Peliganes

Peliganes (Greek: [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2380467 Πελιγᾶνες] ) were called the Ancient Macedonian Senators (singular: Peligan). The term is attested in Hesychius, [(Hes.) Peliganes: the endoxoi (honourable); among the Syrians the bouleutai (chancellors).] Strabo [Strabo, [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Strabo/7Fragments*.html Fragments 7.2] .] and two inscriptions (in dative peligasi), [Grammatically, as [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2380440 pelekan] (pelican) Third declension-Nasal single-stem] one from Dion [Macedonia (Greece)-Pieria—Dion (ca. 180 BC) τοῖς πελειγᾶσι "peleigasi" [http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/oi?ikey=312552&bookid=172&region=4&subregion=11 Epigraphical Database] 3.] [Philip V salutes Eurylochos,the epistate(resident representative in Kyzikos), the Peleiganes and the rest Politai (citizens).] and one from Laodicea. [Syria Laodicea (Latakia) - ca. 174 BC - τοῖς πελιγᾶσιν "peligasin" [http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/oi?ikey=243485&bookid=474&region=10&subregion=66 Epigraphical Database] 22.] [The Hellenistic World from Alexander to the Roman Conquest by M. M. Austin [http://books.google.com/books?id=Xebyor4-4KwC&pg=RA2-PA422&dq=Decree+of+Laodicea+peliganes&sig=BS7uzc6RhSXbcTddZ3auI7L-8JE The Decree of Laodicea] ] From the description of Hesychius and the epigraphy,it is evident that Peliganes played a more significant role in Seleucids than Macedon. In Ptolemaic Kingdom the term is unattested. The Seleucid cliché phrase was: cquote|δεδόχθαι τοῖς πελιγᾶσιν dedochthai tois peligasin having been resolved by the peliganes The Macedonian supreme body was called Synedrion. [Attested numerous times and passed into Hebrew as Sanhedrin] Other Seleucid institutions were the Archontes, Demos, Proboule, Boule, Epistatai (supervisors) and Dikastai (judges). [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=lhk6px-TI-wC&pg=PA460&dq=demos+proboule++boule+peliganes+epistates+dikastes++archontes&sig=dLltnUag259xMyQc-XhtIuveIC4 The Decrees of the Greek States] by Peter John Rhodes, David Malcolm Lewis.]

Etymology

Strabo cites the word as "Peligones", meaning the senators of both Macedonians,Thesprotians and Molossians and compares them to "Gerontes" (Gerousia) of Laconians and Massaliotes. He further remarks that πελιοί "pelioi" in the dialects of Epirus and Macedonia, means "old men". [Hesychius cites also "Peleioi, old men" by Epirotes and Doric-speaking Koans.] Πεληός "pelêos" [Hes. polytonic|πέλη [τ] ος old man [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2380465 polytonic|πελήαρ] doves (Laconian).] or " [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2380479 pelios] " is the common Doric form ,while in Attic πολιός " [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3D%2384482 polios] " means also "grey, grey from age, venerable, bright". The suffix -gan is the Attic suffix -genes (). There are many more Macedonian inscribed eponyms such as "Epigan", [Beroia Leukopetra 252/253 AD [http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/oi?ikey=152311&bookid=142&region=4&subregion=11] ] "Peleigenes", [Mieza - [http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/main?url=oi%3Fikey%3D150589%26bookid%3D124%26region%3D4%26subregion%3D11%26area%3DBottiaia%26site%3DMieza] and Elimeia - [http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/oi?ikey=150082&bookid=129&region=4&subregion=11] ] "Peleigines", [Thessalonica, ca. 2nd century BC [http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/oi?ikey=313217&bookid=172&region=4&subregion=11] ] "Peligenes". [Beroia: Leukopetra, ca. 230 AD [http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/oi?ikey=152285&bookid=142&region=4&subregion=11] [http://epigraphy.packhum.org/inscriptions/oi?ikey=152281&bookid=142&region=4&subregion=11] last line] "Pelignas" was finally a Macedonian or Epirote chef sent by Olympias to Alexander. [Athenaeus Deipnosophists - [http://books.google.com/books?id=g98IAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA1055&dq=Pelignas+Athenaeus#PPA1055,M1 14.78 659F] ] Polybius [Polybius - [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0234&layout=&loc=5.54.10 5.54.10] .] mentions "Adeiganes" for the council, magistrates of Seleucia, (who were banished, fined and exiled by the minister Hermeias); a word unattested in epigraphy and other sources. Editor P. Roussel [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=x7MBz_QAQnsC&pg=PA153&dq=adeiganes+peliganes&sig=A8mK-0fj5F-8MHLVZ3zRJKNv-s4 The Cities of Seleukid Syria] by John D. Grainger] has emended to "Peleiganes", while Hammond suggests that it might be an original West Macedonian word. [Hammond NGL (1979) "Internal organization of Macedonia and of Macedonian conquests in the Balkans".]

References