Κέρκιος (?) (Kerkios)
(‘Kerkios’)

117

Discussion Meineke 18391.371; 1840 III.171; 1847. 579; Bothe 1855. 422; Kock
188411.143; Breitenbach 1908.168; Edmonds 195911.54-55; Kassel-Austin 1991
11.248; Sanchis Llopis et al. 2007. 250
Title The title is uncertain. The generally accepted form is Κέρκιος (Meineke;
Bothe; Kock; Kassel-Austin without certainty). There is minor support for
Κέρκιον (Kaibel 1894. 2079; Breitenbach 1908. 168), while Edmonds wavered
between Κέρκιος and τό κέρκιον (‘little tail’; seemingly otherwise unattested
before the second century AD), presumably with an obscene sense, although
he makes no explicit statement to that effect.
Aside from the possible example here, several claims have been made for
the existence of a personal name Κέρκιος, but none are convincing (other
names from the same stem do exist; cf. Fick-Bechtel 1894. 161, 316). Pape-
Benseler 1884 s. v. assert its existence in CIG 5126 (= SylL' 1.1 [LSJ s. v. καθύπερ-
θε print Syll. 1.3 in error]), a sixth-century inscription from Abu Simbel, and
Edmonds repeats their claim; the word in question, however, is the genitive
of the place-name Κέρκις (Pape-Benseler do include it as such in addition to
the false entry). Κέρκιος is also included in LGPNII as a name from Athens ca.
500-475 BC. This occurrence, however, is a graffito (the text reads ΚΕΡΚΙΩ[.
]) directly above the phallic spout of an aidoion vase from the Pnyx (Davidson
and Thompson 1943. 159 #114), and its status as a personal name is dubious.
The only real evidence for the use of Κέρκιος as a name are several late refer-
ences (Solin. 15.17; Amm. Marc. 22.8.24) to the Spartans Amphitus and Cercius,
the charioteers of the Dioscuri, as the founders of the city Dioscurias (for the
Dioscuri themselves as the founders, cf. den Boeft et al. 1995 on Amm. Marc.
22.8.24). Even in this instance, the name is not certain, since this person is not
uniformly called Cercius; cf. Str. 11.2.12 (C 496) (Ρέκας mss.: Κρέκας Valesius);
Plin. NH 6.16 (Telcio vel Thelciovel Thelgid)·, lust. 42.3 (Erygium Seel: frigium
vel frudium vel fraudium vel ericam mss.).
Although mythological plays were popular and a favorite of Anaxandrides
in particular (see Introduction), the Dioscuri seem to have been used rarely
if at all as a topic. Furthermore, two late references to an otherwise obscure
mythological figure lends little support to this position. If Κέρκιος is retained,
therefore, it must be a descriptive term rather than a real name, and be under-
stood as referring to a homo impudicus, although overt obscenity is difficult
to parallel in a title, especially at this period. For the connotation of the word,
cf. especially Ar. Th. 239; Eup. fr. 471; van Leeuwen 1901 on Ar. Ach. 785;