Laura Gawlinski, The Sacred Law of Andania : A New Text with Commentary, De Gruyter, 2011
p 1 the text relates to legislative regulations of the mysteries found on a stele but incomplete
p 2 the diagramma, ( lex sacra) although there are other stele from which missing information can be gained.
includes prerequisites for initiation, collection of fees for initiation and purification and the oath of the priest.
p 3 the year 55 probably August is the date of the diagramma
p 4 the election of the Ten on the eleventh of the sixth month Hektos and administering the oath to the sacred men and women in the eleventh month Hendekatos
an annual celebration with contracted musicians and to open the treasuries in an annual basis
celebrated on the full moon like the Apollo festival with the procession to start before sunrise, whereas the Eleusinian festival took longer and started when the moon began to wane.
p 11 - there is argument as to the dating of the diagramma but the cults can be set against the broader political setting of territorial disputes and arguments over political autonomy
p 12 perhaps the reason for the diagramma was a reformation of the Mysteries with greater control from the town of Messene
p 13 Pausanias recorded Andania and the Karnasian grove in his history of Messenia Book 4, a hereditary priesthood and a longer history than the diagramma.
Mnasistratos the hierophant consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Argos on behalf of the people of Messene. and therefore he hands down the secret books passed down by generations in his family and allows the polis to take control of the Mysteries and he receives special consideration, first place in the procession, care of the fountains, invitation to dinner- perhaps being placed n the newly founded college for priests hierroi
p 14 a newly discovered dedication listing , hieroir from 3rd C BCE, shows that the program predates he diagramma and that the power moved from the family to the polis and then to the wealthy citizen.
p 16 the mystery festival was organised by the city of Messene and celebrated at Karneiasion- 3 main aspects mystery rites, sacrifices and a fair. Possibly the fair was a secular thing.
it started with a procession.
the sacrifices were animals eaten at the meal
dances were involved in the sacrifices and mysteries
at the initiation the hiera mystica carried in the procession were viewed and a performance or re-enactment of the myth. Then there was a crowning ceremony, laurel wreaths for the protomystai
there were multiple deities involved int he Mysteries, those local deities- and those specific for the Mysteries- mainly Demeter and Kore . The great goddesses have a more important role than the great gods ( Heremes and Apollo)
p 18 although recent scholarship emphasises the great gods over the goddesses.
the water nymph Hagna is conflated with Kore and there is a fountain of Hagna as part of the mysteries
p 19 the sacrifices were sheep and pigs
the priestesses in the procession were associated with Demeter
it is the sacred women who are chosen to wear the costumes ( for the re-enactment)Kore is part of the dec\diction for the 3 and 4 th C BCE, it is Demeter that is attested to only in the latter diagramma
p21 the mysteries of Samothrace and the Theban Kabiroi ( founded by Metapos). as well as the Diaskouri. There is a temple in Messene to Demeter and the Dioskouri near the Asklepiieion. There are similiarieties of the cap worn by the Dioskouri and the white pilloi worn by the men and women of the Mysteries
the laurel wreaths point to the god Apollo as an important god at these mysteries
p22 Officials-running the sanctuary involved organisation, finance, maintenance across both civic and religious peoples.. Aristotle suggests that one needs a number of ritual officers, hieropoioi,
temple guardians , naophylakes,
5 treasurers, tamiai who handed over their reports to the epimeletes
and a civic leader, archon, prytanis.
The sunedroi, ( decide on the dedications) and their grammateus, ( administer the oath to the sacred men and the 10)
Other government officials were elected at the festival. The archons and gerousia oversaw the nominations of the Ten and the 5
p 23 the damiorgoi directed the election of the 10 and the election was by the whole demos
architects were designated for restoration works
the agoranomos looked after the fair. markets, waterworks, bath managers
the nomodeiktai were the explainers of the law and were given access tot he diagramma
the gynaikonomos supervised the women, ensured that clothing regulations were followed and they were kept in order int he procession.
the auletes, heralds and seer were given responsibilities
the procession included the director of games ., agonothetes
the money testers, gyroskopus helped the tamiai
the judges were ordered to punish the tamiai if needed
so the management of the festival was by the sacred men and women ( most important) the 10 and the 5.
p 24 the sacred men sent out messages for acquiring the sacrifices, hiring of dancers, , designating space for the tents, slave asylum and markets, setting up the sacred meal with the sacred women, regulating the clothing of the sacred women who dressed as goddesses, regulating the size content and placement of worshippers tents, organising the two treasuries with keys to be used annually and as judges.
from the sacred men 20 rhabdophoroi and mystagogues, kept order, led the initiates
The sacred were chosen from the tribes, there were 5 tribes at Messene
the sacred women and parthenoi were called paides and chosen by lot.They had the same oath as the men but an added line about faithfulness to their husbands.. The omen led the procession, dressed as goddesses and prepared the sacred meal.
maybe also grave markers, sacred clothes
p 26 the Ten could be elected but only hold office for one year, all males,
the 5 had to meet property requirements, no less than one talent
One priest and 2 prietesses
p 27 the participants
merchants, slaves,freemen,at the market. Slaves seeking asylum stayed at the sanctuary. Most people were there in order to be initiated teloumenoi, men, women slaves were allowed to be initiated. Children were not although unmarried people were allowed. Those initiated for the first tie were protomystae
p 28 Conclusions
much organisation and administration was required.
preliminary purification myesis
the sacrificial animals, 2 white lambs were sacrificed before the Mysteries
a pure ram, 3 little pigs, 100 lambs
p 30 the mysteries lasted several days. The market, bath and anointing rooms were opened regularly.
trials were ongoing with some people being removed during the process
there were fees for entrance fees, purification
the Procession the hiera were escorted to the sanctuary, with a specific order for the participants in the procession
the sacrifices- a pregnant sow to Demeter, the ram to Hermes, young pigs to the Great Gods, boar to Apollo Karneios a sheep to Hagna, accompanied to music and dancing
The Sacred Meal- only a limited number of officials, some time after the sacrifices
The Mysteries
special clothing,
revealing of the hiera
the protomystai took off their tiaras and wore the laurel wreaths, representing their transformation
dance, music, the acting of the myth
something read from the sacred books
p 32
The aftermath
reports were made, punishments given, reports on the income
p 52 the procession took 4 hours, meant people were on a pilgrimage, probably taking the hiera from Messene to the festival ( maybe there was an earlier festival transferring the hiera from the sanctuary to Messene in preparation.) shows Messene's control over the mysteries, People had to be accommodated for, fed etc for some time over the festival. Travel would have been on horseback or by foot
p 54 there is evidence of watchtowers along the route.
p 1 the text relates to legislative regulations of the mysteries found on a stele but incomplete
p 2 the diagramma, ( lex sacra) although there are other stele from which missing information can be gained.
includes prerequisites for initiation, collection of fees for initiation and purification and the oath of the priest.
p 3 the year 55 probably August is the date of the diagramma
p 4 the election of the Ten on the eleventh of the sixth month Hektos and administering the oath to the sacred men and women in the eleventh month Hendekatos
an annual celebration with contracted musicians and to open the treasuries in an annual basis
celebrated on the full moon like the Apollo festival with the procession to start before sunrise, whereas the Eleusinian festival took longer and started when the moon began to wane.
p 11 - there is argument as to the dating of the diagramma but the cults can be set against the broader political setting of territorial disputes and arguments over political autonomy
p 12 perhaps the reason for the diagramma was a reformation of the Mysteries with greater control from the town of Messene
p 13 Pausanias recorded Andania and the Karnasian grove in his history of Messenia Book 4, a hereditary priesthood and a longer history than the diagramma.
Mnasistratos the hierophant consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Argos on behalf of the people of Messene. and therefore he hands down the secret books passed down by generations in his family and allows the polis to take control of the Mysteries and he receives special consideration, first place in the procession, care of the fountains, invitation to dinner- perhaps being placed n the newly founded college for priests hierroi
p 14 a newly discovered dedication listing , hieroir from 3rd C BCE, shows that the program predates he diagramma and that the power moved from the family to the polis and then to the wealthy citizen.
p 16 the mystery festival was organised by the city of Messene and celebrated at Karneiasion- 3 main aspects mystery rites, sacrifices and a fair. Possibly the fair was a secular thing.
it started with a procession.
the sacrifices were animals eaten at the meal
dances were involved in the sacrifices and mysteries
at the initiation the hiera mystica carried in the procession were viewed and a performance or re-enactment of the myth. Then there was a crowning ceremony, laurel wreaths for the protomystai
there were multiple deities involved int he Mysteries, those local deities- and those specific for the Mysteries- mainly Demeter and Kore . The great goddesses have a more important role than the great gods ( Heremes and Apollo)
p 18 although recent scholarship emphasises the great gods over the goddesses.
the water nymph Hagna is conflated with Kore and there is a fountain of Hagna as part of the mysteries
p 19 the sacrifices were sheep and pigs
the priestesses in the procession were associated with Demeter
it is the sacred women who are chosen to wear the costumes ( for the re-enactment)Kore is part of the dec\diction for the 3 and 4 th C BCE, it is Demeter that is attested to only in the latter diagramma
p21 the mysteries of Samothrace and the Theban Kabiroi ( founded by Metapos). as well as the Diaskouri. There is a temple in Messene to Demeter and the Dioskouri near the Asklepiieion. There are similiarieties of the cap worn by the Dioskouri and the white pilloi worn by the men and women of the Mysteries
the laurel wreaths point to the god Apollo as an important god at these mysteries
p22 Officials-running the sanctuary involved organisation, finance, maintenance across both civic and religious peoples.. Aristotle suggests that one needs a number of ritual officers, hieropoioi,
temple guardians , naophylakes,
5 treasurers, tamiai who handed over their reports to the epimeletes
and a civic leader, archon, prytanis.
The sunedroi, ( decide on the dedications) and their grammateus, ( administer the oath to the sacred men and the 10)
Other government officials were elected at the festival. The archons and gerousia oversaw the nominations of the Ten and the 5
p 23 the damiorgoi directed the election of the 10 and the election was by the whole demos
architects were designated for restoration works
the agoranomos looked after the fair. markets, waterworks, bath managers
the nomodeiktai were the explainers of the law and were given access tot he diagramma
the gynaikonomos supervised the women, ensured that clothing regulations were followed and they were kept in order int he procession.
the auletes, heralds and seer were given responsibilities
the procession included the director of games ., agonothetes
the money testers, gyroskopus helped the tamiai
the judges were ordered to punish the tamiai if needed
so the management of the festival was by the sacred men and women ( most important) the 10 and the 5.
p 24 the sacred men sent out messages for acquiring the sacrifices, hiring of dancers, , designating space for the tents, slave asylum and markets, setting up the sacred meal with the sacred women, regulating the clothing of the sacred women who dressed as goddesses, regulating the size content and placement of worshippers tents, organising the two treasuries with keys to be used annually and as judges.
from the sacred men 20 rhabdophoroi and mystagogues, kept order, led the initiates
The sacred were chosen from the tribes, there were 5 tribes at Messene
the sacred women and parthenoi were called paides and chosen by lot.They had the same oath as the men but an added line about faithfulness to their husbands.. The omen led the procession, dressed as goddesses and prepared the sacred meal.
maybe also grave markers, sacred clothes
p 26 the Ten could be elected but only hold office for one year, all males,
the 5 had to meet property requirements, no less than one talent
One priest and 2 prietesses
p 27 the participants
merchants, slaves,freemen,at the market. Slaves seeking asylum stayed at the sanctuary. Most people were there in order to be initiated teloumenoi, men, women slaves were allowed to be initiated. Children were not although unmarried people were allowed. Those initiated for the first tie were protomystae
p 28 Conclusions
much organisation and administration was required.
preliminary purification myesis
the sacrificial animals, 2 white lambs were sacrificed before the Mysteries
a pure ram, 3 little pigs, 100 lambs
p 30 the mysteries lasted several days. The market, bath and anointing rooms were opened regularly.
trials were ongoing with some people being removed during the process
there were fees for entrance fees, purification
the Procession the hiera were escorted to the sanctuary, with a specific order for the participants in the procession
the sacrifices- a pregnant sow to Demeter, the ram to Hermes, young pigs to the Great Gods, boar to Apollo Karneios a sheep to Hagna, accompanied to music and dancing
The Sacred Meal- only a limited number of officials, some time after the sacrifices
The Mysteries
special clothing,
revealing of the hiera
the protomystai took off their tiaras and wore the laurel wreaths, representing their transformation
dance, music, the acting of the myth
something read from the sacred books
p 32
The aftermath
reports were made, punishments given, reports on the income
p 52 the procession took 4 hours, meant people were on a pilgrimage, probably taking the hiera from Messene to the festival ( maybe there was an earlier festival transferring the hiera from the sanctuary to Messene in preparation.) shows Messene's control over the mysteries, People had to be accommodated for, fed etc for some time over the festival. Travel would have been on horseback or by foot
p 54 there is evidence of watchtowers along the route.
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