Greek graffito with an acclamation for the good fortune of the 'Marianoi', probably a group venerating *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033). Found at Xanthos (Lycia, south-west Asia Minor). Probably 5th-7th c.
Evidence ID
E00864
Type of Evidence
Inscriptions - Graffiti
νικᾷ ἡ τυχὴ τõν Μαριανõν
'Long live the Marianoi! (literally, 'May the fortune of the Marianoi triumph!')
Text: Hansen & Le Roy 1976, 336.
Non Liturgical ActivityCultic confraternities
Cultic confraternities
Saint as patron - of a community
Source
Graffito from the Letoon in Xanthos (Lycia, southern Asia Minor), on a stone block at the door of the temple's cella.Discussion
The graffito is an acclamation for the good fortune of the 'Marianoi', an otherwise unattested group, probably venerating *Mary (the Mother of Jesus) or deriving its name from a church dedicated to the saint, or from a district called after the church.The editors dated this graffito to a period prior to the 7th c. when the Letoon was destroyed. One can, however, suppose that it comes already from the mid-6th c. because of its similarity to the inscriptions of the 'Michaelitai' guild from Sagalassos. Their inscriptions, almost identical in form, were cut on pieces of architecture and pottery and read: 'Long live the Michaelitai in the entire city and (her) territory' (νικᾷ ἡ τύχη Μιχαιλιτῶν κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν κὲ χώραν, see E00917).
Perhaps both 'Michaelitai' and 'Marianoi' were associations concerned with the cult of their saints. But, nevertheless, these names are puzzling. The formula νικᾷ ἡ τύχη is also characteristic of circus factions rather than pious brotherhoods, and implies some kind of rivalry.
Bibliography
Edition:Hansen, E., Le Roy, Ch., "Au Létôon de Xanthos: Les deux temples de Léto", Revue Archéologique (1976), 336.
Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum 26, 1447.
Record Created By
Paweł Nowakowski
Date of Entry
19/11/2015
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00033 | Mary, Mother of Christ | Uncertain |
|---|
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL:
Paweł Nowakowski, Cult of Saints, E00864 - http://csla.history.ox.ac.uk/record.php?recid=E00864