The inscription runs on two lines with an orthograde orientation (except for the first iota of Λυκείο̄ι, which is retrograde). In 2003 line 1 was legible only through the rubbing, although the last two letters are lost. Line 2 was also legible through direct autopsy, except for the last iota, which is restored from the rubbing. The inscription has a curvilinear arrangement and follows the edge of the rock surface: the theonym tends to descend, while the word τε͂δε rises upward.
Letters of the archaic alphabet of Thera: Epsilon: vertical stroke protruding at the bottom, oblique bars. Iota: three bars. Lambda: (l. 1) upper bar joins the vertical stroke at an acute angle, (l. 2) upper bar joins at a more open angle. Omicron: with an internal dot, smaller than the other letters. Upsilon: (l. 1) single oblique bar attached to the vertical stroke, (l. 2) both oblique bars attached at the same point on the vertical stroke.
Encoded following the latest EpiDoc guidelines
Taxonomies for ThERA controlled values
ThERA anthroponyms authority list
ThERA theonyms authority list
Julian Calendar
For the epithet Λύκειος, it is possible to recall inscription no. 389; for other attestations of Apollo in the archaic period at Thera, see no. 356 and Inglese 2008, pp. 145-150. Although this is the only attestation with such a formula—it is the only one attested in the dative within a communicative context where erotic graffiti or anthroponyms followed by adjectives prevail—the dative Λυκείο̄ι referring to the god and the locative determination τεῖδε suggest considering this area, near the Gymnasium of the ephebes, as a place associated with an ancient cult of the deity. Moreover, it was near the gymnasium that Hiller traced the small altar featuring Apollo epiclesis. It is worth emphasizing that, although still lacking the dedicatory verb, this would be the oldest attestation of a dedication with a theonym in the dative: as Lazzarini recalls, this formula became widespread starting from the second half of the 6th century BCE; the oldest attestation is considered the dedication to Opheles on a Rhodian cup, dated to the mid-6th century, found in Cyrene and published by Gasperini.