AIO 3527 Decree of Rhamnous (and Athenian residents?) honouring a general

Decree of Rhamnous (and Athenian residents?) honouring a general

AIO 3527 Date: ca. 260-230 BC

-es son of Lysitheos of Rhamnous [proposed: for good]^[1] [fortune], the Rhamnousians shall decide, [since - having been appointed] general and [elected to the coastal countryside]^[2] managed the fort [for the year of the archonship of -], (5) so that both those in charge of . . . , [the guards (phulakes)?] and those on watch on the approaches (ephodoi) were well disciplined . . . the guard posts (phulaktēria) and [those of the citizens on military service who] were staying in Rhamnous in the fort . . . . . . supplying the . . . (10) [donating from his own resources] for feeding the dogs^[3] . . . . . . in front of the fort . . . of the payment of the money . . . . . . the ways up (anabaseis)^[4] and the . . . . . . and of the [repair] of the walls (15) . . . and supplied . . . . . .

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Greek text

References:

AIO 3527 (Translated text) (AIO)

SEG 41.76

SEG 43.44

I Rhamnous 16 (PHI)

Oetjen, Athen im dritten Jahrhundert, no. 12

Knoepfler, Trésor documentaire, 34 n. 43

Russo, Ripartizioni, D93

Translation by: Stephen Lambert

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Deme Rhamnous and Athenian residents?)

Findspot: Rhamnous (Rhamnous Fortress 889 Φ)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] Textual Note. First published by Petrakos in 1990 (SEG 41.76), the edition of this decree in I Rhamnous as no. 16, reflects an improved reading of l. 10 proposed by Ph. Gauthier, Bull. Ep. 1995, 237 (SEG 43.44). As Petrakos himself notes the restorations printed probably give the correct flow of the sense, even if in detail they are somewhat uncertain. AIO follows the text of I Rhamn. with two minor additions: 1-2. εἶπεν· ἀγαθῆι | τύχη]ι ("proposed ... for good fortune") 6. [- φύλ]ακες ("guards") ?.

This decree honouring a general was most likely passed by the deme Rhamnous jointly with Athenian resident soldiers, like I Rhamnous 9. For this combination, which was common at this period, in decrees which are typically proposed by a demesman of Rhamnous, but which is otherwise not made clear in the opening formulation cf. I Rhamnous 17. The date is implicit in the wording relating to the appointment of the general, if correctly restored (see below n. 2). On the deme Rhamnous and its inscriptions see I Rhamnous 182. [2] For this distinction between appointment as general by the king (scil. Antigonos Gonatas), and election to the coastal command by the Athenian Assembly, cf. I Rhamn. 8, discussed in the notes to I Rhamnous 9 (cf. SEG 58.18 and 154) and A. P. Matthaiou, in S. V. Tracy, in O. Palagia and S.V. Tracy, The Macedonians in Athens 322-229 BC (2003), 56 note 6 (SEG 58.154). [3] On the use of dogs cf. I Rhamnous 403, ll. 14-15; S. Le Bohec, in N. Badoud ed., Philologos Dionysios. Mélanges ... Knoepfler, 2011, 491-515 at n. 71. [4] "Ways up" (anabaseis) were the ramps or stairs that allowed defenders to access the top of the fortress walls (see Aineas Tacticus, 22.19-20, 26.7). Petrakos notes that two are known at Rhamnous, by the east and south gates.

Added: 2 Apr 2026
Updated: 2 Apr 2026
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ID: AIO_3527