mire(/i)-

This lexeme is attested in the inscription of the inscribed pillar of Xanthos, dated contextually to shortly after the ascension of Artaxerxes II in 405-404 BCE and stylistically to around 400 BCE (Borchhardt & Eichner 1997-1999a:19f.).

[D.S.]

dat./loc. pl.	mire	TL 44d.3 (Xanthos)
		TL 44d.40 (Xanthos)
		TL 44d.67 (Xanthos)

It is questionable whether the word mirẽñne (TL 44d.66) is to be interpreted as a derivative of mire(/i)- or whether it should be divided into mirẽ=n͂ne (with dat. pl. pronoun). Gusmani 1968c:6f. prefers the former option and interprets -n͂ne as the (Lycian A) ethnicon suffix (likewise Shevoroshkin 2014a:229) like Lyc. B -wn͂ne/i-, which is highly unlikely. The second option, i.e. mirẽ=n͂ne, thus seems more attractive, although it is difficult to prove due to the obscurity of the passage it occurs in.

[D.S.]

The noun mire is coordinated with ali ‘(something pertaining to nourishment)’ and both items are affected by rituals performed by the river-valley dwellers (TL 44d.3). Therefore, we expect mire to be something concrete, which is beneficial for the kingdom of Lycia and its river-valleys. In TL 44d.40, mire is likewise the purpose of some ritualistic performance (mlez) and is furthermore modified by the ethnicon trelewn͂ne ‘from (the town) Trele’. Moreover, in both TL 44d.3 and d.67, mire is modified by the dative plural tm͂qrisn͂te, a participle of unknown meaning. Despite these contextual clues, no meaning is suggested here for Lyc. B mire(/i)-.

Outdated Bugge 1901a:105f. “local” (followed by Gehrisch 2018a:90), Gusmani 1968c:7 n. 29 “(the land) Mira”, Shevoroshkin 2012a:475 “commoners”.

[D.S.]