IGII34 712 Dedication to Asklepios by a group of men

Dedication to Asklepios by a group of men

IG II³ 4 712 Date: ca. 330 BC

On epistyle . . . [Th]odorides, Epeuches, Mnesitheos^[1] On right column Antiphilos Below relief in olive crown Thodorides son of Polykrates in olive crown (5) Sostratos son of Epikrates in olive crown Epeuches son of Dieuches in olive crown Diakritos (10) son of Dieuches in olive crown Mnesitheos son of Mnesitheos (dedicated this).

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References:

IG II³ 4 712 (Translated text) (IG Online)

IG II² 4359 (PHI)

SEG 39.230 (PHI)

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Images: Acropolis Museum - (1)
Wikimedia Commons - (1)

Monument type: Relief

Inscription type: Dedication (private, Asklepios)

Findspot: Acropolis, south slope (Acropolis Museum EAM 1332)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This is a relief plaque, which was dedicated in the Asklepieion on the south slope of the Acropolis (see IG II³ 4, 665 with notes). The relief depicts, from left to right: Kore standing holding two long torches, Demeter seated, and Asklepios standing, all facing a crowd of six bearded men (the dedicators), depicted at a smaller scale. This probably commemorates the Epidauria festival, which honoured Asklepios and took place during the Eleusinian Mysteries, which honoured Demeter and Kore (see IG II³ 4, 810 with notes). The crowns might indicate that they made the dedication after being honoured with crowns or after performing some duty in which they wore crowns. On the relief, see N. Kaltsas, Sculpture in the National Archaeological Museum (2002), pp. 224-25. The inscribed crowns appear in a row below the relief.

There are six dedicators: Thodorides, Epeuches, and Mnesitheos, who are named above the relief and in the crowns below; Sostratos and Diakritos, who are named only in the crowns below; and Antiphilos, whose name appears only on the right-hand pillar. Dieuches and Mnesitheos are probably related to or identical with the famous doctors of these names, who are known from literary sources (the fragments of their medical writings are collected in J. Bertier, Mnésithée et Dieuchès, 1972). It may be that all of the dedicators were doctors (on the relationship between doctors and the cult of Asklepios, see IG II³ 1, 914). Byrne, Athenian Onomasticon suggests identifying the second dedicator, Antiphilos, with one of the dedicators of IG II³ 4, 669, but the name is common. The date is based on the style of the relief and prosopography (cf. IG II³ 4, 33, l. 71 and 91; Agora XV 23, ll. 11-12).

Added: 15 May 2025
Updated: 15 May 2025
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ID: AIO_3177