Epimenes of Seuthopolis as a Possible Physician in the Odrysian Royal Court
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797//SAAC.29.2025.29.06Keywords:
Hellenistic Age, Thrace, Seuthopolis, epigraphy, Odrysians, prosopography, physiciansAbstract
This article examines what is known about Epimenes, the most enigmatic person in the so-called “Great Inscription” of Seuthopolis (IGBulg., III/2: no. 1731). It is pointed out that he is not known from other sources and everything about him is derived entirely from the text of this inscription. A number of hypotheses regarding Epimenes’ personality have been proposed over the decades since the inscription’s discovery, as most of them consider him a person with military and political power or a temple servant. Based on a new analysis of the available information, this article proposes an interpretation of Epimenes as a possible physician in the Odrysian royal court. This hypothesis fits well with the content of the inscription and at the same time is in full accordance with the realities of the early Hellenistic period.
References
Abd el-Fattah A., Abd el-Maksoud M. and Carrez-Maratray J.-Y. 2014. Deux inscriptions grecques du “Boubasteion” d’Alexandrie. Ancient Society 44, 149-177.
Berrey M. 2017. Hellenistic Science at Court. Berlin–Boston. https://doi.org/10.1515/978311
0541939.
Bing P. 2002. Medeios of Olynthos, Son of Lampon, and the Iamatika of Posidippus. Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 140, 297-300.
Bliquez L. 2015. The Tools of Asclepius: Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times. Leiden–Boston. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004283596.
Boshnakov K. 2007. Diplomacy in Time of Plague. In K. Boshnakov (ed.), Jublilaeus 6 (Сборник в памет на Карел и Херменегилд Шкорпил: Материали от Международен университетски симпозиум), 103-115.
Bosnakis D. and Hallof K. 2020. Alte und neue Inschriften aus Kos VI. Chiron 50, 387-326.
Calder W. M. 1996. The Seuthopolis Inscription IGBR 1731: A New Edition. In R. W. Wallace and E. M. Harris (eds), Transitions to Empire: Essays in Greco-Roman History, 360-146 B.C. in Honor of E. Badian, 167-178. Norman–London.
Carrez-Maratray J.-Y. 2014. Bérénice II d’Égypte, une reine dans les étoiles. Paris.
Chang H.-H. 2005. The Cities of the Hippocratic Doctors. In Ph. J. van der Eijk (ed.), Hippocrates in Context: Papers Read at the 11th International Hippocrates Colloquium, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 27-31 August 2002, 157-170. Leiden–Boston.
Чичикова М. and Димитров К. [Čičikova M. and Dimitrov K.] 2016. Севтополис – градът на Севт III [Sevtopolis – gradʺt na Sevt III]. Plovdiv.
Dana D. 2015. Inscriptions. In J. Valeva, E. Nankov and D. Graninger (eds), A Companion to Ancient Thrace, 243-264. Oxford–Malden.
Делев П. [Delev P.] 2004. Лизимах [Lizimah]. Sofia.
Delev P. 2015. Thrace from the Assassination of Kotys I to Koroupedion (360-281 BCE). In J. Valeva, E. Nankov and D. Graninger (eds), A Companion to Ancient Thrace, 48-58. Oxford–Malden.
Deoudi M. 2010. Die thrakische Jägerin. Römische Steindenkmäler aus Macedonia und Thracia. Ruhpolding–Mainz–Wiesbaden.
Dimitrov K. 2016. Trade and Monetary Economy in the Early Hellenistic City of Seuthopolis in Thrace. In U. Fellmeth, J. Krüger, K. Ohr und J. Rasch (eds), Wirtschaftsbauten in der antiken Stadt. Internationales Kolloquium 16.-17. November 2012, 55-64. Karlsruhe.
Драганов Д. [Draganov D.] 1993. Монетосеченето на Кабиле [Monetosečeneto na Kabile]. Veliko Tarnovo.
Elvers K.-L. 1994. Der “Eid der Berenike und ihrer Söhne”. Eine Edition von IGBulg. III 2, 1731. Chiron 24, 241-266.
Fıratlı N. and Robert L. 1964. Les stèles funéraires de Byzance gréco-romaine. Paris.
Flemming R. 2003. Empires of Knowledge: Medicine and Health in the Hellenistic World. In A. Erskine (ed.), A Companion to the Hellenistic World, 449-463. Blackwell.
Фол А. [Fol A.] 1975. Тракия и Балканите през ранно-елинистическата епоха [Trakiâ i Balkanite prez ranno-elinističeskata epoha]. Sofia.
Grainger J. D. 2019. Antipater’s Dynasty: Alexander the Great’s Regent and His Successors. Barnsley.
Graninger C. D. 2018. New Contexts for the Seuthopolis Inscription (IGBulg 3.2 1731). Klio 100/1, 178-194. https://doi.org/10.1515/klio-2018-0006.
Iliev J. 2023. The Thracian exile of Perseus in 179 BC. Živa Antika 73, 161-174. https://www.doi.org/10.47054/ZIVA23731-2161i.
Janouchová P. 2013. The Cult of Bendis in Athens and Thrace. Graeco-Latina Brunensia 18/1, 95-106.
Кирова Н. [Kirova N.] 2010. Медицината в провинциите Долна Мизия и Тракия (І – края на ІІІ в.) [Medicinata v provinciite Dolna Miziâ i Trakiâ (І – kraâ na ІІІ v.)]. Sofia.
Lund H. S. 1992. Lysimachus: A Study in Early Hellenistic Kingship. London. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203034040.
Манов М. [Manov M.] 1998. Големият надпис от Севтополис. Археология [Golemiât nadpis ot Sevtopolis. Arheologiâ] 39/1-2, 8-15.
Манов М. [Manov M.] 2017. В търсене на Тюлис или Тракия между 341 и 218 г. пр. Хр [V tǎrsene na Tûlis ili Trakiâ meždu 341 i 218 g. pr. Hr.]. Sofia.
Marazov I. 2008. Quis autem erat Epimenes? Проблеми и изследвания на тракийската култура [Problemi i izsledvaniâ na trakijskata kultura] 3, 88-91.
Massar N. 2001. Un savoir-faire à l’honneur. “Médecins” et “discours civique” en Grèce hellénistique. Revue Belge de Philologie et d’Histoire 79/1, 175-201. https://doi.org/10.3406/rbph.2001.4514.
Nankov E. 2011. Berenike Bids Farewell to Seuthes III: The Silver-Gilt Scallop Shell Pyxis from the Golyama Kosmatka Tumulus. Archaeologia Bulgarica 15/3, 1-22.
Nankov E. 2012. Beyond Hellenization: Reconsidering Greek Literacy in the Thracian City of Seuthopolis. In Vasilka Gerasimova-Tomova: In memoriam, 109-126. Sofia.
Nelson E. D. 2007. Hippocrates, Heraclids, and the “Kings of the Heracleidai”: Adaptations of Asclepiad History by the Author of the “Presbeutikos”. Phoenix 61/3-4, 234-246.
Nelson E. D. 2013. Coan Asylia: Small-State Diplomacy and the Hippocratic Legend. In F. De Angelis (ed.), Regionalism and Globalism in Antiquity: Exploring Their Limits, 247-266. Leuven–Paris–Walpole.
Ognenova-Marinova L. 1980. Quia autem erat Epimenes? Klio 62/1, 47-48. https://doi.org/10.1524/klio.1980.62.62.47.
Огненова-Маринова Л. [Ognenova-Marinova L.] 1984. Бележки върху надписа от Севтополис [Beležki vʺrhu nadpisa ot Sevtopolis]. Thracia 6, 30-34.
Popov H. 2015. Settlements. In J. Valeva, E. Nankov and D. Graninger (eds), A Companion to Ancient Thrace, 109-125. Oxford–Malden.
Piolot L. 2005. Nom d’une Artémis! À propos de l’Artémis Phôsphoros de Messène. Kernos 18, 113-140. https://doi.org/10.4000/kernos.922.
Рабаджиев К. [Rabadžiev K.] 2002. Елински мистерии в Тракия: опит за археологически прочит [Elinski misterii v Trakiâ: opit za arheologičeski pročit]. Sofia.
Rigsby K. 1996. Asylia: Territorial Inviolability in the Hellenistic World. Berkeley–Los Angeles–London.
Samama É. 2003. Les médecins dans le monde grec: sources épigraphiques sur la naissance d’un corps médical. Genève.
Тачева М. [Tačeva M.] 1987. История на българските земи в древността, част II [Istoriâ na bʺlgarskite zemi v drevnostta, čast II]. Sofia.
Тачева М. [Tačeva M.] 2000. Севт III, Севтополис и Кабиле (341-252 г. пр. Хр.) според епиграфските и нумизматичните данни [Sevt III, Sevtopolis i Kabile (341-252 g. pr. Hr.) spored epigrafskite i numizmatičnite danni]. Sofia.
Тачева М. [Tačeva M.] 2006. Царете на Древна Тракия, книга І [Carete na Drevna Trakiâ, kniga І]. Sofia.
Themelis P. G. 1994. Artemis Ortheia at Messene: The Epigraphical and Archaeological Evidence. In R. Hägg (ed.), Ancient Greek Cult Practice from the Epigraphical Evidence: Proceedings of the Second International Seminar on Ancient Greek Cult, organized by the Swedish Institute at Athens, 22-24 November 1991, 101-122. Stockholm.
Велков В. [Velkov V.] 1991. Надписи от Кабиле. Кабиле [Nadpisi ot Kabile. Kabile] 1, 7-53. Sofia.
Wise S. 2007. Childbirth Votives and Rituals in Ancient Greece. PhD Dissertation, University of Cincinnati.
Worthington I. 2014. By the Spear: Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire. New York.
Зелінський А. Л. [Zelìnsʹkij A. L.] 2011. Інтерпретація присвяти лікаря Медея Аполлону Піфійському [Ìnterpretacìâ prisvâti lìkarâ Medeâ Apollonu Pìfìjsʹkomu] (Posidippus 2002, 95). Сходознавство [Shodoznavstvo] 55-56, 53-64.
Зелінський А. Л. [Zelìnsʹkij A. L.] 2020. Від басилевсів-фараонів до фараонів-басилевсів: перші 100 років птолемеївської монархії [Vìd basilevsìv-faraonìv do faraonìv-basilevsìv: peršì 100 rokìv ptolemeïvsʹkoï monarhìï]. Vinnytsya–Kyiv.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
