Imperial Cult, Greek Gods and Local Society in Demetrias (Thessaly)

Year 2016, Volume: Suppl. 1, 552 - 566, 31.08.2016

Sofia Kravaritou

Abstract

The gradual establishment
of Italians and Romans in the region of Ancient Demetrias in eastern Thessaly,
following the decline of the Macedonian power in the second century BC, as well
as their eventual contact with the local population and its authorities,
composed the new socio-political frame that also brought together for the first
time Greek Gods and Roman Emperors. The aim of this paper is to shed light on
the representations of the imperial power within the civic and sacred space of
the city, following the honorific attitude displayed by local authorities and
private individuals, as well as on its effect on shaping local political and
religious identities.

Keywords

Ruler’s cult, Imperial cult, Greek traditional cults, euergetism, honorific attitude, Koinon, elite

Demetrias Kenti’nde İmparator Kültü, Yunan Tanrılar ve Toplumsal Yapı

Abstract

Antigonid Hanedanlığının önemli kraliyet merkezlerinden
biri olan Demetrias kentinde iktidar kültünün belirgin unsurları İ.Ö. 3. yüzyılda
oluşmuştur. Bölgenin İ.Ö. 2. yüzyılın başından itibaren Roma etkisi altına
girmesiyle birlikte T. Quinctius Flamininus gibi Romanın önde gelen yöneticileri
de bu ik­ti­­dar kültüne dahil edilmiştir. Sonraki dönemlerde başka güçlü
Romalılar «Tanrı», «Kurtarıcı» ve «Ha­­yır­­hah» olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Pydna
Savaşı’ndan sonra Makedon etkisinin bölgeden tamamen kaybolmasıyla birlikte otonomilerini
kazanan Thessalia kentleri Magnesia Koinonu’nun himayesinde şekillenmiştir.
Bununla birlikte Koinon merkezi olan Demetrias ve diğer kentlerde eski kültlerin
tekrar canlandığına tanık olmaktayız. Koinon’da söz sahibi olan bazı soylular
bu tanrıların rahipliğini üstlenmiş ve kentlere çeşitli destek sağlamışlardır.
2. yüzyılın sonlarında Demetrias’ın mimari dokusunda bir Romalılaşma yaşandığı
tespit edilmiştir.

Augustus ile birlikte oluşan İmparator kültünün
izleri Magnesia Koinonu’nun başlıca merkezi olarak konumunu sürdüren
Demetrias’ta beklenilenden çok daha azdır. Augustus ve ardıllarının birlik ve
kent çapında tanrı olarak tapınım gördüklerine dair herhangi bir delil yoktur.
Bunun başlıca sebeplerinden biri Augustus’un Amfiktiyoni’de Magnesia
Birliği’nin oyunu iptal etmesi olabilir. Flaviuslar Dönemi’nde İmparator Titus
Birlik tarafından «Tanrı oğlu Tanrı» ve «Yeni Apollon, Euergetes» olarak onurlandırılmıştır.
İmparatorların yerel pantheon’a dahil edilmeleri Septimius Severus için de
tespit edilebilmektedir. Bir imparator rahibi ancak 3. yüzyılda belgelenmiştir.
Demetrias’ta Neokorluk ve İmparator tapınağına dair herhangi bir veri henüz ele
geçmemiştir. Ancak kentin mimari dokusu ve Roma isimlerinin kullanımının
çoğalması Demetrias’ın da bir Romalılaşma süreci yaşadığını kanıtlamaktadır.

Keywords

İktidar kültü, İmparator kültü, Geleneksel Yunan kültleri, Euergetizm, Onurlandırma geleneği, Magnesia Birliği, soylu sınıfı

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