"Ktistēs" as an Honorific Title in Roman Asia Minor

Bibliografia s. 292-293

The term ktistēs, more recent and more polysemous than oikistēs, was nevertheless used in ancient sources to designate the mythological or historical founder of a community. From the first century BC onwards, a new meaning and new contexts of use of this term developed: it became part of the honorific vocabulary used by cities to praise individuals whom they wished to reward or distinguish. As a title officially awarded by civic institutions, it assimilated the person who received it to a new founder. This paper, based on the results of an overall study on the honorific titles attested in Asia Minor during the Roman period, sheds light on the genesis of the title ktistēs, its geographical and chronological distribution, the status of the individuals to whom it was granted and the nature of their action in favour of the community-which, contrary to an old opinion, was not limited to financing constructions.