pakill(i)-

This adjective is attested in two inscriptions, both of which are found in Sardis, one at the cemetery (LW 1) and one in the precinct of Artemis (LW 22). The first inscription can approximately be dated to the 5^th or 4^th century BCE, the other is dated more precisely to the early 4^th century BCE.

[I.Y.]

The literal meaning of this adjective is ‘of Bacchus’, and its explicit reference to the theonym renders its discussion, strictly speaking, beyond the scope of this dictionary. It is, however, lexicalized as a month name in the bilingual LW 1, where it corresponds to Aram. mrḥšwn ‘October-November’ (Buckler apud Littmann 1916a:38). This is the likely season when the Lydians could first drink the new wine from the same year’s harvest, so the designation of the month appears logical and can even be used as a further argument for the Lydian origin of the cult of Bacchus. Gusmani 1964a:74f. further compares the Greek month name Διονύσιος.

[I.Y.]

pakill(i)- is formally a possessive adjective, presumably derived from the Lydian name of Bacchus, which is, however, not directly attested. The gemination -ll- in this suffix is, however, problematic. It is not clear whether it reflects the assimilation in a consonant cluster, as suggested in (Heubeck 1959a:69) or the analogical extension based of other adjectives in -ill(i)-. The second proposal squares better with the shape of the Greek theonym Βάκχος. Cf. further under cuwell(i)-.

[I.Y.]