Endowments (or foundations) are a widespread phenomenon in antiquity. The present work
assembles all known ancient Greek endowments from the Classical and Hellenistic periods
presenting the texts in Greek and in translation. The main aim of the volume is to discuss
endowments in their political social economic cultural and religious contexts thus
contributing to our understanding of society and economy of these periods. Endowments were
donations or bequests of property whose income was intended to fund specific purposes defined
by the donors. The donated property was to be preserved intact in order to guarantee that the
intentions of the sponsor would be served in perpetuity. The recipients of the endowments were
usually civic communities sanctuaries or associations. The book discusses important aspects
on the vocabulary and terminology of the endowments their legal economic and administrative
characteristics the identity of the donors (Hellenistic kings or private individuals) and the
various purposes served by them. This analysis shows that the endowments fall within the broad
phenomenon of euergetism that offered benefits to both the endowers and the recipients.
