AIUK42 no. 9 Honorific decree for a seer (?)

Honorific decree for a seer (?)

AIUK 4.2 (BM, Decrees of Council and Assembly) no. 9 Date: Ca. 368-339 BC

. . . . . . Concerning the lawful supplication that it was decided that name [the seer?] made in the Assembly, the Council shall decide, that the (5) presiding committe who happen to preside shall introduce him to the People at the next Assembly, and submit the opinion of the Council to the People that it seems good to the Council to praise name the seer (or name -mantis) . . . and (10) crown him . . . . . . ^[1]

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Greek text

References:

AIUK 4.2 (BM, Decrees of Council and Assembly) no. 9 (Translated text) (AIO) (AIUK)

IG II² 192 (PHI)

GIBM I 10

Tracy, ADT 70 (date)

Translation by: Stephen Lambert

AIO Images: 1 2

Images: Krateros - (1)

Monument type: Stele (?)

Inscription type: Decree

Findspot: Athens (BM 1816,0610.399)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This small decree fragment of the mid-4th century BC was among the inscriptions collected in Athens by Lord Elgin (cf. AIUK 4.1, no. 2). The fragment supplies a good example of the "probouleumatic formula" (4-8), wording that expresses the decree in terms of a resolution of the Council for forwarding to the Assembly. This formula appears from about 378 BC and where it occurs, identifies Assembly decrees as "probouleumatic", i.e. based on the Council's proposal. Such decrees are commonly followed lower down the stone by a "rider", passed in the Assembly. For a general discussion of the relationship between the Council and Assembly see AIUK 4.2, sect. 2.2.

The fragment is also an example of the procedure of "supplication" (hiketeusis). Supplications could be made to the Council or the Assembly. In this case the supplication had been made in the first instance to the Assembly and, the implication is, referred to the Council for it to formulate a suitable resolution on the case for consideration by the Assembly. In the literary evidence hiketeusis, involving laying a bough of supplication on an altar, is attested for Athenian citizens, but in all other cases of this procedure in inscriptions the supplicants were foreigners, including envoys (IG II² 404), political exiles seeking refuge at Athens (IG II³ 1, 302, IG II³ 1, 333, II) and foreigners already resident at Athens (IG II³ 1, 337, IG II³ 1, 418). In a case from the restored democracy after 307/6 BC, the supplicant is an Athenian public slave, IG II² 502. The supplicant in this case was a mantis ("seer"), or possibly a man with a name in -mantis. Some seers had perpetual dining rights (sitesis) in the city hall (prytaneion) (cf. IG I³ 131, 9-11, with notes) and one possibility is that the supplicant in this case was filing a claim to sitesis. For more detailed discussion of the decree see AIUK 4.2, no. 9.

Added: 27 Jan 2020
Updated: 4 Apr 2024
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ID: AIO_1974