Maiuma (festival)
maiuma maiouma also written final graecosyrian nocturnal water festival celebrating dionysus aphrodite held month mayartemisios according malalas chronicle – celebrated antioch every three year nocturnal festival also known orgy mystery dionysus aphrodite famous venue daphnebyantioch daphne suburb hellenistic metropolis orontes aquatic display mime dance show made festival popular several city east roman empire scholar distinguish original graecosyrian festival characterised two main component water rejoicing later celebration similar character pagan graecoroman even christian byzantine world also adopted original name celebration licentious roman ruler attempted ban information original purpose maiuma malalus antioch syria thcentury byzantine author syria probably native syriac speaker writing greek saw name mayumas word derived name month may festival held robert good thesis punic word mayumas mym occurs small number inscription carthage calque greek term hydrophoria see merriamwebster entry therefore mean rite water movement based etymological interpretation mai water yuma carry thus suggesting mayumas water carrying ceremony good note festival water movement common ancient syropalestinian world see canaanite phoenician carthaginian tradition likely elaborating possible character range syropalestinian water movement rite could associated carthaginian mayumas festival warns cannot speculation due limited finding however name awkward composition punic still perfectly plausible calque greek term place time adoption sometime conquest phoenicia alexander great bce fall carthage bce given inscription found rm good also mention athenian anthesteria dionysian festival containing hydrophoria rite fact rite connected libation widely known mediterranean world good dismisses malalus explanation word mayumas derived month may folk etymology see result fact malalus time connection phoenicianpunic parent word water may composite word based thoroughly forgotten american phoenician language scholar philip schmitz similarly suggests punic word mym derived word combination semitic word water greek name spring festival μαιουμας maioumas nicole benayche show word probably semitic origin later graecised maybe also play word greek maia came denote greek roman world two different thing either spring festival waterrelated pleasant deeper connection graecosyrian mystery instance one ostia harbour city instance alexandria egypt term referred island pharos ptolemy nd c ce marcus diaconus gaza explain word simply meaning maritime city quarter emperor commodus r – renewed edict olympic game earmarked revenue originating certain ceremony financing maiumas ritual emperor julian apostate r – apparently made unsuccessful attempt prohibit mayumas festival malalas writing th century relates festival held city antioch every three year lasted day inscription albirketein gerasa end century however mention festival held annually several year succession author like nicole benayshe warning mistake conflating grecosyrian festival later watercentered celebration well using widely used toponym maiuma often occurs common noun harbour seaside quarter proof city hosting nocturnal mystery notice wide popularity event held next water later period accompanied construction dedicated building ancient literary source explicitly mention three place ceremony called mayoumas took place antioch ostia constantinople description rdcentury source refers mayoumas rome ostia context thcentury constantinople mayoumas show little commonality grecosyrian theatrical mystic ritual john lydia describes may merchant rome made vow maia son hermes asking good fortune trade called making mayouma went ostia pushed sea enjoying emperor leon iv celebrated victory arab made maiouma sophianae bath constantinople jayoung che see late maiouma event continuation politheistic pleasurecentered ritual well christian era epigraphic evidence mayoumas festivity found nicea rd century inscription tyre gerasa case tyre term used toponym name festival apart antioch suburb daphne several location east roman empire known venue festival shunimaiumas binyamina israel semicircular pool built behind stagehouse theatre offered main venue water festival gerasa today jerash jordan centered site little outside city wall known today albirketein arabic name meaning double pool aptly describes main feature aphrodisia caria asia minor thcentury honorific inscription near open pool southern agora mention governor acted maioumarchès presiding festivity maiumas related festival also allegedly held baki gaza see word caution benayche refutes ashkelon jerusalem hierapolis perhaps homs baalbek botnah near hebron dura europus one apply though toponymic argument instance case civitas maiuma ascalonitis recorded th century negev n benayche read port ascalon michael aviyonah shimon gibson mentioning four place named festival starting maiumas port gaza anonymous pilgrim piacenza mention place called maiumas coast near ashkelon perhaps today khirbat alashraf entrance shikma valleywadi sikrayr archaeological site known arabic khirbat miyāmās preserved name memory ancient festival identified rdcentury kfar shumi shami mentioned jerusalem talmud today located near binyamina east caesarea maritima still hosting pagan water game early byzantine period thcentury madaba map show town betomarsea also called maiumas vicinity charachmoba today alkarak place ancient source connect baalpeor number – betomarseas alias maioumas understood house marzeah semitic name bēṯ marzēaḥ mayumas marzeah seen semitic idolatrous form worship aquatic show pagan religious activity raised ire jewish rabbi christian holy men considered popular feast licentious outraged john chrysostom learn mime swimming naked theatre joshua stylite syriac chronicler writes nocturnal festivity held end th century edessa midmay probably relating maiumas celebration maiuma disambiguation page floralia ancient roman religious festival held april may day today may festival may queen british personification may day holiday roman festival rosalia festival rose celebrated throughout roman empire