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Submitted for award of PhD September 2006. - King's College London

Submitted for award of PhD September 2006. - King's College London

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6.5. Meddices <strong>of</strong> Minerva<br />

A unique inscription has been found on the eastern side <strong>of</strong> the promontory <strong>of</strong> the<br />

peninsula <strong>of</strong> Surrentum called the Punta della Campanella. The text is inscribed on the<br />

rock beside the stairs leading up from a landing stage to the plateau. The promontory<br />

was an important cult place <strong>for</strong> Athena or Minerva and it was frequented from at least<br />

the sixth century BC. The shrine is thought to be <strong>of</strong> Greek origin, but came under<br />

Samnite supervision with the occupation <strong>of</strong> Campania some time after the middle <strong>of</strong> the<br />

fifth century BC. Russo has dated the inscription to the first half <strong>of</strong> the second century<br />

BC. 80°<br />

ST Cm 2, MAL Misc. 3.5.189-204.<br />

m. gaaviis m. 1(Avkis). pitakiis. m. 21(üvkis). appüllis. ma. meddiks. menereviius<br />

3esskazsiüm. ekük. üpsannum 4dedens. iusüm. prüfattens<br />

Maius Gavius son <strong>of</strong> Maius, Lucius Pitacius son <strong>of</strong> Maius, Lucius Appuleus son <strong>of</strong><br />

Maraeus, meddices <strong>of</strong> Minerva, commissioned the building <strong>of</strong> this landing stage.<br />

They themselves approved it.<br />

This is the first, and so far unique, case <strong>of</strong> the title <strong>of</strong> meddix qualified by the name <strong>of</strong> a<br />

deity. It is also the first attestation <strong>of</strong> a college <strong>of</strong> the three meddices. Russo, the first<br />

editor <strong>of</strong> the inscription, suggested that the meddices were leading magistrates <strong>of</strong> three<br />

towns <strong>of</strong> the supposed Nucerian League, Nuceria (Maius Gaavius), Surrentum (Lucius<br />

799<br />

Sironen notes the S2KEAAO<br />

/ Oiac Aos / OxuAAoS names turn up several times among the Lucanian<br />

students <strong>of</strong> Pythagoras799. He suggests the names in Greek take their origin from Oscan and would come<br />

from the Latin'oculus', eye. Sironen (1991) 133-8<br />

800 Russo (1990) 197.<br />

240

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