ΠΑΠΥΡΟΣ
θεωρός
ο (ΑΜ θεωρός και δωρ. τ. θεαρός και θεσσ. τ. θεουρός και θευρός)· 1. θεατής, παρατηρητής· 2. εκκλησιαστικό διακόνημα, οι κάτοχοι τού οποίου φροντίζουν για τη διαφύλαξη τών ιερών σκευών· || (αρχ.) 1. μέλος τής θεωρίας, τής πρεσβείας που έστελνε μια πόλη για συμμετοχή σε εορτές άλλης πόλης ή για λήψη χρησμού από μαντείο· 2. αυτός που παρευρίσκεται και μετέχει στις εορτές· 3. πρέσβης, απεσταλμένος· 4. άρχων στη Μαντινεία.

Πιστεύω ότι εδώ έχουμε να κάνουμε με την πρώτη σημασία της λέξης στα αρχαία ελληνικά με στοιχεία και της δεύτερης.

Ancient Religion, particularly pilgrimage: My main project here is a study of state-sponsored pilgrimage ("theoria") in ancient Greece. In November of 2005 will appear a volume of papers edited by me and Jas Elsner, "Pilgrimage in Greco-Roman and Christian Antiquity. Seeing the Gods". In 2005 I organised a conference entitled "From Ishtar to Aphrodite. Greek Religion and the Orient", and the proceedings of this will appear as a volume of the Journal of Ancient Near Eastern Religions in 2006. I am writng a chapter on Mycenean religion for the Cambridge History of Ancient Religions.
http://www.rdg.ac.uk/classics/people/rutherford.htm




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Note added at 13 mins (2006-05-31 13:51:13 GMT)
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Και official delegate σύμφωνα με την ακόλουθη πηγή:

Several cities had an official delegation, a theoria, which represented the polis at the games, as we know from inscriptions and numerous references in Greek literature; but these theoric embassies, being largely religious, had limited
power as the official delegates of cities. http://www.aafla.org/SportsLibrary/JSH/JSH1996/JSH2301/jsh23...



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Note added at 22 mins (2006-05-31 14:00:08 GMT)
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What precisely is 'wrong with' the expression "theory and practice"? The implications of nominalism provide one indication. But a second comes from etymology: there are no etymological bases, in Ancient Greek usage, for"theory" to be habitually understood to mean writing in expert registers, detachable from the practices of the writer, hence context-transcendent. Theoria, in Ancient Greek, referred both to the action of observing and contemplating, and to the solemn procession of the ambassadors who performed those actions.

The theor himself, as ambassador, public functionary, traveller and witness, saw the sights, saw for himself, got a world view, consulted an oracle or two, or performed a religious rite on his way. The "first recorded 'theorist' in Western history", Ulmer has pointed out, was Solon, a "Greek sage" who lived around 550BC in the city of Athens (120). His reporting back was oral rather than written; his presence authorised its power, by performing it. How long did it take, for authorised performance techniques to be internalised, so that they seemed to be immanent to that performer's body, and to attach to his name? The theor's performance was embedded within a ritualised event, performed, it is noted, "with ostentatious pomp", and he thereby gave his listeners the benefit of his acts of observation, contemplation, speculation and reflection, actions linked etymologically to the term "theoria". My simple proposition, in these terms, is that we interpret "theory" as a set of actions, performed by somebody competent, which are themselves complex acts of contemplation, speculation and reflection, and attributable to a particular signature, rather than the outcome of these (although performance, including the performer, is also that).
http://www.sfmelrose.u-net.com/adjustyourset/

Και καταλήγω στη λέξη: ΤΗΕΟR, όπως θα δεις εδώ:
http://www.google.gr/search?hl=el&q="theors" in ancient Gree...