The Artemis Orthia inscriptions and spoken Laconian in the Imperial period: In defence of dialect survival at Sparta

Abstract

A small number of inscriptions found in the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia at Sparta and dating to the Imperial period display the use of the Laconian dialect (§1). Since the epigraphical record has otherwise shown a steady decline in the use of dialect, scholars have often interpreted its reappearance as an expression of antiquarianism (§2). The present work explores the possibility that the inscriptions offer direct testimony to the language spoken at Sparta. This scenario does not seem unlikely, since evidence from other sources suggests that Late Laconian was in wide use in other parts of Laconia (§3). Examination of the inscriptions themselves reveals that the dialect used betrays no signs of artificiality, as is otherwise usually assumed, and that many peculiarities are better explained through the assumption of dialect survival at Sparta; the provisional use of dialect in writing is interpreted as motivated by a wish among Spartans to promote local identity (§4).