Les Messéniens, le règlement des mystères et la consultation de l'oracle d'Apollon Pythéen à Argos

Résumé En Fr

Although Pausanias' travel to Rome (and to Central Italy) is attested in several passages of the Periegesis Hellados, it has not been possible, so far, to date it even approximately. It is shown that, according to the date of construction of the buildings mentioned in the work, his stay in Rome must not have taken place much later than the reign of Hadrian (who died in 138). A rather early dating in Pausanias' life (ca. 115-180) is confirmed by the fact that at the time of his travel, the author's interests in works of art — although very common in the City — was very low. He was paying much more attention to natural curiosities, especially to exotic animals. Three excursus (V 12 ; VIII 17 ; IX 21) show that Pausanias saw in Rome many animals which were very unusual for a Greek. Among them we find the "Paeonian bulls" or bisons (IX 21, 3 ; cf. X 13, 1). As literary texts and monuments decorated with figures point out, the exhibition, in the venationes of the circus or amphiteatre, of these animals very difficult to catch alive, must have been, even in Rome, very exceptional. But a latin dedication recently discovered in Bulgaria informs us precisely that in 147 an "imperial hunt" led by some units of the army of Moesia Inferior allowed the capture of bears and bisons. At that time, these animals could only be used in the ludi organized the following year for the 900th anniversary of the City. It is in 148 then, most probably, that Pausanias was able to see in Rome, among other wild animals, Paeonian bulls. In any case, this precise dating of the travel in Italy would combine very well with what we can guess nowadays from Pausanias' biography ; and it is not without importance for the establishment of a more reliable chronology of the work itself.

Vers 91/0 av. J.-C, la réforme des mystères d'Andania solennisée par la gravure du fameux règlement des mystères (IG V 1 1390) s'est accompagnée d'une consultation de l'oracle d'Apollon Pythéen à Argos, dont une autre inscription (Syll.³ 735) a conservé le souvenir. Le choix de l'oracle d'Argos par les Messéniens s'explique à la fois par les liens privilégiés qu'ils entretiennent avec les Argiens et par la nature du culte qu'ils souhaitent réformer. Le texte de l'oracle permet de préciser le contenu de la réforme qui n'affecte pas l'ensemble du culte, mais seulement une partie. Cette réforme résulte probablement de règlements territoriaux entre Messène et Megalopolis ; elle s'inscrit aussi dans un contexte général de retour aux cultes anciens qui touche la Grèce continentale à la fin du ne et au début du Ier siècles.