1. Journal of Ancient History 1 (288)
  2. Zeus’ Sanctuaries in Yanal Mevkii and Erekli Mevkii: Epicleses and Cult Nature

Zeus’ Sanctuaries in Yanal Mevkii and Erekli Mevkii: Epicleses and Cult Nature

Andreeva Evgeniia N.

The paper treats dedicatory objects from two peasant sanctuaries of Zeus in Northern Phrygia dating back to the 2nd–3rd cc. AD. The dedications from the fi rst sanctuary (situated in the present-day Turkish Afyon Province in a place called Yanal Mevkii identifi ed with ancient Petara, near Kurudere village) were addressed to Zeus Ἀλσηνός, Πεταρηνός and Ὀροχωρείτης, while at the second one (Erikli Mevkii, located near Akça Köy in the province of Kütahya) Zeus Ἀμπελείτης and Θάλλος was worshiped. After a careful examination of the deities’ epicleses, the character of the reliefs and the contents of the dedicatory inscriptions it is possible to outline the nature of these cults. Zeus of Petara, regardless of the actual epiclesis, was a healer god. His epithets – Ἀλσηνός, Πεταρηνός – are most likely of toponymic origin, the latter deriving from the name of the village (Petara) and the former from the word ἄλσος «sacred grove», and do not describe the “duties” of the god. The same is true for Zeus Ἀμπελείτης and Θάλλος: despite these epithets’ “vegetable” origin, this deity was not a god of agriculture, but more likely a protector of peasants’ livestock.

Keywords: Asia Minor, Phrygia, province Asia, 1st–2nd centuries, peasant sanctuaries of Zeus, votive steles, Zeus’ epiclesеs.
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