AIUK43A no. 10 Decree of the Areopagos, 195/6 AD

Decree of the Areopagos, 195/6 AD

AIUK 4.3A (BM, Decrees of Other Bodies) no. 10 Date: 195/6 AD

Face A (front)

Fragments fg

[ἐπ’ ἄρχοντος Γα(ΐου) Ἑλβιδίου Σεκού]ν̣δου̣ [Παλλ]ηνέως (195/6 AD), κηρυ- [κεύοντος τῆς ἐξ Ἀρείου πάγου βου]λ̣ῆ̣ς Ἀμφί[ου το]ῦ Ἀμφίου [ἐξ Οἴου, - - - ῶνος δεκάτηι] ὑστέραι̣· [ἔδο]ξεν τῆι ἐξ Ἀ- [ρείου Πάγου βουλῆι ὑπομνηματίσαι?] ἐ̣πὶ τοῖς [δόγ]μ̣ασιν τοῖς (5)[τῆι βουλῆι τῶν Φ´ καὶ τῶι δήμωι? ἐπὶ - - - κ]λ̣είδου [- - -]ς [ἄρχοντος ἐψηφισμένοις? - - -] lacuna

Fragment e

- - - - - - Δ̣- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [ἐξηιρη?]μένοις ἀνδράσιν τῆς πανεπο[πτείας? - - - - - - - - -] [τὸν] πυρφόρον Ἀλκαμένην Λαμπτρέα - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (10)[. . . ⁶ . . .]ΟΙ παρέσχον αὐτοῖς τὸν κα- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [- - - - - -]ς̣ ἢ δεηθῶσιν τῆς ἐν τῆι̣ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Φ̣- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - lacuna

Fragment c

[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]Κ̣. . .Σ̣Η [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] μέ̣ρος προσ- (15)[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]ί̣τ̣α̣ς̣ τοὺς λαμ- [βάνοντας - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] ο̣ν ἀποθε̣[. . .] lacuna

Fragment h

- - - κ̣αὶ ἀναλώματα [. . .] - - - [τὰς τ]ε̣ιμὰς τοῦ σείτου Α̣[. . . ⁵ . .] - - - ὑ̣πάρχειν ἀγνοεῖσ[θαι . . . .] (20)- - - [καθ?]άπτεσθαι παρέχειν̣ [. . . ⁵ . .] - - - [πο]λ̣ε̣ίταις ἅπασι τὸν κή̣[ρυκα] - - - [τ]ῶν ῾ρυπαρῶ̣ν τοῖς οἴκ̣[οις?] - - - [κατὰ?] π̣άντα ἐνοχλῶσι τῆι̣ [πόλει?] - - - [Ἀλκ]αμένην τὴν ὀνε̣[ίδισιν?] (25)- - - [ἡ?]ι̣ρημένοις φ̣[- - - - - -] lacuna

Fragment i

- - -Τ̣ΑΣΤ̣ΑΣ̣[- - -] - - - [ἐκε?]ῖνος ἐνγυ̣[- - -] - - - [ἐπιμε?]λεία προνοη[θῆναι? -?] - - - [τὸν] π̣υ̣ρ̣φόρον Ἀλκαμένη̣[ν -] (30)- - -α̣ μετὰ τοῦ κηρυκεύον̣[τος - - -] - - - εἰ δέ ποτ(ε) πρὸς (ἀ)λλήλου̣[ς - - -] - - - [τα]ύ̣τ[η]ν̣ τὴ̣ν̣ ἐξ Ἀρείου πά̣[γου βουλὴν] - - - [ἐ]πιτήδειο̣[ν? - - -] - - - [δραχμὰ?]ς μυρίας ἑλ̣[εῖν? - - -] (35)- - - τ̣ὰς ὑπολο̣[ίπους - - -] - - - ἐ̣ὰν δὲ [. . . πα]ραλαβεῖν [- - -] - - - [κατὰ? κ]αιροὺς τοὺς ὡρισμ̣ένους ὅπ̣ε̣[ρ? - - -] - - - [κα]θ̣ὰ̣ διηγόρευται, μηνυέτωσαν μ̣[ὲν? - - -] - - - [τοῖς Ἀ]ρεοπαγείταις τοὺς ἀπειθοῦντ̣[ας - - -] (40)- - - [οἱ ὑπεύθ]υ̣νοι ? παραλαβεῖν ὀφειλό̣μ̣εν̣[α? - - -] vacat

Face B (right)

Fragments abcd

vacat δέχονται τὸ ἀργ̣ύριον, ἐπ̣ι̣τ̣ί̣μιον ὁριζέτωσαν αὐ- τοῖς κατὰ τὴν̣ τ̣ῆς ἀπειθίας ἀξ̣ίαν· ἐὰν δὲ οἱ πα̣ρα- δ̣όντες εἰσφέρ̣ειν μὴ̣ β̣ο̣ύ̣λ̣ω̣ν̣ται ἑξήκο̣ντα ἡμερῶν, ὑ̣πεύθυνοι ἔστωσαν πρῶτον μὲν ἑκατοστιαίω̣ τόκ̣[ῳ] (45)ἀ̣φ’ οὗ δέον ποιήσασθαι τὴν εἴσοδον οὐκ ἐποίησαν- το, μέχρι μηνῶν ἄλλων δύο τῆς τελ̣ευταίας ἀπο- δόσεως, μετὰ δὲ τοὺς μῆνας τούτο̣υ̣ς εἰ μένοιεν̣ μ̣ὴ̣ πειθόμενοι, ἀ̣πο̣δ̣ό̣σθ̣ω̣σαν ο̣ἱ̣ ἀργ̣υ̣ρ̣οταμίαι μετὰ τοῦ κήρυκος τὰς ὑποθήκας, ἐ[χόν]των αὐτὰς ἐξουσίαν (50)(λ)ύσασθαι ἐξήκοντα ἡμερῶν πρῶτον μὲν τῶν δεδωκό- [τ]ων, εἶτα καὶ τῶν ἐγγυητῶν οἵτινες ὑπεύθ[υνοι] ἂν ὦσι τῶν ἐνδεησάντων, ὀφ(λόντες) ἑξήκοντα ἡμαιρῶν ἃ [ὀ]φίλουσιν ἐκτεῖσ[α]ι. vacat

Fragments of uncertain location in Face A

Fragment j

- - -ως αἱρεῖσθ[αι? - - -] (55)- - -ς̣ τὰ χρήματ[α - - -] - - - [εἰς?] τ̣ὸ ἐξουσί[αν εἶναι -?]

Fragment k

- - -Α δεξαμεν[- - -] - - -ν̣ται διαφερ̣[- - -] - - -α̣ις ὑπ[- - -]

Fragment l

traces (60)[- - -]ω̣ν τὰ χρήματα ὑποσχῆ̣[ται?] [- τ]ὰ̣ς κεκομισμένας ὑπὸ τ̣[- - -] [- - -] τ̣ὴ̣ν̣ ὁμοίαν ἐπιμέλειαν [- - -] [- ὑπ]ο̣θ̣ήκας ἢ ἀξιόχρεως ἐν̣[γυητὰς -?] [- - -]ς ἐ̣ὰν δύνων̣τ̣αι τοῦ νῦν κα̣[ὶ - - -] (65)[- ἀ]λ̣λ̣’ ἐς ἐνιαυτὸν ἀπ’ αὐτῶ̣ν̣ [- - -] [- - -]τ̣α̣ς ἑκα[- - -] [- - -]τ̣οὺς [- - -] [- - -]ς τὸ προ̣[- - -] [- - - ἐξ]ε̣τασ̣[- - -]

Fragment m

(70)[- - - . . . ⁵ . .] ἀλλ’ ἐσ̣ο̣[- - -] [- - - . . . ⁵ . .]μ̣ενον ἀπ[- - -] [- - - . . . ⁵ . .]ν ἄλ̣λ̣ο̣[ν - - -] [- - - . . . . τ]ὸ̣ν μέλλ̣ο̣ν̣[τα - - -] [- - - . . . . ⁷ . . .]ε̣ίταις καὶ πρ̣[- - -] (75)[- - - . . . ⁵ . . ὑπ]ο̣τετάχθαι̣ [- - -] [- - - . . . ⁶ . . .] ἐνιαυτὸν [- - -] [- - - . . . . ⁷ . . .] τ̣οῦ μέλλον̣[τος - - -] [- - - . . . ⁵ . .] ἐνγύοις με[- - -] [- - - . . . ⁵ . .]ς πιπράσ[κειν -?] (80)[- - - . . . ⁶ . . .]ων, ἵνα μ̣[ὴ -?] [- - - . . . ⁶ . . .] δ̣ὲ το[- - -] [- - - . . . ⁶ . . .]Σ̣Τ̣[- - -]

Previous - AIUK 4.3A (BM, Decrees of Other Bodies) no. 9
Translated text

References:

AIUK 4.3A (BM, Decrees of Other Bodies) no. 10 (Translated text) (AIO) (AIUK)

IG II² 1104 (PHI)

IG II² 1118 (PHI)

SEG 21.503

SEG 25.136 (PHI)

SEG 59.136

SEG 24.150

SEG 33.138 (PHI)

GIBM I 50

Agora XVI 339 (PHI) (PHI)

Translation by: Stephen Lambert

AIO Images: 1 2 3

Images: Agora Excavations - (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Krateros - (1)

Monument type: Base

Inscription type: Decree (Areopagos)

Fr. a - Findspot: Near the post-Herulian Wall (BM 1816,0610.225)
Fr. b - Findspot: Near the post-Herulian Wall (EM 3013)
Fr. c - Findspot: Near the post-Herulian Wall (Ag. I 3155)
Fr. d - Findspot: Near the post-Herulian Wall (Ag. I 5740)
Fr. e - Findspot: Agora (Ag. I 5198)
Fr. f - Findspot: Agora (Ag. I 6783)
Fr. g - Findspot: Agora (Ag. I 7184)
Fr. h - Findspot: On or close to the Acropolis (EM 9501)
Fr. i - Findspot: On or close to the Acropolis (EM 9499 + 6087 + 9498 + 13505, formerly Ag. I 5440)
Fr. j - Findspot: On or close to the Acropolis (Lost)
Fr. k - Findspot: On or close to the Acropolis (EM 5893)
Fr. l - Findspot: On or close to the Acropolis (EM 9502)
Fr. m - Findspot: On or close to the Acropolis (EM 9500 + 8585)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] Fragment a of this inscription, containing the left side of ll. 44-48, was among the inscriptions acquired in Athens by Lord Elgin (cf. AIUK 4.1, no. 2). It belongs to a rectangular base inscribed on two sides (A and B) with the text of a decree of the Areopagos of 195/6 AD. The BM fragment belongs to the right side (B), which, when it was intact, was copied in Athens by the pioneering epigraphist Cyriacus of Ancona in 1436. In the 19th century the BM's fragment was the only one that had been identified as belonging to Cyriacus' text. In the 20th century, however, numerous further fragments of the inscription were discovered in Athens. It is difficult to make continuous sense of the very fragmentary text, but after the prescript, which dates the decree to 195/6 AD, provision seems to have been made for the appointment of men to carry out a specific mission (fragment e, cf. 25), the scope of which was apparently rather wide, comprehending matters relating to the price of grain (18), domestic waste and other forms of public nuisance (22-23) (fragment h). Most or all of the other fragments of Face A, together with Face B, appear to relate to public contracts, arrangements for guaranteeing them, and penalties to be imposed on contractors in default on their financial obligations.

Throughout the history of ancient Athens the Areopagos was a Council composed of men who had held one of the nine annual archonships. Having enjoyed pre-eminent authority in the archaic city, since the reforms of Ephialtes in the late 460s BC the Areopagos’ functions had become mainly limited to the judicial and religious sphere, though from time to time it took on broader responsibilities for the maintenance of public standards. Already in the fifth century BC it had a reputation as a conservative body, and in the anti-tyranny law of 337/6 BC restrictions were imposed on it motivated by fears that it might be implicated in a threat to Athens’ democratic constitution (IG II³ 1, 320). During the Hellenistic period its activities are sparsely documented, but under Roman influence in post-Sullan Athens it enjoyed a renaissance, driven in part no doubt by points of resonance between it and the Roman senate, also a body composed of former magistrates, and the Councils (curiae) of Roman coloniae and municipia. For important early evidence of the increase in the Areopagos' power, see Agora XVI 333, which documents the Assembly apparently endorsing legislation by the Areopagos in the early 1st cent. BC. Later it appears in the epigraphical record alongside the Council of 600 (or 500 after Hadrian) and the Assembly as one of the city’s three decree-making bodies. Honorific monuments are said to have been erected under its aegis, sometimes (when the honours were for Athenians) separately, sometimes (when the honours were for prominent Romans) in conjunction with the other two decree-issuing bodies of the city. It similarly sometimes appears separately, sometimes with the other two bodies, in the (relatively few) cases where the full texts of decrees were inscribed (IG IV² 1, 82-84, SEG 30.82, and AIUK 4.2 (BM, decrees), no. 17, where, in ca. 220 AD, the Assembly refers its decree on the conveyance of the sacred objects for the Eleusinian Mysteries to the Areopagos and the Council of 500, as well, in this case, as to the hierophant and the genos Eumolpidai). In our inscription we seem to have to do with a comparable process of referral, but from the perspective of the Areopagos, which, if the text of ll. 3-6 is reconstructed and interpreted correctly, based its resolution on a prior decision of the Council of 500 and the People. Though it is not clear that this applied invariably, there are other cases where the Areopagos seems to have received and, at least in detail, amended, decrees referred to it by the other two bodies. It may be that this reflected a responsibility to ensure the legality and constitutionality of measures taken by the city’s other decree-making bodies.

This is the first of a cluster of inscribed decrees from the Severan period (AD 193-235), after roughly sixty-five years during which no public decrees appear to have been inscribed. The others are (1) Agora XVI 340, ca. 197 AD, a decree of the Council and People, (2) Agora XVI 341, ca. 197 AD, an amendment of the latter (3-4) Agora XVI 342, perhaps 203 AD, perhaps decrees of the Areopagos and the Council and People; (5) Agora XV 460, 209 AD, a joint-decree of the Areopagos, Council, and People, "with the officials," (6) AIUK 4.2 (BM, decrees), no. 17, ca. 220 AD, a decree of the People (7-8) SEG 30.82, decrees of the Council and People and of the Areopagos. For the public decrees of the post-Sullan and Augustan periods, see I Rhamnous 423; for the decrees of the first century AD and early second century AD, see SEG 21.499 with notes.

For more detailed discussion of this decree see AIUK vol. 4.3A (BM, Decrees of Other Bodies), no. 10.

Added: 15 Dec 2020
Updated: 5 Aug 2023
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