DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4327#0045
36 TEOS.
After the suppression of the Ionian revolt Teos was sacked by the Persians,11 but after the defeat of Xerxes
it probably recovered some of its ancient prosperity. After the establishment of the Athenian maritime empire
Teos became one of its dependencies, and we find its name among the Ionian cities in the tribute lists.12 With a
view, probably, of establishing a strong outpost at Teos, the Athenians built a wall there to defend the city from
attacks from the interior. This wall was probably built across the isthmus. The decline of Athenian power
after the failure of the Sicilian expedition led to the revolt of Chios and other Ionian cities, b.c. 432. This
induced the Teians to waver in their allegiance, and after some hesitation they admitted within their walls the
troops of the neighbouring cities, Klazomenas and Erythras, which had joined in the revolt against Athens.
These Klazomenians and Erythrasans were supported by a Persian force sent to Teos by Tissaphernes, and
through their combined efforts the wall built by the Athenians was demolished and the city rendered defenceless
on the land side.13
The Athenians, however, must have reasserted their rule very soon after this, for, according to Diodoros,
Teos was taken from them by the Laceda3monians, b.c. 406.14
After the death of Alexander the Great, Teos passed into the hands of Antigonos (b.c. 306—301), by whose
despotic edict the population was augmented through the forcible transplantation into it of the inhabitants of
the neighbouring city Lebedos. The mode of procedure by which this arbitrary change was to be wrought is set
forth in the long and interesting inscription in which this edict has been handed down to us, and which contains
many curious details, showing how much the autonomy of the Greek cities was encroached upon by the military
rulers who succeeded to the Empire of Alexander. The edict ordains that a new code of laws suitable to the
altered conditions of the amalgamated communities is to be framed; in the meantime the Lebedians are allowed
to adopt the laws of Kos, careful provision is made for the housing of the new comers from Lebedos, and their
ancient rights and privileges are expressly guaranteed.15
Teos was one of the Ionian cities which submitted to Prepelaos, the general of Lysimachos, b.c. 302.10
There seems to be evidence from an inscription that it subsequently passed under the dominion of the
Seleukidaa.17 After the defeat of Antiochos the Great by the Romans, b.c 190, Teos became part of the
dominions of the Kings of Pergamos. After the death of Attalus III. b.c. 138—133, Teos with the rest of
his kingdom was transferred to Rome.
It was during the time when Teos formed part of the Attalid kingdom that it became celebrated as the
principal seat of Dionysiac worship in Ionia.1S In the period of the Diadochi, when the interest in politics decayed
with the loss of liberty, the love of scenic and musical entertainments became an absorbing passion among the
Asiatic Greeks, and especially in Ionia.
In that part of Asia Minor was formed a great company or guild of actors, who styled themselves " the
Dionysiac artists," and had, as the directors of great musical and dramatic festivals, enjoyed the special protection
and patronage of the Pergamene kings and probably of the Diadochi, their predecessors. Teos, the birthplace of
Anacreon and the home of lyric music, was pre-eminently the seat of this worship, the celebrity and importance
of which is attested by a number of extant decrees, one of the earliest of which can be fixed to b.c 193.19
We learn from these inscriptions that the Teians claimed to have enjoyed, from an ancient date, peculiar
privileges and immunities, such as the inviolability of territory and the right of sanctuary, and they appealed at
this epoch to the Greek cities generally to have these privileges renewed or confirmed. The decrees of twenty-
six states in answer to this petition have been preserved; in these decrees all that the Teians claim is solemnly
guaranteed to them. The powerful protection of the iEtolian league formed one of these guarantees.
Three Teian inscriptions commemorate the good deeds of one Kraton, a flute-player, who was elected by the
Dionysiac artists priest and president of their festival. The inscriptions record his liberality in fulfilling these
functions, and his great influence with the kings of Pergamos, with Delphi, and with other Greek states. In
consideration of these services the decree orders that one statue of Kraton be set up at Teos, another at Delos,
and a third wherever Kraton may direct. The date of these decrees falls within the reigns of Eumenes II. and
Attalos II., Philadelphos, b.c 197-137.20
Strabo states that the Dionysiac artists abandoned Teos in consequence of a revolution, o-racm, and fled to
Ephesos; that Attalos afterwards established them in Myonnesos, between Teos and Lebedos; and that in
11 Suidas, s. v. 'Avcucpeav. 12 Kohler, Urkunden zur Geschichte d. Delisch-Attischen Bundes, p. 161.
13 Thucyd. viii. 16, 20. " Diodoros, xiii. 76.
15 "Waddington-Lebas, Inscriptions Grecques, tyc. iii. partie 5, No. 86. 1G Droysen, Ifellenismus, ii. 202.
17 Gr. Hirschfeld, Archaol. Zeitung, loc. cit. p. 26.
18 Hirschfeld, ibid, p. 25; Liiders, Die Dionys. Kilustler, pp. 22, 80; Bdekh, Corpus laser. No. 3067; Hermes, ix. 501; Foucart, Ve
Collegiis Artif. Paris, 1873, pp. 7, 19, 22, 26, 32.
19 Hirschfeld, loc. cit.]). 26; Waddington-Lebas, Inscriptions Grecques, fyc. iii. partie 5, p. 29.
20 Buckh, Corpus Inscr. ii. p. 657a, and Nos. 3067-70; Liiders, pp. 75-80.
After the suppression of the Ionian revolt Teos was sacked by the Persians,11 but after the defeat of Xerxes
it probably recovered some of its ancient prosperity. After the establishment of the Athenian maritime empire
Teos became one of its dependencies, and we find its name among the Ionian cities in the tribute lists.12 With a
view, probably, of establishing a strong outpost at Teos, the Athenians built a wall there to defend the city from
attacks from the interior. This wall was probably built across the isthmus. The decline of Athenian power
after the failure of the Sicilian expedition led to the revolt of Chios and other Ionian cities, b.c. 432. This
induced the Teians to waver in their allegiance, and after some hesitation they admitted within their walls the
troops of the neighbouring cities, Klazomenas and Erythras, which had joined in the revolt against Athens.
These Klazomenians and Erythrasans were supported by a Persian force sent to Teos by Tissaphernes, and
through their combined efforts the wall built by the Athenians was demolished and the city rendered defenceless
on the land side.13
The Athenians, however, must have reasserted their rule very soon after this, for, according to Diodoros,
Teos was taken from them by the Laceda3monians, b.c. 406.14
After the death of Alexander the Great, Teos passed into the hands of Antigonos (b.c. 306—301), by whose
despotic edict the population was augmented through the forcible transplantation into it of the inhabitants of
the neighbouring city Lebedos. The mode of procedure by which this arbitrary change was to be wrought is set
forth in the long and interesting inscription in which this edict has been handed down to us, and which contains
many curious details, showing how much the autonomy of the Greek cities was encroached upon by the military
rulers who succeeded to the Empire of Alexander. The edict ordains that a new code of laws suitable to the
altered conditions of the amalgamated communities is to be framed; in the meantime the Lebedians are allowed
to adopt the laws of Kos, careful provision is made for the housing of the new comers from Lebedos, and their
ancient rights and privileges are expressly guaranteed.15
Teos was one of the Ionian cities which submitted to Prepelaos, the general of Lysimachos, b.c. 302.10
There seems to be evidence from an inscription that it subsequently passed under the dominion of the
Seleukidaa.17 After the defeat of Antiochos the Great by the Romans, b.c 190, Teos became part of the
dominions of the Kings of Pergamos. After the death of Attalus III. b.c. 138—133, Teos with the rest of
his kingdom was transferred to Rome.
It was during the time when Teos formed part of the Attalid kingdom that it became celebrated as the
principal seat of Dionysiac worship in Ionia.1S In the period of the Diadochi, when the interest in politics decayed
with the loss of liberty, the love of scenic and musical entertainments became an absorbing passion among the
Asiatic Greeks, and especially in Ionia.
In that part of Asia Minor was formed a great company or guild of actors, who styled themselves " the
Dionysiac artists," and had, as the directors of great musical and dramatic festivals, enjoyed the special protection
and patronage of the Pergamene kings and probably of the Diadochi, their predecessors. Teos, the birthplace of
Anacreon and the home of lyric music, was pre-eminently the seat of this worship, the celebrity and importance
of which is attested by a number of extant decrees, one of the earliest of which can be fixed to b.c 193.19
We learn from these inscriptions that the Teians claimed to have enjoyed, from an ancient date, peculiar
privileges and immunities, such as the inviolability of territory and the right of sanctuary, and they appealed at
this epoch to the Greek cities generally to have these privileges renewed or confirmed. The decrees of twenty-
six states in answer to this petition have been preserved; in these decrees all that the Teians claim is solemnly
guaranteed to them. The powerful protection of the iEtolian league formed one of these guarantees.
Three Teian inscriptions commemorate the good deeds of one Kraton, a flute-player, who was elected by the
Dionysiac artists priest and president of their festival. The inscriptions record his liberality in fulfilling these
functions, and his great influence with the kings of Pergamos, with Delphi, and with other Greek states. In
consideration of these services the decree orders that one statue of Kraton be set up at Teos, another at Delos,
and a third wherever Kraton may direct. The date of these decrees falls within the reigns of Eumenes II. and
Attalos II., Philadelphos, b.c 197-137.20
Strabo states that the Dionysiac artists abandoned Teos in consequence of a revolution, o-racm, and fled to
Ephesos; that Attalos afterwards established them in Myonnesos, between Teos and Lebedos; and that in
11 Suidas, s. v. 'Avcucpeav. 12 Kohler, Urkunden zur Geschichte d. Delisch-Attischen Bundes, p. 161.
13 Thucyd. viii. 16, 20. " Diodoros, xiii. 76.
15 "Waddington-Lebas, Inscriptions Grecques, tyc. iii. partie 5, No. 86. 1G Droysen, Ifellenismus, ii. 202.
17 Gr. Hirschfeld, Archaol. Zeitung, loc. cit. p. 26.
18 Hirschfeld, ibid, p. 25; Liiders, Die Dionys. Kilustler, pp. 22, 80; Bdekh, Corpus laser. No. 3067; Hermes, ix. 501; Foucart, Ve
Collegiis Artif. Paris, 1873, pp. 7, 19, 22, 26, 32.
19 Hirschfeld, loc. cit.]). 26; Waddington-Lebas, Inscriptions Grecques, fyc. iii. partie 5, p. 29.
20 Buckh, Corpus Inscr. ii. p. 657a, and Nos. 3067-70; Liiders, pp. 75-80.