Forms of private and public devotion in the Dodecanese in the Hellenistic Age: The cases of the Great Gods and Hecate

The aim of this contribution is to underline some topics concerning the main features of some cults connected to personal and civic protection, like those of Hecate and the Great Gods of Samothrace, in the islands of Dodecanese, between the late Classical and Hellenistic periods. It will further focus on influences in the evolution of cultural phaenomena through a global analysis of archaeological, epigraphical and iconographic sources. In fact, there are some examples of leges sacrae and private forms of devotion for Hecate that show a strong influence ascribable to a Carian cultural substrate. Another important vector of influence comes from Samothrace and its popular and Panhellenic cult of the Great Gods. Forms of private and public devotion for these gods are indeed testified by some epigraphical texts concerning lists of so-called Samothrakiastai. We shall also emphasise syncretic links between external influences and local cultural tradition in the Hellenistic Age.