LADUNG ZU OPFER UND BANKETT ALS AUSZEICHNUNG DER FREMDE IM PONTISCHEN RAUM UND DER PONTIKOI IN DER FREMDE
INVITATIONS TO SACRIFICE AND BANQUET AS DISTINCTIONS FOR FOREIGNERS IN THE PONTIC AREA AND OF PONTIKOI ABROAD

Summary/Abstract: Invitations to sacrifice and banquet as distinctions for foreigners in the Pontic area and of Pontikoi abroad. The theme of “sacrifice and banquet” in ancient Greece provides a huge research field. In this context, the author tries to give answers to only two questions in the limited context of his contribution. First, he is interested in how the person exchanges between the Black Sea region and the other regions of the oikoumene came about through the awarding of an invitation to sacrifice and banquet and how – after the impression given by honorary inscriptions – foreignness was overcome through hospitality. Second, he hopes, based on some concrete evidence, to contribute to the general discussion about the xenos seen as foreigner/enemy and as a guest/friend respectively. From the discussed documents, it is apparent that the invitation to the banquet fulfilled two functions. First of all, it plays a diplomatic role, in the sense of official recognition of some pontikoi as representatives of their communities and dynasts. Second, in the case of some proxenoi – whether in Pontic or in non-Pontic cities –, this rather extraordinary recognition shows that a friendly stranger with potential civil rights was de facto equated to the citizens.

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