The honours awarded by Teos to Antiochos III and Laodike present one of the best examples of the establishment of isotheoi timai for a Hellenistic monarch by a polis . The particular interest of the Teian decree consists in the fact that it explains the symbolical significance of the ritual actions it introduced. These rituals aimed at symbolically associating Antiochos with Dionysos, with the personifications of Memory , Gratitude and Favour , with the annual cycle , and with victory. The (...) bouleuterion, where Antiochos announced his measures in favour of Teos, became a place of memory and of a continual homage to the king. The worship of the royal couple was connected with the most important public and private rituals of the Teians: the new year festival; the inauguration ceremony for the new magistrates; the introduction of the ephebes into the citizen body; the periodical first-fruit offerings; the purification rituals; and the rites of passage of women. These rituals, in part inspired by pre-existing practices , symbolically established the continual presence of the royal couple in Teos and a reciprocal relationship of gratitude and benefaction.Les honneurs rendus par Téos à Antiochos III et Laodikè offrent l’un des meilleurs exemples de la mise en place d’isotheoi timai pour un roi hellénistique de la part d’une polis . L’intérêt particulier du décret de Téos vient du fait qu’il explique la portée symbolique des actes rituels qu’il introduit. Ces rituels entendent associer symboli­quement Antiochos à Dionysos, aux personnifications de Mémoire , de Grâce et Bienveillance , au cycle de l’année , et à la victoire. Le bouleutêrion, où Antiochos a annoncé ses mesures en faveur de Téos, est devenu un lieu de mémoire et d’hommage perpétuel au roi. Le culte du couple royal était associé aux rituels publics et privés les plus importants pour les Téiens : la fête du Nouvel an, la cérémonie d’entrée en charge des nouveaux magistrats, l’entrée des éphèbes dans le corps civique, les prémices périodiques, les rites de purification et les rites de passage pour les femmes. Ces rituels, en partie inspirés de pratiques antérieures , assuraient symboli­quement la présence permanente du couple royal à Téos et une relation réciproque de gratitude et de bienveillance. (shrink)

From what has already been said it will be clear that Alcaeus of Messene, like the anonymous author of Anth. Pal. xvi. 6, was a supporter of Philip V at least until 201 B.C., that is, until the Second Macedonian War. The view that his breach with Philip followed the Messenian events of 215–214 has, however, been so frequently upheld that it deserves consideration. It appears to be based on one or more of the following assumptions. Philip's activities in Messene (...) resulted in driving that state into the Aetolo-Spartan camp: Alcaeus, as a loyal Messenian, will have followed the official Messenian policy. Further, Alcaeus wrote a poem accusing Philip of poisoning his guests: this is to be connected with the death of Aratus, in which the Achaean himself professed to see the hand of Philip. Finally, it is assumed that Alcaeus had already started his literary career at the time of the Messenian events of 215–214, since he has left an epigram celebrating the threefold victory at the Isthmus of the famous Cleitomachus of Thebes, whose floruit, it is claimed, was 216–212 . None of these arguments is really cogent: a very good case can be, and has been, made out for dating Cleitomachus’ success towards the end of the third century; the poisoning referred to is undoubtedly that of Callias and Epicrates which, being itself undated, cannot be used as a chronological index; and politically Alcaeus, as we shall see, was far from being an orthodox Messenian. (shrink)