De nouveau sur le kéramarque des timbres amphoriques thasiens

Abstract

The author discusses the title κεραμάρχης, occurring on Thasian stamps under the magistrate Pythion I (c. 337 BC). With the word κεραμάρχης being inserted in the stamps’ legends between the producer’s name (Anphikrates, Megakleides or Pylades) and the magistrate’s name, it is difficult to decide to which of them it refers. Contrary to the prevailing orthodoxy (even if sometimes rejected, e.g., Börker 1998: 15–17; Börker 2003; Börker 2019: 79–80), the author argues that this title does not refer to the potter but to the magistrate. He briefly discusses the meaning of Greek compounds ending in -arches and -archos and admits that they refer to officials or quasi officials. On the other hand, all Pythion I’s stamps use as device the famous Thasian parasemon (Heracles archer) occurring not only on several amphorae but also on silver coins of the same period. Thus, we would expect κεραμάρχης to be a reference to the magistrate rather than to the potter. Moreover, the main argument in the same direction is a stamp (note 18) where the producer’s name stands in genitive. Therefore, it cannot be related to the nominative κεραμάρχης that follows.