Emperors and Kings in procession

Sources on processions related to rulers in Hellenistic and Roman times

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(new) Dionysus

Mark Antony’s pompe in Ephesus

Mark Antony’s pompe in Ephesus

TITLE:
Mark Antony’s pompe in Ephesus
DATE:
41 BC (Autumn)
TEXT:
BERNADOTTE, P. (1921): Plutarch’s Lives, Volume X, Harvard University Press, Cambridge: Plut. Anton. 24.3-4
EDITIONS/TRANSLATIONS:
BERNADOTTE, P. (1921): Plutarch’s Lives, Volume X, Harvard University Press, Cambridge: Plut. Anton. 24.3-4

SÁNCHEZ  HERNÁNDEZ, P. AND GONZÁLEZ GONZÁLEZ, M. (2009): Plutarco. Vidas paralelas VII. Demetrio-Antonio; Dión-Bruto; Arato-Artajeres; Galba-Otón,Gredos, Madrid
KEYWORDS:
Word used to mean procession:
ἡγοῦντο(vb. ἁγέομαι, “lead the way”)
Word used to mean the cult images:
Gods or other entities named:
The people of Ephesus hailed Antony as Dionysus Giver of Joy and Beneficent (Διόνυσον αὐτὸν ἀνακαλουμένων χαριδότην καὶ μειλίχιον), but to the greater part Plutarch asserts that he was Dionysus Carnivorous and Savage (ὠμηστὴς καὶ ἀγριώνιος)
 
Cf. Zanker 1996, p. 42: “When Marc Antony came to Athens and Asia Minor, however, after the partition of the empire among the triumvirs (42 B.C.), he found the figure of Dionysus a much more attractive and effective model, in the manner of Alexander the Great. It was a role to which he was ideally  suited, given his  passionate nature, generosity, and naiveté, his love of wine, elegant parties, worldly women, and flashy affairs. When this new Dionysus arrived at Ephesus, drunk and accompanied by his followers dressed up as a thiasos, the Greeks there were reminded of the days of King Mithridates Eupator”
Description of the cult images:
Procession’s route:
The streets of Ephesus
Frequency with which the procession takes place:
Just once
Performers:
References to the public attending the procession:
When Antony made his entry into Ephesus, women arrayed like Bacchanals, and men and boys like Satyrs and Pans, led the way before him (εἰς γοῦν Ἔφεσον εἰσιόντος αὐτοῦ γυναῖκες μὲν εἰς Βάκχας, ἄνδρες δὲ καὶ παῖδες εἰς Σατύρους καὶ Πᾶνας ἡγοῦντο διεσκευασμένοι)
Rites related to the procession:
Dionysiac rites
Allusions to conduct or forms of reverence:
The city was full of ivy and thyrsus-wands and harps and pipes and flutes (κιττοῦ δὲ καὶ θύρσων καὶ ψαλτηρίων καὶ συρίγγων καὶ αὐλῶν ἡ πόλις ἦν πλέα)
Other remarkable elements:

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
BÖMMER 1952, RE, s.v. Pompa. Herrscher, Vol. XXI.2, p. 1974, n.355 (cf. n. 272, 122).

ZANKER, P. (1996): The power of the image in the Age of Augustus, The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, p.46

Mark Antony’s pompe in Athens

Mark Antony’s pompe in Athens

TITLE:
Mark Antony’s pompe in Athens 
DATE:
38-37 BC (17th of Anthesterion, l. 23 January/February)
ACTUAL LOCATION:
Athens (IG 22 1043, decree in honor of ephebes, 37 fragments of a large marble stele)
TEXT:
IG 22 1043: (1) (2)
Photographs
EDITIONS/TRANSLATIONS:
IG 22 1043
KEYWORDS:
Word used to mean procession:
πομπή (l. 24, τὴν πομπ[ὴν]; l. 31, καὶ τῇ πομπῇ τοῦ Ἐλαφηβολιῶνος; l. 47, πομπὰς συνέπεμψαν τῆι πόλει πάσας) 
Word used to mean the cult images:
A bronze statue (l. 34, χαλκῆς εἰκό[ν]) and a painted statue in armour (l. 35, καὶ γραπτῆς εἰκόνος ἀνάθ[ε]σιν ἐν ὅπλωι) of the magistrate; εἰκόνος (l. 38)
Gods or other entities named:
Dionysus (l. 23)
Description of the cult images:
Procession’s route:
Frequency with which the procession takes place:
On the 17th of Anthesterion (l. 23, Ἀνθεστηριῶνος τῇ ἑπτακαιδεκάτῃ)
Performers:
Ephebes
References to the public attending the procession:
Rites related to the procession:
Sacrifice (l. 24, l. 25, τεθυκέναι, vb. Θύω; l. 30, l. 31) of the most handsome bull (l. 26, ταῦρον ὡς ὅτι κάλλιστον)

Athletic contests between the ephebes (l. 25)
Allusions to conduct or forms of reverence:
Other remarkable elements:
The ephebes took part inthe Antonieia, i.e. the Panathenaic (Games) of Antonios (l. 22-23, ἐν τοῖς Ἀντωνιήοις τοῖς Πανα[θηναϊκοῖς Ἀντω]νίου; cf. the Sylleia honouring Sulla, IG 2.1039); there were games in honour of Marcus Antonius or “new Dionysus”
BIBLIOGRAPHY:

BÖMMER 1952, RE, s.v. Pompa. Herrscher, Vol. XXI.2, p. 1963, n.271

FOLLET, S. (1988): “Éphèbes étrangers à Athènes: Romains, Milésiens, Chypriotes etc.”, Cahiers du Centre d’Études Chypriotes 9, pp. 19-32

FONTANI, E. (1999): Studi Ellenistici 12, pp. 198-200
Inscriptiones Graecae. Vol. II et III. Inscriptiones Atticae Euclidis anno posteriores. Editio altera J. Kirchner ed. 1913-1940, Reimer (1913-1916), De Gruyter, Berlin 

LAMBERT, S. D. AND SCHNEIDER, J. G. (2019): “The last Athenian decrees honouring ephebes”, AOI papersk, pp. 1-15