The Chronology of the Asylia Dossier from Kos Revisited in Light of Some Recent Epigraphic Discoveries
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Date
2021-12-31
Authors
Coskun, Altay
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kabalcı, Istanbul, Türkiye
Abstract
While the Third Syrian War was raging, the Koans deployed substantial diplomatic
efforts to have the asylia of their Asklepieion and the panhellenic penteteric games recognized
throughout the Mediterranean world. In the 1950s, Günther Klaffenbach and Mortimer Chambers
presented what was to become the consensus chronology: they saw the theoroi visit several
royal courts and many more Greek poleis largely in summer 242 BCE, before the first games
were held at Kos around May 241 BCE. This consensus has now been challenged by Dimitris
Bosnakis and Klaus Hallof (Chiron 50, 2020, 287–326), who suggest dating the events one year
earlier, based on six recently-found documents. These include a letter of king ‘Zigelas’ (sc.
Ziaelas of Bithynia), dated to year 39 of an uncertain era. The present article tries to argue instead
that the grant of asylia by several kings likely happened in 243, whereas the campaign in support
of the Asklepieia unfolded from spring to autumn 242, before the first Asklepieia were held in
241 BCE. This chronological revision has important ramification for other aspects of 3rd-century
BCE history, such as the biography of Antigonos Gonatas (whose basileia began in 283/82 BCE)
and the start of the first dynastic era of Bithynia (281 BCE). Moreover, queen Laodike, the author
of another new letter, should be identified with the wife of Antiochos Hierax, and further with
the author of the anonymous royal letter earlier attributed to Seleukos II. The letter previously
assigned to the Bosporan king Spartokos IV may rather be from Mithradates II of Pontos. The
epigraphic evidence shows the Koans steadfast in their loyalty to Ptolemy III Euergetes, whereas
the second letters from the courts of Nikomedeia and Sardeis may hint at a gradual shift of
Ziaelas and Hierax away from Ptolemy towards Seleukos II.
Description
Keywords
Kos, Asklepieia, asylia, theoroi, dynastic Bithynian eras, Ziaelas of Bithynia, Laodike, Laodice, wife of Antiochos, wife of Antiochus Hierax, Ptolemy III Euergetes, Antigonos II Gonatas, Antigonus II Gonatas, Spartokos IV of the Bosporos, Spartocus IV of the Bosporus, Mithradates II of Pontos, Mithradates II of Pontus