RO 22 Decree inviting states to join the Second Athenian League, 378/7 BC

Decree inviting states to join the Second Athenian League, 378/7 BC

RO 22 Date: 378/7 BC

Face A (front)

ἐπὶ Ναυσινίκο ἄρχοντος (378/7)· vacat Καλλίβιος ⋮ Κηφισοφῶντος Παιανιεὺς ⋮ ἐγραμμάτευεν· vacat ἐπὶ τῆς Ἱπποθωντίδο[ς ἑβδ]όμης πρυτα- (5)νείας. ἔδοξεν τῆι βολ[ῆι κα]ὶ τῶι δήμω- ι· Χαρῖνος Ἀθμον[εὺς ἐπ]εστάτει. Ἀριστοτέλης εἶ[πεν· τύχ]ηι ἀγαθῆι τῆι Ἀ- θηναίων καὶ τ[ῶ]ν [συμμ]άχων τῶν Ἀθηναίω- ν ὅπως ἂν Λακ̣ε̣δ[αιμό]νιοι ἐῶσι τὸς Ἕλλη- (10)νας ἐλευθέ[ρ]ος [καὶ] αὐτονόμος ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν, τὴ[ν χώραν] ἔχοντας ἐμ βεβαίωι τὴ- [ν ἑαυτῶν πᾶσαν], ⟦[κα]ὶ̣ [ὅπ]ω̣[ς κ]υ̣[ρ]ί̣α̣ ἦ̣ι κ̣[α]ὶ̣ δ̣ι- [αμένη ἥ τε εἰρήνη καὶ ἡ φιλία ἥν ὤμοσ]α̣- [ν οἱ Ἕλληνες] κ̣α̣ὶ̣ [βα]σ̣ι̣λ̣ὲ̣υ̣ς̣ κ̣α̣τ̣ὰ̣ τ̣ὰ̣[ς σ]υ̣ν̣- (15)[θήκας]⟧, [ἐψηφί]σθαι τῶι δήμωι· ἐάν τις βόλ- [ηται τῶν Ἑλ]λήνων ἢ τῶν βαρβάρων τῶν ἐν [Εὐρώπηι ἐν]οικόντων ἢ τῶν νησιωτῶν, ὅσ- [οι μὴ βασι]λέως εἰσίν, Ἀθηναίων σύμμαχ- [ος εἶναι κ]αὶ τῶν συμμάχων, ἐξεῖναι αὐ[τ]- (20)ῶ[ι ἐλευθέρ]ωι ὄντι καὶ αὐτονόμωι, πολι- τ[ευομέν]ωι πολιτείαν ἣν ἂν βόληται, μή- τε [φρορ]ὰν εἰσδεχομένωι μήτε ἄρχοντα ὑπο[δεχ]ομένωι μήτε φόρον φέροντι, ἐπὶ δὲ τ[οῖς] αὐτοῖς ἐφ οἷσπερ Χίοι καὶ Θηβαῖ- (25)οι κα[ὶ] οἱ ἄλλοι σύμμαχοι. τοῖς δὲ ποιησ- σαμέν[οι]ς συμμαχίαν πρὸς Ἀθηναίος καὶ τὸς συμ[μ]άχος ἀφεῖναι τὸν δῆμον τὰ ἐγκ- τήματα ὅποσ' ἂν τυγχάνηι ὄντα ἢ ἴδια ἢ [δ]- ημόσια Ἀθ[η]ναίων ἐν τῆι χ[ώραι τῶν ποιο]- (30)μένων τὴν συμμαχίαν κ[αὶ περὶ τούτων π]- ίστιν δο͂ναι Ἀ[θηναίος. ὅτωι δὲ τ]υγχάν[η]- ι τῶν πόλεων [τῶν ποιομένων] τὴν συμμαχ- ίαν πρὸς Ἀθην[αίος σ]τῆλαι ὀ͂σαι Ἀθήνησ- ι ἀνεπιτήδειο[ι, τ]ὴμ βολὴν τὴν ἀεὶ βολε- (35)ύοσαν κυρίαν ε[ἶν]αι καθαιρεῖν. ἀπὸ δὲ Ν- αυσινίκο ἄρχον[τ]ος (378/7) μὴ ἐξεῖναι μήτε ἰδ- ίαι μήτε δημοσ[ί]αι Ἀθηναίων μηθενὶ ἐγ- κτήσασθαι ἐν τ[α]ῖς τῶν συμμάωχν χώρα- ι μήτε οἰκίαν μήτε χωρίον μήτε πριαμέ- (40)νωι μήτε ὑποθεμ̣ένωι μήτε ἄλλωι τρόπω- ι μηθενί. ἐὰν δέ τις ὠνῆται ἢ κτᾶται ἢ τι- θῆται τρόπωι ὁτωιο͂ν, ἐξεῖναι τῶι βολο- μένωι τῶν συμμάχων φῆναι πρὸς τὸς συν- έδρος τῶν συμμάχων· οἱ δὲ σύνεδροι ἀπο- (45)[δ]όμενοι ἀποδόντων [τὸ μὲν ἥ]μυσυ τῶ[ι] φήναντι, τὸ δὲ ἄ- [λλο κοι]νὸν [ἔσ]τω τῶν συ[μμά]χων. ἐὰν δέ τι- ς ἴ[ηι] ἐπὶ πολέμωι ἐπὶ τ[ὸ]ς ποιησαμένος τὴν συμμαχίαν ἢ κατὰ γ[ὴ]ν ἢ κατὰ θάλαττ- αν, βοηθεῖν Ἀθηναίος καὶ τὸς συμμάχος (50)τούτοις καὶ κατὰ γὴν καὶ κατὰ θάλαττα- ν παντὶ σθένει κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν. ἐὰν δέ τ- ις εἴπηι ἢ ἐπιψηφίσηι ἢ ἄρχων ἢ ἰδιώτη- ς παρὰ τόδε τὸ ψήφισμα ὡς λύειν τι δεῖ τ- ῶν ἐν τῶιδε τῶι ψηφίσματι εἰρημέν[ων, ὕ]- (55)παρχέτω μ[ὲν] αὐτῶι ἀτίμωι εἶναι καὶ [τὰ] [χρ]ήμα[τα αὐ]το͂ δημόσια ἔστω καὶ τῆς θ[εο͂] [τ]ὸ ἐπιδ[έκα]τον, καὶ κρινέσθω ἐν Ἀθην[αί]- [ο]ις καὶ τ[οῖς] συμμάχοις ὡς διαλύων τὴν συμμαχία[ν. ζ]ημιόντων δὲ αὐτὸν θανάτω- (60)ι ἢ φυγῆι ὁ͂[περ] Ἀθηναῖοι καὶ οἱ σύμμαχο- ι κρατο͂σι[ν· ἐὰν] δὲ θανάτο τιμηθῆι, μὴ τα- φήτω ἐν τῆ[ι Ἀττι]κῆι [μ]ηδὲ ἐν τῆι τῶν συμ- μάχων. τὸ δ[ὲ ψήφι]σμα τόδε ὁ γραμματεὺς ὁ τῆς βολῆ[ς ἀναγρ]αψάτω ἐν στήληι λιθί- (65)νηι καὶ καταθέ[τω] παρὰ τὸν Δία τὸν Ἐλευ- θέριον· τὸ δὲ ἀρ[γύ]ριον δο͂ναι εἰς τὴν ἀν- αγραφὴν τῆς στ[ήλη]ς ἑξήκοντα δραχμὰς ἐκ τῶν δέκα ταλ[άν]των τὸς ταμίας τῆς θε- ο͂. εἰς δὲ τὴν στήλην ταύτην ἀναγρά- (70)φειν τῶν τε οὐσ[ῶ]ν πόλεων συμμαχίδων τ- ὰ ὀνόματα καὶ ἥτις ἂν ἄλλη σύμμαχος γί- ⟨γ⟩νηται. ταῦτα μὲν ἀναγράψαι, ἑλέσθαι δ- ὲ τὸν δῆμον πρέσβεις τρεῖς αὐτίκα μάλ- [α] εἰς Θήβας, [ο]ἵτινες πείσοσι Θηβαίοις ὅ (75)[τ]ι ἂν δύνω[ν]ται ἀγαθὸν. οἵδε ηἱρέθησαν· [Ἀ]ριστοτέλης Μαραθώνιος, ^v Πύρρανδρο- ς Ἀναφλύσ[τ]ιος, Θρασύβολος Κολλυτεύς. Ἀθηναίων πόλεις αἵδε σύμμαχοι·

Χῖοι Τενέδιοι (80)Μυτιλη[ν]αῖοι [Μ]ηθυ[μν]αῖοι ῾Ρόδιοι Ποιήσσιοι Βυζάντιοι Περίνθιοι (85)Πεπαρήθιοι Σκιάθιοι Μαρωνῖται Διῆς Πάρ[ι]οι Ο[- - -] (90)Ἀθηνῖται Π[- - -]

Θηβαῖοι Χαλκιδῆς Ἐρετριῆς Ἀρεθόσιοι Καρύστιοι Ἴκιοι Παλλ̣[- - -] [- - -] [- - -] [- - -] [- - -] [- - -]

Ἀριστοτέλης εἶπε· [- - - ἐπει]- δὰν πρῶτο[ν - - -] ἑκόντες π[ρο]σχωρῶσι [- - - ἐψη]- φισμένα τῶι δήμωι καὶ τ[- - -] (95)νήσων εἰς τὴν συμμ[αχίαν - - -] τοῖς τῶν ἐψηφι[σμένων - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]

Face B (left)

[Πυρ]ραίων [ὁ δ]ῆμος [Ἀβδη]ρῖται (100)[Θάσι]οι [Χαλκι]δῆς ἀπὸ [Θράικης] Αἴνιοι Σαμοθρᾶικ[ες] (105)Δικαιοπολῖται Ἀκαρνᾶνες Κεφαλληνῶν Πρῶννοι Ἀλκέτας (110)Νεοπτόλεμος ⟦[. . . ⁶ . . .]⟧ Ἄνδριοι [Τ]ήνιοι [Ἑσ]τιαιῆς (115)Μυ[κ]όνιοι Ἀντισσαῖοι Ἐρέσιοι Ἀστραιούσιοι Κείων (120)Ἰουλιῆται Καρθαιε͂ς Κορήσιοι Ἐλαιόσιοι Ἀμόργιοι (125)Σηλυμβριανο[ί] Σίφνιοι Σικινῆται Διε͂ς ἀπὸ Θράικης (130)Νεοπολῖται vacat Ζακυν[θ]ίων ὁ δῆμος ὁ ἐν τῶι Νήλλ- ωι

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Translated text

References:

RO 22 (Translated text) (AIO)

IG II² 43 (PHI)

Syll.³ 147

SdA II 257

IALD II 146-47 no. 10

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, P. J. Rhodes

Images: Aleshire - (1)
Krateros - (1)
Ohio - (1)

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree 1 (Council and People), Decree 2 (Council/People)

Original location: Agora ([statue of] Zeus Eleutherios)

Findspot: Agora (EM 10397)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] After the liberation of Thebes from Sparta in winter 379/8 (incorrectly dated a year later by Diodoros) the Athenians sent envoys to cities around the Greek world paving the way for a new alliance. Chios and Byzantium were first to respond positively, followed by Rhodes, Mytilene and others. The Athenians established a Council (synedrion) of the allies to meet at Athens, the allies to remain autonomous, but under Athenian leadership. Diodoros seems to imply that Thebes was initially outside, but allied to the new system, but soon became a full member. In a reference to unpopular aspects of her 5th cent. empire, the Athenians decided to give up all cleruchies (Athenian settlements) in allied cities and to forbid Athenians to farm land outside Attica. This is the gist of Diodoros' account of the origin of the Second Athenian League (15.28-29). Xenophon omits to mention it, but this inscription, together with RO 23 and RO 24 add very significantly to our knowledge of the League's foundation. Decree 1 of our inscription, dating to spring 377, invites cities outside the area ceded to Persia in the King's Peace to join a League whose purpose was to resist Spartan encroachments on the freedom of Greek cities. The League already existed at this point and there must have been other decrees or agreements dealing with its constitution and Council. This inscription functions as a kind of prospectus for the League, in particular spelling out Athens' undertakings to renounce unpopular practices that characterised her 5th-century empire, and includes a list of members, to which names were added in the early years of the League (down to at least 375). About 58 members are listed; a few who joined later may not have been added to the list, but this is broadly consistent with the 70 members mentioned by Diod. 15.30.2 and the 75 by Aischin. 2.70. [2] This passage was later erased, but traces of it remain legible. The erasure presumably reflects a sudden feeling of anger against the Persians/the King's Peace, perhaps in 367 when Thebes won Persian support for terms unfavourable to Athens (Xen. Hell. 7.1.33-34). [3] Interference in the constitutions of its allies had been a notable feature of the 5th cent. empire, with Athens tending to support democratic factions (e.g. in Erythrai, OR 121), and the same tendency is visible in the early 4th cent. (in Erythrai, RO 17, Klazomenai, RO 18). Support for democratic factions is implied for the early years of the League by some of the listings on the left side of this stele (ll. 97ff.); and by the late 360s Athens was certainly again breaching this principle of non-interference: in Ioulis, RO 39, and in Corcyra in 361/0, Diod. 15.95.3. [4] Garrisons and governors, another common feature of Athens' 5th cent. empire, and a highly sensitive one (as had been clear in the lead-up to the King's Peace from RO 18, see notes 5 and 8) were also in fact to feature in the Second League, see RO 52 with notes. [5] On the monetary tribute (phoros) which was a major cause of revolts in the Athenian empire, see IG I³ 259. The term "tribute" was studiously avoided under the Second League, but at the latest by 373 "contributions" (syntaxeis) were being collected (FGH 115 Theopompos F98), though it seems from RO 72 that the contributions were assessed by the allied Council, rather than being imposed by Athens as in the 5th cent.. [6] Chios had been an Athenian ally since 384/3 (RO 20) and heads col. 1 of the list of League members (col. 1, 79). It was Thebes’ liberation from Spartan domination that had supplied the context for the League's foundation, see n. 1, and it heads the other main column of the members' list (col. 3, 79). This clause highlights these two cities as founding members; on the other early members see n. 1. [7] Landholdings, including organised settlements (cleruchies) of Athenians in territories of allies had been a common feature of the Athenian empire (as e.g. multiple cleruchies on Euboea, OR 131, a vast landholding by an Athenian citizen on Euboea, OR 173a with note 2). The extent of any private Athenian landholdings outside Attica in 378 is unclear, but Athens does seem to have avoided establishing cleruchies in allied territory under the Second League, though from the 360s she again founds cleruchies elsewhere, most notably on Samos in 365 (Diod. 18.18.9). [8] There was a strong sense of agency attached to inscriptions: an inscription was thought to guarantee a measure inscribed on it, and destroying an inscription represented the rescinding of the measure inscribed on it. [9] Unlike the 5th cent. empire, which was an offensive and defensive alliance (Ath. Pol. 23.5) the Second League was a purely defensive alliance. [10] The stoa of Zeus and the associated statue of Zeus "of Freedom" (Eleutherios) were in the north-west of the Agora (cf. Paus. 1.3.2-3). The location clearly had heavy symbolic charge both as regards the League's purpose in ensuring freedom from Spartan domination (ll. 9-10), but also in relation to Athens' commitments not to encroach on the freedom of her allies. [11] Thebes was the most powerful ally in the League (l. 24), and it was natural enough that Athens would signal in this way its intention to consult closely with her. [12] The first five names of col. 1 and Thebes at the top of col. 3 are inscribed in the same hand as the main body of the decree and correspond with Diodoros' list of the first members (n. 1) plus Methymna, on which see RO 23. [13] These names were inscribed in a different hand from the main text. At least some of them were won over by Chabrias in 377 (Diod. 15.30.5, Peparethos and Skiathos). [14] These names were inscribed in another different hand and are all or mostly in or around Euboea. Chalkis is known to have joined before the end of 378/7. [15] Col. 2 is not a complete column, but represents names inserted alongside some names in col. 1. [16] The significance of this second decree proposed by Aristoteles, inscribed under the list of names on the front of the stele, and presumably in some way supplementary to the main decree, is obscure. [17] It is possible that all the names on the front of the stele were added in 377 and 376 (for Chabrias' campaign of that year, which included defeat of a Spartan fleet at the battle of Naxos, Xenophon Hell. 5.4.60-61, Diod. 15.34-35). At least some of the cities inscribed on the left side of the stele joined in 375: for Abdera, l. 99, see Diod. 15.36; the democratic faction of the Zakynthians in Nellos, ll. 131-34, must be connected with Timotheos' campaign of that year, Xen. Hell. 5.4.63-6; 6.2.2-3; Diod. 15.36.5-6; 45.2-4; for Akarnania and Kephallenia see RO 24. [18] The name originally inscribed here has been erased. It has been speculated that it was Jason of Pherai, who might plausibly have been listed below his Molossian ally Alketas and Alketas' son Neoptolemos, and might have become an ally of Athens in 374 or 373 (Xen. Hell. 6.1.10, cf. [Dem.] 49.10 and 22), but his name does not exactly correspond to the space covered by the erasure. [19] Hestiaia joined the League after the other main cities of Euboea listed in col. 3, Diod. 15.30.1.

Added: 29 Jul 2014
Updated: 28 Mar 2025
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ID: AIO_804