Herakles and Herakles Kynagidas in Magnesia and Perrhaibia

Abstract

Herakles was jointly perceived in Thessaly and Macedonia as the legendary progenitor and patron deity of the Macedonian royal oikos and Thessalian elite ruling families, while he was worshipped at many social levels and contexts. This paper discusses the nature and role of Herakles’ cult, also in his capacity as Kynagidas, in the sacred landscape and socio-political milieu of the east and north Thessalian perioikoi from the fourth to the second century, when significant parts of both perioikic regions became officially annexed to Macedonia and eventually passed under the jurisdiction of the local Koina. Documents of the royal chancery, public resolutions, private and collective dedications corroborate literary and archaeological evidence, and showcase a prominent cult which was deeply rooted in both civic and royal contexts.