The theoroi who went from Kos to Sicily and Italy were travelling through a war zone; the First Punic War continued until 241 B.C. The city of Kamarina was captured by the Romans in 258 B.C.; and according to Diodorus ( 23.9.5 ) they "sold into slavery most of the inhabitants". However, this inscription does not mention any misfortunes, and archaeologists have found no evidence of Kamarina's destruction or abandonment at this time; see L. Pfuntner, "Urbanism and Empire in Roman Sicily", pp.43-45 ( Google Books ).
It is probable that the Koans sent colonists in 337 B.C. to assist in repopulating the Greek cities of Sicily, including Kamarina and Gela; see S.M. Sherwin-White, "Ancient Cos" (1978), p. 80. This inscription shows that the cities still retained close links, including isopoliteia - for the significance of this term, see S. Saba, "Isopoliteia in Hellenistic Times", pp.22-23 ( Google Books ).
. . . of the Kamarinans to the Koans who . . . joined in settling, as . . . it is resolved with good fortune, and for the harmony and safety of the people of Kamarina and of Kos, that the temple of Asklepios shall be inviolable, and the asylia and the sacrifice and the games shall be inserted in the laws.
As recommended by the council, it was resolved by the assembly: since the Koans, who joined in settling our city 10 and who have the greatest and closest links with us - kinship and familiarity and isopoliteia - have sent the chief theoros Epidaurios son of Nikarchos and the theoros Sosistratos son of Kaphisios to announce the sacrifice that they are offering to Asklepios and the musical and gymnastic games that they are holding every four years, and they think it fitting that our city should participate in them, affirming the familiarity and goodwill that exists between the cities, and it is right to accept their announcement and to make it clear to them that we continue to remember 20 the kinship that we have with them, both in the ancestral sacrifices that we have inherited from them and in our festivals, to which we invite them along with our other colonisers; therefore with good fortune and for the health and safety and harmony of the people of Kamarina and of Kos, it is resolved to accept their invitation to both the sacrifice that they are performing for Asklepios and the games, and to invite both these theoroi and any other theoroi who visit here to receive hospitality on every day that they are residing here.
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