AIO 1838 Four decrees honouring ephebes and their superintendent, 37/6 or 36/5 BC

Four decrees honouring ephebes and their superintendent, 37/6 or 36/5 BC

AIO 1838 Date: 37/6 or 36/5 BC

Sosis son of Sosis of Oe dedicated (this) on behalf of his fellow ephebes.^[1]

Decree 1 (Honours for sacrifices) For the good fortune of the Council and the People of Athens; in the archonship of Kallikratides, in the third prytany, of Aiantis, on the fourth of Boedromion, the fourth of the prytany; Council in the theatre, transferred from the Panathenaic (5) stadium; of the presiding committee Dio- of – was putting to the vote and his fellow presiding committee members; Lysis son of Asklepiades of Halimous proposed: concerning the report which the superintendent of the ephebes, Olympiodoros son of Olympos of Hagnous, makes about the sacrifice that he made with the ephebes in the city hall to Hestia and the other gods for whom it was traditional, the entry-sacrifices (isētētēria) on behalf of the Council and the People and children and women and the friends and allies, and that (10) the sacrifices have turned out fine and salutary in every respect; for good fortune, the Council shall decide, to accept the positive outcome of all the sacrifices for the health and preservation of the Council and the People and children and women and the friends and allies, and to praise the superintendent Olympiodoros son of Olympos of Hagnous and the ephebes and crown each of them with a foliage ‹crown› for their piety towards the gods and their zeal and love of honour throughout the whole year, (15) in order that, these things being brought to pass, the Council may be seen to be honouring [them worthily] of the honour they deserve.

Decree 2 (Honours for superintendent of ephebes) (16) Lysis son of Asklepiades of Halimous proposed: since those who were ephebes in the year of the archonship of Menandros, having made an approach to the Council, make clear that their superintendent Olympiodoros son of Olympos of Hagnous has been generous (eugenē) and honour-loving (philotimon) towards them and he has paid attention to . . . , guiding them to the finest pursuits and making them attend (20) the schools of the rhetoricians and the grammarians and the lectures which took place, and he has managed their physical exercise and drill, and further their weapons practice and cavalry exercise, [and for them to compete?] in the contests at the Thesieia [and the Epitaphia^[2]], similarly at the Antonieia,^[3] the Panathenaic (Games) of Antonios, the god and new Dionysos . . . on the seventeenth of Anthesterion . . . and to complete the procession . . . and sacrifice . . . , and similarly he has carefully organized the competition, (25) for them to compete against each other in a manly way, and he has conducted with the ephebes the sacrifices provided by Tla- . . . , who was their gymnasiarch for two months, the most handsome bull . . . the ephebes, competing against each other at the [gymnasium] in the torch-race in a manly and splendid way; and he has been attentive concerning their living-expenses, guiding those most prominent [and honour-loving?] to undertake gymnasiarchies, relieving the others in the right measure (30) of these expenses; and he has provided for the sacrifices which the customs and the laws prescribed and for the entry-sacrifices (eisitētēriо̄n); and he has offered sacrifices with the ephebes for the procession of Elaphebolion with the vine-branch (klēmatidi);^[4] and he has behaved through the whole year fairly, caring for all of them and displaying his ancestral good will (eunoian) to all; for which they too, wishing to render him thanks, crowned him with a golden crown and request the Council to allow themselves to make a dedication of a bronze statue of him (35) . . . and likewise a dedication of a painted image on a shield . . . for good fortune, the Council shall decide, to permit the ephebes to crown their superintendent Olympiodoros son of Olympos of Hagnous for his good will towards them, and to make the dedication of the statue in the place they request, and likewise [to make] the dedication of the painted image . . . in order that, these things having been brought to pass, the Council may be seen (40) to be paying proper attention to the training of the ephebes and to be honouring good men.^[5]

Decree 3 (Honours for ephebes and ephebic staff) (40) Since those who were ephebes in the year of the archonship of Menandros have behaved well and with decency during the whole year of their ephebate, being obedient to the superintendent and the tutors and attending the schools of the philosophers and rhetoricians and grammarians and at the gymnasia behaving appropriately; and they have also managed their physical exercise and drill, and also their strenuous weapons training throughout the whole year . . . (45) . . . the expeditions into the country to the best of their ability with common purpose (homonoias) . . . . . . with all love of honour, and, maintaining piety towards the gods, they participated (sunepempsan) in all the city’s processions and they performed public services (leitourgias); and they sacrificed the . . . . . . [supplying] the victims in the finest possible manner; and they sacrificed at the Diogeneia within the precinct (scil. of the Diogeneion) and they completed the other sacrifices which were appropriate and obtained favourable omens on behalf of the Council and the People . . . (50) . . . they dedicated . . . books . . . to the library in the Ptolemaion according to the decree which Metrophanes . . . proposed: in order, therefore, that the Council may be seen to be approving the excellence of the ephebes and their love of honour in respect of good deeds, for good fortune, the Council shall decide, to praise the ephebes of the archonship of Menandros and to crown them with a golden crown for the good discipline which they have maintained and the zeal for the fine pursuits, and to announce the crown at the competition for new tragedies of the Great Dionysia and at the Panathenaia and at the Eleusinia in the gymnastic competitions; and the (55) general and the herald of the Council of the Areopagos shall take care of the proclamation of the crown;^[6] and to praise [the secretary Attalos] son of Aristeides of Kydathenaion and the trainer (paidotribēn) Theodoros son of Demetrios of [Steiria] [and the weapons trainer Antiphanes] son of Nikadas of Melite ‹and?› the tutors;^[7] and to crown each of them with a foliage crown for their behaviour; and to inscribe this decree together with the others on the same stele, in order that, these things being brought to pass, the Council may be seen to be honouring those who devote themselves from the first age of youth (60) to the finest pursuits, and that others may also become zealous for the same.

Decree 4 (Honours for Sosis son of Sosis of Oe) (60) Kratippos son of Philokles . . . proposed: since those who were ephebes in the year of the archonship of Menandros and their superintendent Olympiodoros son of Olympos of Hagnous, having made an approach to the Council, make clear that Sosis son of Sosis of Oe, following the excellence of his father, has conducted himself reputably (philodoxо̄s) and generously (megalomerо̄s) in respect of his deeds both collectively towards all as well as individually towards each one of them, being willing by himself to take care that his fellow ephebes were unencumbered and exempt (65) from fees (scil. of the ephebate), and, himself being gymnasiarch and leader of his tribe (phylarchēsanta), and carrying out a theatrical sponsorship (chorēgian) for three days, and excelling in magnanimity (megalopsychiai), he has also dedicated the stele which will be bearing the decrees and the roster of the ephebes and he has devoted all his means to doing these things, displaying love of goodness, and for this reason they (i.e. the ephebes and their superintendent) request the Council to allow them to make a dedication of a painted image of him in the stoa of Attalos; for good fortune the Council shall decide to praise Sosis son of Sosis of Oe for his [love of honour] from the first age of youth (70) towards his fellow ephebes, and to allow his fellow ephebes and the superintendent Olympiodoros son of Olympos of Hagnous to dedicate a painted image of Sosis bearing the following inscription: “Those who were ephebes in the year of the archonship of Menandros and their superintendent Olympiodoros son of Olympos of Hagnous . . . Sosis son of Sosis of Oe . . . ” and to inscribe this decree . . . on the same stele . . . for the love of goodness . . . ^[5] Uninscribed Space

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(75) . . . (crown(s)) In crown . . .

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. . . (crown(s)) In crown Olym- piodo- (80) ros son of Olym- pos of Hagno- us

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The Council (crowns) In crown the (85) ephe- bes

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The People (crown) In crown . . .

[Those] who were ephebes in the archonship of Menandros:^[8]

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(90) [Of Erechtheis^I] . . . [son of] -es of Kephisia -chos son of Demostratos of Kephisia [Arist]eus son of Apollophanes of Pambotadai Lucius Seppius of Kephisia (95) Apollonides son of Th- of Lamptrai -s son of Leukios [of Kephisia] -os son of - of Kephisia . . .

[Of Aigeis^II] (100) . . . of Bate

Of Pandionis^III -stratos [(son of -stratos)] of Paiania Noumerios son of Glaukos of Paiania Of Leontis^IV (105) [Peith?]odemos son of Peithon of Cholleidai Apollonios son of Timariskos of Skambonidai Apollonides son of Noumenios of Phrearrhioi Diogenes (son of Diogenes) of Paionidai Dionysios son of Protion of Eupyridai Uninscribed space (110) Aristeides son of Leukios of Nik- Apollonios son of Mikion of An[tioch] Marcus Terentius of Rome Dexon son of Noumenichos of T- Biottos son of Eukles of - (115) Philodemos son of Mene- of- Epaphrodeitos son of – of - Aischines son of Aris- of - Aristaios son of Koi- of - -andros . . . (120) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (125) Apoll- son of - of Herakleia Zopyros (son of Zopyros) of Miletos Eumenes (son of Eumenes) of Tyana Euemeros son of Menandros of Miletos Nikomachos son of Menelaos of Sidon (130) Artemisios son of Heliodoros of Alabanda Epikrates son of Hesychos of Sidon Moschos son of Apollonios of Plataia

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Of Ptolemais^V Philistides son of Athenagoras of Phlya (135) Titus Caisellius Rufus of Phlya Kritoboulos son of Meilichos of Prospalta Alexandros son of Dositheos of Phlya Phaidrias son of Euandros of Aphidna Bakchios (son of Bakchios) of Aphidna

(140) Of Akamantis^VI Polystratos (son of Polystratos) of Thorikos Xenon son of Neon of Poros Aristeas son of Apollonios of Hermos -okrates son of Onesandros of Sphettos (145) [Euthy?]domos son of Marnakes of Sphettos -ius Licinius son of Publius of Sphettos

Of Oineis^VII Sosis son of Sosis of Oe^[1] [Diogn?]etos son of Dionysios of Acharnai (150) -or son of Alexandros of Phyle

Of Kekropis^VIII -s son of Nikophon of Halai -s (son of -s) of Aixone Apollonios son of Apollophanes of Aixone (155) Dionysios son of Kallistratos of Miletos Hierokles son of Nikasion of Miletos Praxagoras son of Praxagoras of Karystos -otimos son of Antiochos of - -philos son of Dionysios of - (160) . . . . . . -os son of Aphrodisios of Miletos Publius Granius son of Publius of Rome Aischines son of Eudoxos of Miletos (165) Hieron son of Sotas of Plataia Aphrodeisios son of Philostratos of - Lucius (son of Lucius) of Rome Hieron son of Straton of M- Athenadas son of Eutych- of - (170) Sotas (son of Sotas) of - Elpinikos . . . Titus S- (?) . . . Paramonos . . . . . . (175) . . . . . .

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Sostratos son of Dem- of Melite Kleoxenides son of K- of Epieikidai

Of Hippothontis^IX (180) Attalos son of Dem- of - Pontios son of Kallias of -

Of Aiantis^X Epinikos [(son of Epinikos)] of Trikorynthos Euphorion son of Ka- of Phaleron

(185) Of Antiochis^XI Diokles son of Euphranor of Krioa Hermokrates son of Pistokrates of Athens Demetrios son of Hermippos of Athens Zosimos son of Sphairos of Athens (190) Dorion son of -iades of Athens Metroph- son of - [of Athens] Asklep- son of - of Athens Titos . . . Mene- son of - of Athens (195) As- son of - of Athens Eu- son of - of Athens . . . of Athens . . . . . . (200) . . . . . . of Hermou(polis) . . . of Hermou(polis) . . . of Miletos . . . son of -dotos of Miletos (205) - (son of -) of Sidon . . . of Tanagra . . . of Salamis . . . of Miletοs . . . of Salamis (210) - son of - of Miletοs - son of Apollodoros of Miletοs -s son of Axipolis of Messene -tos son of Eunostos of Oropos -ndros son of Satyros of Miletοs (215) -s (son of -s) of Rome . . . ⟦of Rome⟧ - son of - of Rome - son of -stichos of Miletos -es son of Kall- of Miletos (220) - son of Apoll- of -

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The Council (crowns) the secretary In crown Atta- los of Kyda- (225) thena- ion

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[The Council] (crowns) [the trainer] In crown Theo- (230) doros of Steiri- a

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[The Council] (crowns) [the weapons trainer] In crown (235) Anti- phanes of Meli- te.^[6]

Previous - AIO Papers 11B no. 3, Fig. 6 Next - AIO Papers 11B no. 5, Fig. 11
Greek text

References:

AIO 1838 (Translated text) (AIO)

IG II² 1043 with add. p. 671 (PHI)

SEG 69.84

SEG 38.119 (PHI)

SEG 22.112 (l. 212)

Wilhelm, Attische Urkunden VI, no. 35, 10, p. 261 (l. 16)

AIO Papers 11, 1-6, 13-18 (AIO Paper)

AIO Papers 11B no. 4, Figs. 7-10 (AIO Paper)

Henderson, Springtime, T9.17

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Julian Schneider

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decrees (Council)

Findspot: Church of St. Demetrios Katephores (EM 10342)
Findspot: Church of St. Demetrios Katephores (EM 4197)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] These decrees passed during the ascendancy of Marcus Antonius were resolved by the Council alone, like IG II² 1039 under Sulla (for debate on whether this reflects the oligarchic character of the constitution at this period see the notes to 1039. IG II² 1042 and IG II² 1040 have mixed formulations. On decrees of the Council and People in this period see I Rhamnous 423 with notes). The monument was probably set up originally in the Agora, cf. IG II² 1039, with notes. On the change of the location of the Council meeting (4-5), cf. IG II² 1039, with notes; on Council meetings in the theatre, G. Tozzi, Assemblee politiche e spazio teatrale ad Atene (2016) (= SEG 67.17), 257-63. Like other inscriptions of this series, there are three decrees honouring the ephebes and their superintendent (kosmetes) for their sacrifices (decree 1), honouring the superintendent (decree 2), and honouring the ephebes and their trainers (decree 3). In this case an additional decree 4 honours Sosis son of Sosis of Oe, a very wealthy ephebe of the tribe Oineis (l. 148), whose name heads the stele which he funded. He also relieved his fellow ephebes of the ephebate fee, and served as gymnasiarch, “phylarch” (evidently cadet commander of his tribal contingent of ephebes) and also as theatrical sponsor (choregos) (ll. 65-66). Another individual, Tla- (l. 25), also made substantial contributions in this year, paying for sacrifices and also serving as gymnasiarch. This decree illustrates clearly how the costs of the ephebate were increasingly met by wealthy individuals (cf. É. Perrin-Saminadayar in, S. Follet ed., L’Héllénisme d’époque romaine (2004), 92 [SEG 55.244]). The IG text of this inscription was revised by S. Follet, Cahiers du Centre d’ Études Chypriotes 9, 1988, 25-26 (SEG 38.119). On these and the other textual revisions we have made, and on the date of the decrees, see AIO Papers 11. For photographic documentation see AIO Papers 11B. [2] The Theseia consisted of a procession, a sacrifice and athletic competitions (Parker, Polytheism, 483–84). The Epitaphia originated in a yearly festival to honour the citizens who died in battle, but in Hellenistic times focused especially on the commemoration of the battle of Marathon, including marches to Marathon and funerary offerings. The ephebes participated in races, torch-races and parades (see IG II² 1006, ll. 20–22, 1011, ll. 9–10, and Parker, 469–70). [3] Like the Sylleia honouring Sulla (IG II² 1039, l. 8 with note), the Antonieia were Games, said in some sense to be "Panathenaic", in honour of Marcus Antonius, named here the "new Dionysos". On the implications of this reference for the date of this inscription see AIO Papers 11. Cf. also A. Raubitschek, TAPA 1977, 148-49; E. Fontani, Studi Ellenistici 12, 1999, 198-200 (SEG 49.130). [4] Sacrifices with a vine-branch (klēmatis), a typical component of Dionysiac rituals, in a procession in Elaphebolion most likely relate to the City Dionysia (see Parker, p. 475). [5] On the painted image on a shield (an eikon en hoplo or imago clipeata), awarded to the superintendent and to Sosis, which was a common honour in the 1st century BC, see SEG 28.95 with notes. [6] Unlike IG II² 1040+1025 l. 38, IG II² 1041 l. 30 and IG II² 1042 l. 56 where the treasurer of the military funds is in charge of the proclamation of the honours, the herald of the Areopagos appears here to be responsible for this task (like in IG II² 1039 l. 65 with note). [7] The honours bestowed in these decrees display a reduction of the ephebic staff to three main officials, a secretary (grammateus), a trainer (paidotribēs), and a weapons trainer (hoplomachos), omitting the military trainers for javelin, archery and catapult, and some assistants and tutors who appear in the ephebic decrees preceding the 1st century BC, e.g. IG II² 1028, ll. 50–54. See É. Perrin-Saminadayar, Éducation, Culture et Société à Athènes (2007), 259–61. [8] The roster of the ephebes includes Athenian citizens (with the demotic; 11 are unaffiliated to a specific deme and described simply as Athenians). The majority of the ephebes, however, were non-citizen foreigners identified by ethnic, e.g. as "Milesians" (perhaps an artificial category, cf. AIUK 2 (British School at Athens), p. 37), or from cities including Rome and (a new reading in ll. 201-2) Hermoupolis in Egypt. See further IG II² 1039 n. 10; Follet 1988, 19-32. The Romans are referred to in the Roman style, praenomen + nomen [+ cognomen] (for discussion of individuals see Byrne, Roman Citizens of Athens). Some of them already had the Athenian citizenship and are accordingly listed with demotics (ll. 94, 135, 146).

Added: 1 Jul 2019
Updated: 14 Apr 2025
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ID: AIO_1838