A New Honorific Inscription from Magnesia ad Maeandrum
LIBRI XII (2026) 1-13
Received: 30.03.2026 | Accepted: 19.04.2026
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19704468
Online Publication Date: 23.04.2026
Abstract: This study presents a newly discovered inscription from Magnesia ad Maeandrum, found in 2021 and dated to the late 1st century CE or early 2nd century CE. The text preserves the public actions of a woman named Tryphosa, who honoured the memory of her husband Democharis through gestures of civic generosity and religious responsibility. The boule and the demos honoured Democharis for his inherited civic standing, the dignity of his character and his service as agoranomos. After his death, Tryphosa, identified as his wife and as a priestess, undertook several initiatives that affected the civic community at large. She set up a monument in his honour, financed distributions of olive oil in the gymnasia and provided funds for the philosebastos boule in accordance with his instructions. The inscription places commemoration, religious office and civic benefaction within the same public setting and makes clear that Tryphosa was the central figure in turning the memory of Democharis into visible civic action.
Keywords: Tryphosa, Democharis, Oil, Agoranomos, Priestess, Magnesia ad Maeandrum
Öz: Bu çalışma, Magnesia ad Maeandrum’da 2021 yılında bulunmuş ve MS 1. yüzyılın sonları ile 2. yüzyılın başlarına tarihlenen yeni bir yazıtı tanıtmaktadır. Metin, Tryphosa adlı bir kadının, eşi Demokharis’in hatırasını kent yaşamına dokunan hayır işleri ve dinsel sorumluluk çerçevesinde nasıl yaşattığını göstermektedir. Boule ile demos, Demokharis’i ailesinden gelen yurttaşlık itibarı, karakterinin saygınlığı ve agoranomos olarak yürüttüğü görevi nedeniyle onurlandırmaktadır. Onun ölümünden sonra, hem eşi hem de rahibe olarak tanımlanan Tryphosa, kenti doğrudan ilgilendiren çeşitli girişimlerde bulunmaktadır. Kocasının anısına bir anıt diktirmiş, gymnasion’larda zeytinyağı dağıtımını finanse etmiş ve onun vasiyeti doğrultusunda philosebastos boule için maddi kaynak sağlamıştır. Yazıt; anma geleneğini, dini makamı ve kamusal hayırseverliği aynı kamusal çerçeve içine yerleştirmekte ve Tryphosa’nın, Demokharis’in hatırasını görünür bir kamusal eyleme dönüştürmede merkezi figür olduğunu açıkça ortaya koymaktadır.
Anahtar sözcükler: Tryphosa, Demokharis, Yağ, Agoranomos, Rahibe, Magnesia ad Maeandrum
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Tolga UZUN
Dr., Independent Researcher, Yeni Mah. 435 Sok. No: 5B, 07980, Kemer, Antalya, Türkiye. totolga7@gmail.com