Virgilio, Lancia, diadema e porpora. Il re e la regalità ellenistica, Pisa 20032.
Walbank 1984 – F.W. Walbank, Monarchies and Monarchic Ideas, in CAH2 7.1, Cambridge 1984, 62-10.
Wehrli 1968 – C. Wehrli, Antigone et Démètrios, Genève 1968.
Will 19822 – Ed. Will, Histoire politique du monde hellénistique (323-30 av. J.-C.), I-II, Nancy 1979-19822.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7358/erga-2016-002-land
Copyright (©) 2016 Erga-Logoi. Rivista di storia, letteratura, diritto e culture dell'antichità – Editorial format and Graphical layout: copyright (©) LED Edizioni Universitarie
Announcements
Erga/Logoi accepts books for review
The books are to be sent to the Executive Editor
Call for papers Vol. 13 (2025)
Authors have to read through the Information for Authors and the Author guidelines carefully before beginning the submission process.
Erga-Logoi. Rivista di storia, letteratura, diritto e culture dell'antichità
Registered by Tribunale di Milano (20/09/2012 n. 353)
Online ISSN 2282-3212 - Print ISSN 2280-9678
Executive Editor: Cinzia Bearzot
Editorial Staff: Paolo A. Tuci (Coordinator) - Marcello Bertoli - Livia De Martinis - Laura Loddo - Annabella Oranges - Alessandra Valentini
Editorial Board: Gaetano Arena - Ralf Behrwald - Margherita Cassia - Paolo Cesaretti - Bernard Eck - Michele Faraguna - Massimo Gioseffi - Dominique Lenfant - Lauretta Maganzani - Roberto Nicolai - Giovanni Parmeggiani - Marina Polito - Umberto Roberto - Francesca Rohr - Marco Sannazaro - Stefan Schorn - Paolo A. Tuci - Gianpaolo Urso - José Vela Tejada - Robert Wallace
Emeritus Editorial Board: Serena Bianchetti - Giovannella Cresci - Lia Raffaella Cresci - Ugo Fantasia - Franca Landucci - Rosalia Marino - Riccardo Vattuone
© 2001 LED Edizioni Universitarie di Lettere Economia Diritto