DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43877#0270
Summary
241
In the prytaneion of Ephesus many of the important functions of such an Institution can be verified:
Among these are the home of the hearth of Hestia, the seat of the prytaneis as well as the reception and Pro-
vision of meals for honored citizens financed by the government. All of these functions are brought together
by this representative Ephesian building. The Interpretation of the building as a prytaneion is supported by
its Integration into the city, i. e. right on the >State Agoray the political çenter of the city, as well as through
its immediate proximity to the bouleuterion. The functional analysis of the separate rooms of the prytaneion
demonstrates that in addition to this main function the building had incorporated many other functions. The
different modes of usage are on the one hand transmitted epigraphically, on the other hand though visible
through specific decorational elements of the architectural assemblage.
The hearth of Hestia was initially housed in the room 2-4 where the eternal fire burned that should
symbolize the life of the city. This room must be understood as architecturally emphasized due to its en-
trance through the arch and decentralized placement within the building. As such it represents the cella of
Hestia. The official hearth, the κοινή έστία, in this context embodies the domestic hearth, the central place
of family life. The entire state or rather the polis viewed itself in respect to this hearth as a simple family.
The official guests of the polis were therefore received in a house representing all the houses of the city.
The fire was cared for by the synedrion of Curetes that in Augustan time was relocated from the Artemi-
sion to the Ephesian prytaneion and is attested by many formulaic inscriptions on the building. They also
acted as sacrifice assistants of the prytaneis during the often complicated cult practices that were regularly
conducted in the prytaneion. The collegium is attested until at least the beginning of the 3rd Century CE and
also organized the yearly Ortygian mysteries. This mystery reflected the birth of Artemis and Apollo and
formed an important point in the cultic year of Ephesus. The shift in the Organization of these mysteries
from the Artemision to the city meant a loss of power and prestige for the Artemision. This synedrion could
have been housed in the rooms 5 and 6 without being able to exactly prove this. In these rooms the city’s
archive Ιερόν άντιγραφΐον could also have been kept but it was later probably moved to the bouleuterion.
In the >Hestia Halb the prytaneis assembled. In the beginning this room maybe was also used as the
place where the Ephesian council met before this duty was completely assumed by the bouleuterion. The
>Hestia Halb was mainly used as the location for the highly esteemed banquettes for outstanding and hon-
ored citizens and foreigners paid for by the government. Not only the prytaneis themselves were fed here
but also the official guests of the city received and hosted.
In addition to the cult of Hestia Boulaia the prytaneion was home to numerous other cults. Epigraphi-
cally Demeter Karpophoros and her daughter Kore, Sosipolis, Apollon Klarios, Apollon Manteios, Theos
Kinnaios, Tyche and the personified holy fire are attested. They demonstrate the immense cultic and reli-
gious importance of the building that was intensified especially after the early 2nd Century CE through the
Integration of these new cults. The growth in cultic relevance took place contrary to the continual loss of
political importance of the Institution >prytaneion<. In which room which god was honored cannot always
be answered in detail. But there are many indications that Demeter Karpophoros and Apollon Manteios
were honored in one of the side rooms of the >Hestia Halb since a separate νεώς and θαλαμίς are recorded
for these gods (rooms 5-6). The personified holy fire was housed in room 2-4 within the sanctuary of
Hestia. Aside from the main cult of Hestia Boulaia and the afore mentioned secondary cults, the Ephesian
prytaneion seems to have served as a dependance of the Artemision indicated by the essential meaning and
presence of Artemis Ephesia in the building. She holds a de facto equal position within the prytaneion as
Hestia Boulaia. The four preserved statues of Artemis Ephesia that were probably set up in the courtyard
and hall, manifest to the power that Artemis held within the city, her actual residence though was in an
extra urban sanctuary.
The prytaneion also functioned as a place of exhibition and self-representation: this is suggested by
honorific statues and bases that were erected in the courtyard and hall. In the neighboring temenos and in
the Basilike Stoa a downtown çenter for the emperor’s cult was established in Augustan time; but the wor-
ship of the emperor’s family has been corroborated as a secondary function of the prytaneion: In 20 CE
Livia was introduced into the prytaneion as a personification of Demeter Karpophoros. The Curetes could
have had an immediate tie to the cult of the emperor who as sign of their loyalty towards the family of the
emperor are referred to as φιλοσέβαστοι.
241
In the prytaneion of Ephesus many of the important functions of such an Institution can be verified:
Among these are the home of the hearth of Hestia, the seat of the prytaneis as well as the reception and Pro-
vision of meals for honored citizens financed by the government. All of these functions are brought together
by this representative Ephesian building. The Interpretation of the building as a prytaneion is supported by
its Integration into the city, i. e. right on the >State Agoray the political çenter of the city, as well as through
its immediate proximity to the bouleuterion. The functional analysis of the separate rooms of the prytaneion
demonstrates that in addition to this main function the building had incorporated many other functions. The
different modes of usage are on the one hand transmitted epigraphically, on the other hand though visible
through specific decorational elements of the architectural assemblage.
The hearth of Hestia was initially housed in the room 2-4 where the eternal fire burned that should
symbolize the life of the city. This room must be understood as architecturally emphasized due to its en-
trance through the arch and decentralized placement within the building. As such it represents the cella of
Hestia. The official hearth, the κοινή έστία, in this context embodies the domestic hearth, the central place
of family life. The entire state or rather the polis viewed itself in respect to this hearth as a simple family.
The official guests of the polis were therefore received in a house representing all the houses of the city.
The fire was cared for by the synedrion of Curetes that in Augustan time was relocated from the Artemi-
sion to the Ephesian prytaneion and is attested by many formulaic inscriptions on the building. They also
acted as sacrifice assistants of the prytaneis during the often complicated cult practices that were regularly
conducted in the prytaneion. The collegium is attested until at least the beginning of the 3rd Century CE and
also organized the yearly Ortygian mysteries. This mystery reflected the birth of Artemis and Apollo and
formed an important point in the cultic year of Ephesus. The shift in the Organization of these mysteries
from the Artemision to the city meant a loss of power and prestige for the Artemision. This synedrion could
have been housed in the rooms 5 and 6 without being able to exactly prove this. In these rooms the city’s
archive Ιερόν άντιγραφΐον could also have been kept but it was later probably moved to the bouleuterion.
In the >Hestia Halb the prytaneis assembled. In the beginning this room maybe was also used as the
place where the Ephesian council met before this duty was completely assumed by the bouleuterion. The
>Hestia Halb was mainly used as the location for the highly esteemed banquettes for outstanding and hon-
ored citizens and foreigners paid for by the government. Not only the prytaneis themselves were fed here
but also the official guests of the city received and hosted.
In addition to the cult of Hestia Boulaia the prytaneion was home to numerous other cults. Epigraphi-
cally Demeter Karpophoros and her daughter Kore, Sosipolis, Apollon Klarios, Apollon Manteios, Theos
Kinnaios, Tyche and the personified holy fire are attested. They demonstrate the immense cultic and reli-
gious importance of the building that was intensified especially after the early 2nd Century CE through the
Integration of these new cults. The growth in cultic relevance took place contrary to the continual loss of
political importance of the Institution >prytaneion<. In which room which god was honored cannot always
be answered in detail. But there are many indications that Demeter Karpophoros and Apollon Manteios
were honored in one of the side rooms of the >Hestia Halb since a separate νεώς and θαλαμίς are recorded
for these gods (rooms 5-6). The personified holy fire was housed in room 2-4 within the sanctuary of
Hestia. Aside from the main cult of Hestia Boulaia and the afore mentioned secondary cults, the Ephesian
prytaneion seems to have served as a dependance of the Artemision indicated by the essential meaning and
presence of Artemis Ephesia in the building. She holds a de facto equal position within the prytaneion as
Hestia Boulaia. The four preserved statues of Artemis Ephesia that were probably set up in the courtyard
and hall, manifest to the power that Artemis held within the city, her actual residence though was in an
extra urban sanctuary.
The prytaneion also functioned as a place of exhibition and self-representation: this is suggested by
honorific statues and bases that were erected in the courtyard and hall. In the neighboring temenos and in
the Basilike Stoa a downtown çenter for the emperor’s cult was established in Augustan time; but the wor-
ship of the emperor’s family has been corroborated as a secondary function of the prytaneion: In 20 CE
Livia was introduced into the prytaneion as a personification of Demeter Karpophoros. The Curetes could
have had an immediate tie to the cult of the emperor who as sign of their loyalty towards the family of the
emperor are referred to as φιλοσέβαστοι.
