Temple Warden Inscription

The inscribed base of a statue of Claudius Aristophanes Aurelianus, neocoros of the cult of the emperor at Smyrna (end of 2nd–beginning of 3rd century A.D.).

The title "neocoros" is here used of an elite person who had the honor of officiating at the imperial cult temple at Smyrna.  It was also used as a title of cities who had been granted permission to construct a temple for the cult of the Emperor.  Smyrna received this title three times!  Pergamum and Ephesus took the title twice.