The Sais Inscription. Translation and Commentary

Apenko, Mikhail

doi:10.18254/S207987840024924-5

English

Home>Issue 2 (124)>The Sais Inscription. Translation and Commentary

The Sais Inscription. Translation and Commentary

Table of contents

Annotation Estimate Publication content

References Comments

The Sais Inscription. Translation and Commentary

Annotation

PII

S207987840024924-5-1

DOI

10.18254/S207987840024924-5

Publication type

Article

Status

Published

Authors

Mikhail Apenko Send message

ORCID: 0000-0002-5344-4938

Affiliation:
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Institute of World History RAS
Higher School of Economics
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow

Edition

Volume 14 Issue 2 (124)

Abstract

The article presents a Russian translation of an important epigraphic evidence of the Hellenistic Egypt, the so-called Sais Inscription. The Sais Inscription was compiled in the Late Middle Egyptian language during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285—246 BCE) in late 260s but was later transported to Rome. Only three fragments of an inscription exist to this date: A). Codex Ursinianus, fol. 6 ro — redrawing of a part of the inscription made in 16th century, B). a fragment of a stela at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (No. 1034) and C). a large fragment of a stela at the Musée du Louvre (No C 123). The available fragments make it possible to reconstruct the first eleven columns of the text which was probably longer. These fragments allowed Chr. Thiers to publish the reconstructed inscription in 2001. The present publication is largely based on this reconstruction and aims to clarify some disputed passages of the text and to provide its new commentary. It is necessary to note the importance of the text for the researchers of Hellenistic Egypt. It provides the information on the nature and the peculiarities of interaction between Ptolemy II Philadelphus and the Egyptian elite. The text describes the gathering of its members at Sais organized by the king in order to bring the statue of Arsinoe II to Sais. According to a number of researchers, this might be an early case or a prototype of a synod, a special gathering of the Egyptian priesthood intended to discuss and to decide important issues in the development of the Ptolemaic dynastic cult.

Keywords

Egypt, Hellenism, Ptolemies, Sais Inscription, priesthood, royal cult, synods of the priesthood

Received

23.01.2023

Publication date

15.03.2023

Number of characters

65592

Number of purchasers

Views

364

Readers community rating

0.0 (0 votes)

Cite Download pdf 200 RUB / 1.0 SU

To download PDF you should pay the subscribtion

GOST	Apenko M. The Sais Inscription. Translation and Commentary // ISTORIYA. – 2023. – V. 14. – Issue 2 (124). URL: https://history.jes.su/s207987840024924-5-1/. DOI: 10.18254/S207987840024924-5
MLA	Apenko, Mikhail "The Sais Inscription. Translation and Commentary." ISTORIYA. 14.2 (124) (2023). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840024924-5
APA	Apenko M. (2023). The Sais Inscription. Translation and Commentary. ISTORIYA. vol. 14, no. 2 (124) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840024924-5

Full text is available to subscribers only

Subscribe right now

Only article and additional services

Subscription benefits

200 RUB / 1.0 SU

Whole issue and additional services

Subscription benefits

820 RUB / 10.0 SU

All issues and additional services for 2023

Subscription benefits

5000 RUB / 50.0 SU

References

1. Bol'shakov A. O. Chelovek i ego Dvojnik. Izobrazitel'nost' i mirovozzrenie v Egipte Starogo tsarstva. SPb., 2001

2. Vasil'eva O. A. Mif ob Iside i Osirise v greko-rimskoj i pozdneantichnoj traditsii.: Diss...kand. istor. nauk. M., 2004.

3. Vinogradov A. K. Drevneegipetskij frazeologizm «devyat' lukov» // Meroeh. 1985. Vyp. 3. S. 78—97.

4. Demidchik A. E. Bezymyannaya piramida. Gosudarstvennaya doktrina drevneegipetskoj Gerakleopol'skoj monarkhii. SPb., 2005.

5. Ladynin I. A. Oboznachenie Stt v «Stele satrapa» (Urk. II. 13.4): k vospriyatiyu mirovoj derzhavy Argeadov na Vostoke // VDI. 2002. № 2. S. 3—19.

6. Ladynin I. A. Zamechaniya o egipetskom «protokole» tsarej dinastii Argeadov. // Peterburgskie egiptologicheskie chteniya 2011—2012: pamyati E. S. Bogoslovskogo: k 70—letiyu so dnya rozhdeniya: doklady. SPb., 2013. C. 116—131.

7. Ladynin I. A. Dinasticheskij kul't i ehponimnoe zhrechestvo Ptolemeev // “Bogi sredi lyudej”: kul't pravitelej v ehllinisticheskom, postehllinisticheskom i rimskom mire / otv. red. S. Yu. Saprykin i I. A. Ladynin. M.; SPb., 2016. S. 265—312.

8. Ladynin I. A. «Snova pravit Egipet!» Nachalo ehllinisticheskogo vremeni v kontseptsiyakh i konstruktakh pozdneegipetskikh istoriografii i propagandy. SPb., 2017.

9. Mat'e M. Eh. Kheb-sed (Iz istorii drevneegipetskoj religii) // VDI. 1956. № 3. C. 7—28.

10. Ol'derogge D. A. Upravitel' burga // Zapiski Kollegii Vostokovedov pri Aziatskom Muzee Akademii Nauk Coyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik. L., 1928. T. III. S. 384—394.

11. Tomashevich O. V. Boginya Nejt — pokrovitel'nitsa faraona. // Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. 1983. T. 2. № 8. S. 65—73.

12. Beckerath J. von Handbuch der ägyptischen Königsnamen. 2. Aufl. München, 1999.

13. Berg B. An Early Source of the Alexander Romance // GRBS. 1973. Vol. 14. P. 381—387.

14. Blöbaum A.I. “Denn ich bin ein König, der Maat liebt”: Herrscherlegitimation im spätzeitlichen Ägypten. Aachen, 2006.

15. Brugsch H. Die Pithomstele // ZÄS. 1894. Bd. 32. S. 74—87.

16. Caneva S. G. From Alexander to the Theoi Adelphoi: Foundation and Legitimation of a Dynasty. Leuven, 2016 (Studia Hellenistica; 56).

17. Collombert Ph. La “stèle de Saïs” et l’instauration du culte d’Arsinoé II dans la chôra. // AS. 2008. Vol. 38. P. 83—99.

18. Coulon L. Le clergé à l’époque pharaonique :organisation, recrutement et statut // Le clergé dans les sociétés antiques. Statut et recrutement / ed. P. L. Gatier, L. Coulon. P., 2018. P. 36—58.

19. Darnell, J. C. The Kbn.wt Vessels of the Late Period. // Life in a Multi-Cultural Society: Egypt from Cambyses to Constantine and Beyond / ed. J. S. Johnson Chicago, 1992. P. 67—90.

20. De Meulenaere H. MacKay P. Mendes II. Warmister, 1976.

21. De Meulenaere H. Priester(tum) (SpZt). // LÄ. Bd. IV. 1982. S. 1097—1098.

22. De Meulenaere H. Une statuette égyptienne à Naples // BIFAO.1960. T. 60. P. 117—129.

23. El-Masry, Y., Altenmüller, H., Thissen H. J. Das Synodaldekret von Alexandria aus dem Jahre 243 v. Chr. Hamburg, 2012.

24. El-Sayed R. La déesse Neith de Saïs. Le Caire, 1982. Vol. 1.

25. Fraser P. M. Ptolemaic Alexandria. Oxford, 1972.

26. Gardiner A. H. Egyptian Grammar; Being an Introduction to the Study of Hieroglyphs. 3rd ed. Oxford, 1957.

27. Goedicke H. Die Stellung des Königs im Alten Reich. Wiesbaden, 1960.

28. Hazzard R. A. Imagination of Monarchy: Studies in Ptolemaic Propaganda. Toronto; Buffalo; L., 2000.

29. Helck W. Die altägyptische Gaue (Beihefte zum Tübinger Atlas des vorderen Orients, Reihe B, 42). Wiesbaden, 1974.

30. Helck W. Hatia. // LÄ. Bd. II. 1977. S.1042.

31. Hölbl G. A History of the Ptolemaic Empire. L.; N. Y., 2001.

32. Hornung E., Staehelin E. Studien Zum Sedfest. Genève, 1974.

33. Hornung E., Staehelin E. Neue Studien Zum Sedfest. Basel, 2006.

34. Huß W. Die in ptolemaiischen Zeit verfaßten Synodal-Dekreten der ägyptischen Priester. // ZPE. 1991. Bd. 88. S. 189—208.

35. Kákosy L. Mehet-weret. // LÄ. Bd. IV. 1982. S. 3—4.

36. Kockelmann H., Rickert. A. Von Meroe bis Indien: Fremdvölkerlisten und nubische Gabenträger in den griechisch-römischen Tempeln. Wiesbaden, 2015.

37. Koenen L. The Ptolemaic King as a Religious Figure. // Images and Ideologies: Self-Definition in the Hellenistic World. Berkeley; L. A.; L., 1993. P. 25—116.

38. Kurth D Einführung ins Ptolemaische. Eine Grammatik mit Zeichenliste und Übungsstücken. Hützel, 2007. Bd. I—II.

39. Kurth D. Edfou VI: Die Inschriften Des Tempels Von Edfu. Gladbeck, 2014.

40. Lacau P, Chevrier H. Une chapelle de Sésostris Ier à Karnak. Le Caire, 1969.

41. Ladynin I. The Near Eastern Empires of the First Millennium B. C. in Terms of Ancient Egyptian Texts: The Name Stt/Stt // Scripta antiqua: Voprosy drevnej istorii, filologii, iskusstva i material'noj kul'tury. M., 2011. S. 128—153.

42. Lexikon der ägyptischer Götter und Götterbezeichnungen / hrsg. Chr. Leitz. Leuven; P.; Dudley (Mass), 2002. Bd. I—VI.

43. Minas M. Die hieroglyphischen Ahnenreihen der ptolemäischen Könige. Ein Vergleich mit den Titeln der eponymen Priester in den griechischen und demotischen Papyri. Mainz, 2000.

44. Montet P. Géographie de l’Égypte ancienne. P., 1957. T. I.

45. Moreno Garcia J. C. Ancient Egyptian Administration (Handbuch der Orientalistik, I.104). Boston; Leiden, 2013.

46. Pfeiffer St. Das Dekret von Kanopos (238 v. Chr.). Kommentar und historische Auswertung (Archiv für Papyrusforschung und verwandte Gebiete, Beiheft 18). München; Leipzig, 2004.

47. Piehl K. Inscriptions hiéroglyphiques recueillies en Égypte. Stockholm; Leipzig, 1886.

48. Quack J. F. Innovations in ancient Garb? Hieroglyphic texts from the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus // Ptolemy II Philadelphus and his World / ed. by P. McKechnie, Ph. Guillaume. Boston; Leiden, 2008. P. 275—289.

49. Redford D. B. Pharaonic King-Lists, Annals and Day-Books — A Contribution to the Study of the Egyptian Sence of History. Mississauga, 1986.

50. Revillout E. Notes historiques sur les Ptolémées // Revue égyptologique. 1880. Vol. 1 P. 182—187.

51. Reymond E. A. From the Records of a Priestly Family from Memphis. Wiesbaden, 1981. Vol. 1.

52. Rochemonteix M. De, Chassinat E. Le Temple d’Edfou. Le Caire, 1984. Vol. I.

53. Roeder G. Die Agyptische Gotterwelt. Zurich, 1959.

54. Roullet A. The Egyptian and Egyptianizing Monuments of Imperial Rome. Leiden, 1972.

55. Sauneron S. Le Temple d’Esna. IV. Le Caire, 1969.

56. Säve-Söderbergh T. Bogenvölker // LÄ. Bd. I. 1975. S. 844—845.

57. Schlichting R. Neith // LÄ. Bd. IV. 1982. S. 392—394.

58. Te Velde H. Seth, God of Confusion: A Study of His Role in Egyptian Mythology and Religion. Leiden, 1967.

59. Thiers Chr. Ptolémée Philadelphe et les prêtres de Saïs. La stèle Codex Ursinianus, fol. 6 rº Naples 1034 Louvre C. 123 // BIFAO. 1999. T. 99. P. 423-445.

60. Thiers Chr. De Saïs aux “Jardins de Salluste”. À propos d'un document reconsidéré // La vallée du Nil et la Méditerranée. Voies de communication et vecteurs culturels, juin 1998 / ed. S. H. Aufrère, Montpellier, 2001 (OrMonsp; 12). P. 151—166.

61. Thiers Chr. Ptolémée Philadelphe et les prêtres d’Atoum de Tjékou. Nouvelle edition commentée de la “stele de Pithom” (CG 22183). Montpellier, 2007.

62. Wildung D. Neun Bogen // LÄ. 1982. Bd. IV. S. 472—473.

63. Wilson P. A Ptolemaic Lexicon: A Lexicographical Study of the Texts in the Temple of Edfu. Leuven, 1997 (Orientalia Lovaniensia analecta; 78).

64. Žabkar L. V. Miysis // LÄ. Bd. IV. 1982. S. 163—164.

65. Žabkar L. V. Hymns to Isis in Her Temple at Philae. Hannover; L., 1988.