Epigraphic Culture in the Eastern Mediterranean in Antiquity (Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies)

This book investigates the epigraphic habit of the Eastern Mediterranean in antiquity, from the inception of alphabetic writing to the seventh c. CE, aiming to identify whether there was one universal epigraphic culture in this area or a number of discrete epigraphic cultures. Chapters examine epigraphic culture(s) through quantitative analysis of 32,062 inscriptions sampled from ten areas in the Eastern Mediterranean, from the Black Sea coast to Greece, western to central Asia Minor, Phoenicia to Egypt. They show that the shapes of the epigraphic curves are due to different factors occurring in different geographical areas and in various epochs, including the pre-Greek epigraphic habit, the moment of urbanization and Hellenization, and the organized Roman presence. Two epigraphic maxima are identified in the Eastern Mediterranean: in the third c. BCE and in the second c. CE. This book differs from previous studies of ancient epigraphic culture by taking into account all categories of inscriptions, not just epitaphs, and in investigating a much broader area over the broadly defined classical antiquity. This volume is a valuable resource for anyone working on ancient epigraphy, history or the cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean. This book investigates the epigraphic habit of the Eastern Mediterranean in antiquity, from the inception of alphabetic writing to the seventh c. CE, aiming to identify whether there was one universal epigraphic culture in this area or a number of discrete epigraphic cultures. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 List of Maps 8 List of Graphs 9 List of Tables 13 List of Contributors 14 Acknowledgements 16 Introduction: Epigraphic Habit, Epigraphic Culture, Epigraphic Curve: Statement of the Problem 18 1 The Epigraphic Curve in Boiotia 48 2 The Epigraphic Curve at Delphi 69 3 Epigraphic Culture in Olympia 85 4 The Epigraphic Curve in the Black Sea Region: A Case Study from North-West Pontus 98 5 The Epigraphic Curve in the Northern Black Sea Region: A Case Study from Chersonesos and the Bosporan Kingdom 119 6 Epigraphic Curves in Western Asia Minor: The Case Studies of Miletos, Ephesos and Pergamon 135 7 The Epigraphic Curve in Phrygia and its Borderlands 161 8 The Epigraphic Curve in the Levant: The Case Study of Phoenicia 183 9 The Epigraphic Curve in Egypt: The Case Study of Alexandria 201 10 The Epigraphic Curve in the Fayum Oasis 218 Conclusions: One or Many Epigraphic Cultures in the Eastern Mediterranean 232 Index Locorum 264 Index 276 Epigraphic,Curve;,Black,Sea,Region;,North-West,Pontus;,North-West,Pontus;,Eastern,Mediterranean Epigraphic Curve,Black Sea Region,North-West Pontus,North-West Pontus,Eastern Mediterranean "This book investigates the epigraphic habit of the Eastern Mediterranean in antiquity from the inception of alphabetic writing to the seventh century CE, aiming to identify whether there was one universal epigraphic culture in this area, or a number of discrete epigraphic cultures. Chapters examine epigraphic culture(s) through quantitative analysis of 32,062 inscriptions sampled from ten areas in the Eastern Mediterranean from the Black Sea coast to Greece, western and central Asia Minor, Phoenicia and Egypt. They show that the shapes of the epigraphic curves are due to different factors occurring in different geographical areas and in various epochs, including the pre-Greek epigraphic habit, the moment of urbanization and Hellenization, and the organized Roman presence. Two epigraphic maxima are identified in the Eastern Mediterranean: in the third c. BCE and in the second c. CE. It differs from previous studies of the ancient epigraphic culture by taking into account all categories of inscriptions, not just epitaphs, and in investigating a much broader area over the broadly defined classical antiquity. This volume is a valuable resource for anyone working on ancient epigraphy, history or the cultures of the Eastern Mediterranean"-- Provided by publisher