AIO 954 Cypress from Karpathos

Cypress from Karpathos

AIO 954 Date: 445-430 BC

Face A

The Council and the People decided. – was the prytany. Teisias was secretary. Athenodoros was chairman. Ktesias proposed: (5) - of Karpathos^[1] and [his children] and the community (koinon) of the Eteokarpathians^[2] shall be recorded as benefactors of the Athenians, because they donated the cypress for the temple (10) of Athena^[3] who protects the Athenians, and to allow the community of the Eteokarpathians to be autonomous^[4] and . . . . . . (15) . . . . . . shall give . . . their own just as before (?) . . . . . . those of the soldiers who have now occupied [the acropolis or place name] shall now (20) evacuate it.^[5] If anyone . . . . . . Eteokarpathian . . . . . . either takes away or . . . . . . he shall owe fifty talents (25) to the Athenians and a tithe of it shall be for the goddess. The case is to be tried before the court presidents (thesmothetas) in A[thens?]. If the Eteokarpathians need anything else, the Koans (30) and the [Kni]dians and the Rhodians and those of [the allies] who are able in this area (peri tauta ta chōria?) shall [assist (ōphelen?)] (?) as far as they can.^[4] These things shall be written on a stone (35) stele on the acropolis, and at Karpathos in the sanctuary of Apollo, from which the cypress was cut. [Hagesa or Deina?]rchos the Lindian shall [deliver?] (40) for the Athenians (?) the cypress.

Face B

. . . . . . . . . (45) . . . choose two ambassadors . . . these things to the Karpathians . . . the stele . . . shall be two summons-witnesses of the? (klētēre enai tōn?) . . . (50) [Hagesa or Deina?]rchos and . . . . . . the city . . . . . . ; but if . . . . . . hostile . . . of the Athenians . . . (55) the managers (epimelētai) within twenty days after the . . . the two ambassadors these . . . . . . in the . . . of the area (chōriōn?) (?) . . . . . . providing the . . . (60) . . . use . . . whenever they need . . .

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Greek text

References:

AIO 954 (Translated text) (AIO)

IG XII 1 977 (l. 50)

IG I³ 1454 (IG Online) (PHI)

SEG 59.81

Syll.³ 129

Ma, Empire, 129 (ll. 17, 19, 32, 38, 50, 58)

OR 136

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Robin Osborne

Monument type: Stele (Inscribed on both sides)

Inscription type: Decree (Council and People)

Original location: Karpathos (Sanctuary of Apollo)

Findspot: Karpathos (Pini) (Lost)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] Karpathos is the name both of an island south-west of Rhodes and one of three cities on the island, the others being Arkasseia and Brykous. All three are attested as tribute-paying allies of Athens from the 440s onwards (earliest: Arkasseia in 450/49). [2] This community, whose name means "Genuine Karpathians", seems not to have been a city like the others on Karpathos, but some kind of breakaway group which, to judge by its name, perhaps regarded itself as representing the "original inhabitants" of the island or of Karpathos city. Cf. "Palaiskiathos", IG I³ 110, and in Athens the Eteoboutadai, "genuine descendants of Boutes", the prestigious Attic genos with a claim to direct descent from the autochthonous Athenian founder-hero, Erechtheus ([Plut.] Life of Lykourgos 843e-f), thus distinguishing itself from the Cleisthenic deme Boutadai. They appear first in the Athenian tribute lists only from 434/3 (though they are certainly absent from earlier lists only in the years 442/1-440/39, when Brykous was also absent), initially listed among cities who paid tribute voluntarily (IG I³ 278). It seems that their gift of a cypress tree to Athens was part of a diplomatic approach designed to achieve recognition as an autonomous community, and/or Athenian support against hostile elements in the other cities of the island. [3] It has been suggested that this might have been used in construction of the Parthenon, or the Erechtheion. [4] Grants of "autonomy" in the Athenian Empire often implied toleration of non-democratic regimes (as e.g. in 30 Years' Peace, Peace of Nikias). It is not clear if that is the implication here. [5] Seems to suggest conflict between the "Eteokarpathians" and others on the island. Face B, which probably contained a supplementary decree, perhaps provided for an Athenian mission to settle the conflict.

Added: 12 Sep 2015
Updated: 2 Nov 2019
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ID: AIO_954