A.broad strap or band for bearing or supporting anything (from τελα^- 'bear' (v. Τλάω, τελάσσαι), whence also the hero Telamon took his name):
1. leathern strap or belt, freq. in Hom., Il.17.290; δύω τελαμῶνε περὶ στήθεσσι τετάσθην, ἤτοι ὁ μὲν σάκεος, ὁ δὲ φασγάνου, of Ajax, 14.404; for the sword alone, “ξίφος σὺν κολεῷ τε καὶ ἐϋτμήτῳ τελαμῶνι” 7.304, cf. 23.825; “μαχαίρας εἶχον . . ἐξ ἀργυρέων τελαμώνων” 18.598; περὶ στήθεσσι . . χρύσεος ἦν τ. Od. 11.610; for the shield, Il.2.388, 11.38, 18.480; it passed over the shoulder and bore the chief weight, 5.796, 16.803, cf. Hdt.1.171; “τ. φαεινός” Il.12.401; “χάλκεος” Hes.Sc.222.
2. broad linen bandage for wounds, Hdt.7.181, Antyll. ap. Orib.7.9.1, Herod. Med. ap. eund.10.18.15, Sor.1.28, al.; “ἀμφὶ τραύματ᾽ . . τελαμῶνας βαλεῖν” E.Ph.1669; also, a long linen bandage or roller, for swathing mummies, Hdt.2.86, cf. AP11.125.
3. band for the hair, Callistr.Stat.11.
II. in Architecture, Τελαμῶνες were colossal male figures used as bearing-pillars, being the Roman name for Ἄτλαντες, Vitr.6.7.6.
2. base of a στήλη, ἁ στάλα καὶ ὁ τελαμὼν (prob. written τελαμὼ, v. Mnemos.58.28) “ἱαρὰ τᾶς Ἥρας” IG4.517 (Argos, v B.C.); [ἀναγράψαι εἰς σ]τήλην λευκοῦ λίθου [κα]ὶ ἀναθ[εῖναι αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τελα]μ[ῶ]νος prob. rest. in CIG2056d (loc.inc., perh. Odessus); simply = στήλη, ἀναγράψαι . . εἰς τελαμῶνα λευκοῦ λίθου καὶ ἀναθεῖναι κτλ. SIG731.41 (Tomi, i B.C.), al., cf. Milet.3p.377No.153.39, BMus.Inscr.1007 (Cyzicus, ii A.D.), etc.