Hellenistic Polis of Kos

"The general aim of the conference, the papers of which are published in this volume, was to convene scholars working on different aspects of Koan history and culture during the Hellenistic period to provide an up-to-date view of present research in different fields. The contributions cover the main areas of archaeology, epigraphy, history, numismatics and prosopography and also touch upon art history and geology. Most of the articles concern inscriptions in one form or another and their chronological and historical contexts. The contributions cover questions connected with the Koan Asklepieia in the third century, a general survey of the chronology of inscriptions and the application of S. Tracey's method of distinguishing different hands, the chronology of the eponymous magistrates, the monarchoi, and of a group of decorated, funerary altars. The modern historical events resulting in the delay in the publication of IG XII are presented. Also treated are the personal names on coins, a recently excavated statue base for a poetess, Hellenistic democracy, and two inscriptions, a local decree and a cult calendar, from Halasarna. Three articles treat Koan amphoras. They give a survey of the Koan amphora shapes known up to now and present new material from Halasarna and the southern Levant. A refined system for the dating of complete or nearly complete amphoras through the proportions of the vessels is presented. Certain methodological problems encountered when trying to ""translate"" the number of stamped handles reported at a certain site into a rough estimate of the probable volume of wine which they signify are also discussed. Finally, we are given a survey of the stone materials extracted on the island and how they were used in different periods."