IGII25 13269 Honours for [Constantine I]

Honours for [Constantine I]

IG II² 5 13269 Date: ca. 335-337 AD

[To the one born to the divine family], [Our Lord Flavius Constantine], unconquered, [and always] Augustus, -ius, most brilliant man (vir clarissimus), proconsul of the province of Achaia, devoted to his spirit (numini) and majesty (maiestati) (erected this).^[1] uninscribed space

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References:

IG II² 5 13269 (Translated text) (PHI)

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Base

Inscription type: Statue base (governor)

Findspot: Roman Agora (Athens Ephoria ΡΑ 1672)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This is part of a set of statue bases with Latin inscriptions erected for the emperor Constantine (r. 306-337 AD), along with his sons Constantine II, Constantius II (presumably), and Constans, and probably his nephew Dalmatius, originally named as Caesares (junior co-emperors), in the Roman Agora (on which, see IG II³ 4, 12 with notes). Both this inscription and IG II² 5, 13268 seem to have been erected for Constantine, which may indicate that one of them belongs to a separate group. IG II² 5, 13270 certainly depicted Constantine II. IG II² 5, 13271 depicts Constans, but apparently originally depicted someone else (Dalmatius?). The honorand of IG II² 5, 13272 is uncertain. A similar monument had been erected in 285-286 AD for Diocletian, probably also in the Roman Agora (IG II² 5, 13265). The erector, whose name is lost on all the bases, was the governor of Achaia with the title of proconsul and the rank of “most brilliant man” (vir clarissimus), indicating a date after 324 AD. He probably chose to inscribe the texts in Latin to emphasise that he was acting in his official role as a Roman magistrate. After Constantine’s death in 337 AD, his three sons became Augusti (senior co-emperors) and the inscriptions were updated accordingly (E. Sironen, ZPE 136, 2001, 257-264). A similar set of statues for Constantine and his heirs was erected at Delphi (Syll.³ 903A-D). Constantine served as general or archon of Athens in absentia and provided the city with an annual grain supply (Julian, Or. 1.8 c-d).

Added: 6 Mar 2026
Updated: 6 Mar 2026
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ID: AIO_3666