The AsylonAs additum to the post about
Artemis Pergaia
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=57383.msg356704#msg356704 Reply #3 I want to share this article about the Asylon. I
hope it is of interest for you. But first the coin:
Pamphylia, Perge,
Gallienus, AD 253-268
AE 29, 15.27g
obv. AVT KAI PO LI GALLIHN - OC
CEBBust, draped, laureate, r.
before I (for 10
Assaria)
rev. ARTEMIDO - C - PERGAIAC
Distyle temple, within cult statue of
Artemis Pergaia, decorated with relief of figures, flanked by two sphinges on base, above sun l., crescent r.,
A in
pedimentACVLOV on architrav
cf. SNG von Aulock 4731
about VF
I want to call your attention to the
inscription on the
architrave ACVLOV. The asylon (
Lat. asylum) means literally 'inviolable' and is an institution from prehistoric time where above human laws were yet gods, standing over the laws. This in contrast to today, where 'legal vacuums' are not allowed and asylum seekers are drawn out of churches.
The asylon usually was a sacred location marked off by distinct borders
horoi, which because of its inviolability interdicted to remove persons or things by violence. A contravention was a sacrilege and was avanged by the offended deity and not at least by the responsible protector of the asylon, if he tolerated the violation. Hence the asylon basically gave to any fugitive who visited it as
hiketes, supplicant, protection against the access of the pursuer. This garanteed status was called
hiketeia Originally any sanctuary has the nature of an asylon. Hence the phenomena of asylia is found widely spread. Religious-psychological it is based on the magical-dynamistical conception of the existence of a numinous power which enclosed each who enters its influence in its tabu effect. So the fact of an immediate as close as possible contact was of particular importance. The
hiketes sat down at the
altar or took place as
xenos, stranger, in the ash of the sacral hearth. But indirect contact too remained effective.
The deity of the asylon granted the gift of immunity to any unguilty condemned, especially too to the foreign, furthermore to the dependent who was handicapped in maintaining
his personal rights, but too to he who was charged with murder to interrupt the continuity of blood vengeance.
Here we find the beginnings of the secondary political-social implementation of the asylia conception in a more utilitaristic sense in a legal system which was no more mainly religious committed. Now the asylia was no more conceded to all but only particular sanctuaries, outstanding by tradition and importance. It was dictated by political and oeconomical points of view, a privilege which now needed a diplomatical acknowledgement by a decree.
With it the asylia guaranteed the protection of the foreigner who otherwise was practically without rights. This was of interest for the international trading, assured the slave a temporary or finally abolishment of
his dependance, and gave the delinquent a roomy asylum for a longer sometimes lifelong stay. This could became sometimes the nucleus of an ethnical-political restructuring as it was recorded of
Rome in its early times (Livius 1, 8, 5).
Because this old convention developed literally to a noisance as a result of the thirst for glory of some cities especially in
Asia Minor under
Tiberius the asylia was controlled and the order enacted that the decision of the senate wether the asylia could be maintained or not has to be published on iron plates in the temple. So that from now on, as
Tacitus writes (Ann. 13, 63), the asylia was held in honour and not misused as cloak for ambitious plans. Naturally the cities put emphasis on carrying out this honour to the outerworld. Therefore they put it on their coins like here the ACVLOV on the epistyle.
Sourcers:
Der Kleine
Pauly Franke, Kleinasien zur Römerzeit
Best regards
Jochen
