Chapter 5. Conclusion Now that we have explored various aspects of the poetics of embedded letters in Josephus and in other Greek authors, we have left to ask, why does Josephus use all of these letters? Such a question is another important element of epistolary poetics, since it can help us to understand Josephus’ literary and cultural aims. This final chapter will attempt to answer this question… Read more
References Abegg, M. G. et al., eds. 1999. The Dead Sea Scrolls Bible. San Francisco. Adcock, F. and D. J. Mosley. 1975. Diplomacy in Ancient Greece. London. Alexander, P. S. 1984. “Epistolary Literature.” In Stone 1984:579–596. Alster, B. 1987. “A Note on the Uriah Letter in the Sumerian Sargon Legend.” Zeitschrift fur Assyriologie 77:169–173. Read more
Acknowledgments This work has incurred many debts in the past years, which I gratefully and appreciatively acknowledge; for the work’s shortcomings I alone am responsible. First and foremost, I am immensely indebted to the colleagues who forthrightly informed me of their excavations, placed at my disposal all the necessary information of their intriguing findings, made every effort to facilitate my work in the Rethymno and Herakleion Museums, and undertook the… Read more
Preface The Greeks who on the brink of death took with them to the grave a small gold incised lamella died content, feeling assured that special treatment awaited them in the Underworld. Such a statement is, of course, only a hypothesis, as there is no way to ascertain what the deceased themselves thought, or how content they were. This much, however, the texts on the lamellae clearly indicate. The individuals… Read more
1: Edition The Gold Epistomia of Crete Nine Incised Archaeological Context for nos. 1–7 The provenance of the seven published epistomia is unknown. Margarita Guarducci, guided by Federico Halbherr’s notes and drawings (IC II.xii [Eleutherna].31, p. 136) and by Domenico Comparetti’s edition (1910:37–41), included nos. 1–3 and 7 in the epigraphical dossier of Eleutherna. Guarducci, however, published epistomion no. 4 in the Loci Incerti, since we know nothing of its… Read more
2: Commentary on Epistomia nos. 1–12 Topography Lamellae nos. 1–7 were recovered from graves in the extensive cemetery to the north-northwest of Eleutherna, the city’s north entrance, but the exact location of their discovery is unknown. Theodoros Triphyllis, Consul of Austria-Hungary in Rethymno came to acquire nos. 1–3 and 7 and showed them to André Joubin, [1] John L. Myres, [2]… Read more
3: The Cretan Epistomia in Context The Corpus of the Epistomia: Nature and Classification The engraved lamellae are objects sui generis [1] and appear to defy categorization. In order to expedite the study and understanding of these artifacts, Zuntz attempted to set standards for the classification, which have changed as more texts have been published since 1971. [2] More… Read more
4: The Cretan Contexts A Literary Cretan Context The nine incised and three unincised epistomia of Crete, dated between the third century BCE and the first CE, bear witness to a mystery cult(s) and ritual(s) in Eleutherna and Sfakaki, both located in the area to the north of the Idaean Cave. Attempts have been made to place these texts within a Cretan context, but what this context should consist of… Read more
