στέμμα,ατος,τό, (στέφω) mostly in pl. (sg. in Il. 1.28 , Ar. Pax 948 ),
A. wreath, garland, chaplet, esp. of the priest's laurel-wreath, wound round a staff, στέμματ' ἔχων ἐν χερσὶ . . χρυσέῳ ἀνὰ σκήπτρῳ
Il. 1.14
, 373 ;σκῆπτρον καὶ ς. θεοῖοib. 28 , cf. E. Andr. 894 ; sts. worn on the head, ς. ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν ἐχούσας
Pl. R. 617c
;Φοῖβος ἔλακεν ἐκ τῶν ς.fromshrine with chaplcts decked, Ar. Pl. 39 , cf. E. Ion 1310 , Th. 4.133 ; used in sacrificial ceremony,στέμμασι πυκασθείς(of victim) Hdt. 7.197 , cf. SIG 1025.31 (Cos,iv/iii B.C.);ς. πάλας, as a prize, Epigr.Gr. 247 (Mysia);στέμματ' Ὀλυμπιάδωνib. 881 (Cyzicus), etc.;ὁ ἐπὶ τῶν στεμμάτωνan official connected with thecrowns of officeof magistrates (cf.στεπτικός, στέφανος), PFay. 87i10
(ii A.D.), POxy. 2130.7
(iii A.D.), cf. PRyl. 77.28
(ii A.D.).
2. Sch. S. OT 3 says theστέμματαwerewreaths of woolwound round the olive-branch; hence στέμματα ξήνας'
E. Or. 12