DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4680#0236
App. CHRISTIAN INSCRIPTIONS. 567
C. 'AOdvaroi TTpS>roL ap^iepts o//..tSe\(/>ot Aioyas ks ['Ej-LTvi>\avos, <ra>Trjpes
naTpibos, i>o/xo0e'r[cu]. Relief : bird with a ring in its mouth.
D. Relief : a Siren.
This quaint inscr. dated a. d. 313-314, contemporary with the struggle
between Maximin and Licinius for the sovereignty of the East, is a
memorial of the last persecution of the Christians. A high-priestess
Spatale *, to whom the gods gave honour within and beyond the bounds
of Akmonian territory2, initiated into the Mysteries Athanatos Epityn-
chanos. She had ransomed many from the evil torments (of Christianity).
The tomb of this Epitynchanos, himself a high-priest, was erected3 by
Diogas Epitynchanos his brother, and by his wife Tation, and their children
Onesimos, Alexander, Asklas, and Epitynchanos. He was son of the high-
priest Athanatos Pius and Tatis, and he had been greatly honoured by
the gods, Hekate and Zeus and Apollo. He was succeeded in the high-
priesthood by his brother Diogas.
This series of priests, Spatale, Pius, Epitynchanos, and Diogas, repre-
sent a revival of paganism in the Akmonian district towards the end
of the third century. Maximin was recognized as lord over Asia in 311.
He abandoned about 313 the attempt to condemn and kill Christians; but
he continued to aim at discouraging them and re-invigorating Paganism.
He sought to create a hierarchy opposed to the Christian; and men of
high character were selected as High-priests of provinces, to exercise
a general control over the priests, and to take measures against the
spread of Christianity; and controversial writings against the Christians
were encouraged and spread abroad. These Akmonian High-priests belong
to this class of persons, and the epitaph of Epitynchanos to this class
of documents.
Licinius, in his struggle with Maximin, favoured the Christians : pre-
viously he had joined with Constantine in the edict of toleration published
at Milan 313 a. d., and he renewed this edict at Nikomedeia after defeating
Maximin. The support of the Christians was so important as a political
factor that Maximin was obliged to issue from Tarsos a similar edict
before his death 314. But after Licinius had gained the victory, he
resumed a policy similar to that of Maximin; and strenuously discouraged
the Christians.
This Akmonian inscr. is a confirmation of the account of Maximin's
1 On the form 'JcnraTaXr] see no. 267. s The sepulchral formula irlprja-e tov
2 Compare the expression used about Seira is rare in this part of Phrygia
the fame of Asklepiodotos, a man of (occurring in the Pentapolis no. 600),
the same pagan reaction a little later but very common in N. and E. and S.E.
in date e's ras virepopiovs ampKiae tt/v and in Lycaonia.
dnoppijTov 6ep.ii> Damasc. «/;. Suid. s. v.
C. 'AOdvaroi TTpS>roL ap^iepts o//..tSe\(/>ot Aioyas ks ['Ej-LTvi>\avos, <ra>Trjpes
naTpibos, i>o/xo0e'r[cu]. Relief : bird with a ring in its mouth.
D. Relief : a Siren.
This quaint inscr. dated a. d. 313-314, contemporary with the struggle
between Maximin and Licinius for the sovereignty of the East, is a
memorial of the last persecution of the Christians. A high-priestess
Spatale *, to whom the gods gave honour within and beyond the bounds
of Akmonian territory2, initiated into the Mysteries Athanatos Epityn-
chanos. She had ransomed many from the evil torments (of Christianity).
The tomb of this Epitynchanos, himself a high-priest, was erected3 by
Diogas Epitynchanos his brother, and by his wife Tation, and their children
Onesimos, Alexander, Asklas, and Epitynchanos. He was son of the high-
priest Athanatos Pius and Tatis, and he had been greatly honoured by
the gods, Hekate and Zeus and Apollo. He was succeeded in the high-
priesthood by his brother Diogas.
This series of priests, Spatale, Pius, Epitynchanos, and Diogas, repre-
sent a revival of paganism in the Akmonian district towards the end
of the third century. Maximin was recognized as lord over Asia in 311.
He abandoned about 313 the attempt to condemn and kill Christians; but
he continued to aim at discouraging them and re-invigorating Paganism.
He sought to create a hierarchy opposed to the Christian; and men of
high character were selected as High-priests of provinces, to exercise
a general control over the priests, and to take measures against the
spread of Christianity; and controversial writings against the Christians
were encouraged and spread abroad. These Akmonian High-priests belong
to this class of persons, and the epitaph of Epitynchanos to this class
of documents.
Licinius, in his struggle with Maximin, favoured the Christians : pre-
viously he had joined with Constantine in the edict of toleration published
at Milan 313 a. d., and he renewed this edict at Nikomedeia after defeating
Maximin. The support of the Christians was so important as a political
factor that Maximin was obliged to issue from Tarsos a similar edict
before his death 314. But after Licinius had gained the victory, he
resumed a policy similar to that of Maximin; and strenuously discouraged
the Christians.
This Akmonian inscr. is a confirmation of the account of Maximin's
1 On the form 'JcnraTaXr] see no. 267. s The sepulchral formula irlprja-e tov
2 Compare the expression used about Seira is rare in this part of Phrygia
the fame of Asklepiodotos, a man of (occurring in the Pentapolis no. 600),
the same pagan reaction a little later but very common in N. and E. and S.E.
in date e's ras virepopiovs ampKiae tt/v and in Lycaonia.
dnoppijTov 6ep.ii> Damasc. «/;. Suid. s. v.