AgoraXV 460 Divine honours for Geta, 209/10 AD

Divine honours for Geta, 209/10 AD

Agora XV 460 Date: 209/10 AD

[In the archonship] of Flavius Diogenes of Marathon (209/10), prytany of Pandionis^III, [4th] prytany, for which Rhodon son of Kallistos of Marathon was secretary.^[1] Priest Theophilos was chairman. Of the presiding committee, Ioulianos son of Kasios was putting to the vote and his fellow presiding committee members. 23rd day of the (5) prytany, month of Poseideon 15th day. A Council was gathered on the good news (euaggeliois) of ⟦Emperor Caesar Publius⟧ ⟦Septimius Geta Pius Augustus⟧ having been appointed, at which the [proposal (gnōmē)] of the boards (sunedriōn) was read out through the officials, the general Alkamenes of Lamptrai having read out the proposal which is inscribed here: (10)The Council of the Areopagos and the Council of the 500 and the People of the Athenians, with the officials – the eponymous archon Flavius Diogenes of Marathon, and the hoplite general and manager of the gymnasiarchy of the God Hadrian and deputy archon of the most sacred Attic Panhellenion Marcus Aurelius Alkamenes of Lamptrai, and the (15)herald of the Council of the Areopagos and competition director of the games of the Augustan [House?] Tryphon son of Theophilos of Hybadai – present a proposal according to ancestral custom:^[2] since the most sacred and perfect of all days, the one hoped for by all, through the immortal harmony (homonoian) of the holy (hosiōn) kings (basileōn), Lucius Septimius Severus Pius Pertinax (20)Augustus Arabicus Adiabenicus Parthicus Maximus and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Pius Augustus, has been revealed to all people [by a shared announcement] from the greatest [kings], (i.e. the day) on which they received ⟦the most divine Emperor Publius Septimius Geta⟧ ⟦Pius Augustus⟧ into an equal partnership (isēgorian) in the office (archēs) of Emperor (25)by means of a heavenly vote (psēphōi) and judgement, establishing their whole family (holoklērō genei) in the kingship of the Universe (tou kosmou to basileion),^[3] the Council of the Areopagos and the Council of the 500 and the People of the Athenians shall decide to sacrifice in every genos (pangenei) and to hold a festival in common and [in private for the whole] royal family (basileiōi genei), and also to celebrate the day (30)as the birthday of the greatest [office (archēs)], in accordance with their other greatest (days), just as we have learnt from the holy pronouncement (rhēseōs), and to give a distribution (dianomēn) [to the whole People],^[4] just as [their] mighty legate [and propraetor] and curator of our fatherland Gaius [Licinnius Telemachos] has also made clear in the preceding edict (diatagmati) (35)... piety, through which we will make clear the city's good cheer (euphrosunēn) and habitual piety towards their Olympian house.^[5] uninscribed space

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(38)Alletippos (?) of Paiania^[6] . . . of Paiania (40) . . . of Paiania Po- of Paiania Po- -ilus of Paiania Casius of Paiania Moschonios (?) of Paiania (45)Bassos of Paiania Teimotheos of Paiania -ieilyios (?) of Paiania Klados of Paiania . . . of Paiania (50)Potamos son of Hippon of Paiania Kommodos son of - of Paiania Polemon son of Teitos of Paiania . . . of Paiania Am[.]onlos (?) son of Euhemeros (55) . . . . . . . . . Apollophanes son of Zopyros (?) . . . (60)uninscribed space?

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Kallias of Paiania Telesphoros son of Soteridas of Paiania Rouphos (son of Rouphos) of Paiania Mareinos of Paiania (65)Xenophon of Paiania Zotikos (son of Zotikos) of Paiania Hortensius Menodoros of Paiania Gaios also called Epagathos of Paiania Phaustos son of Epaphrodeitos of Paiania (70)Diogenes (son of Diogenes) of Paiania Kydathenaians: Demetrios son of Kelados of Kydathenaion Artemon son of Heliodoros of Kydathenaion Dionysios son of Tryphon of Kydathenaion (75)Kelados son of Tryphon of Kydathenaion Steirians: Dionysodoros son of Apollonios Apollonios son of Artemidoros Kal- son of Eus- (80)Tychikos (son of Tychikos) of Steiria Onesimos son of Polydeukes of Paiania (prytany) secretary

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Those who have permanent dining rights (aiseitoi):^[7] Claudius Hierophant (son of Apollinarios) of Acharnai (85)Fabius Dadouch of Marathon Claudius Altar Priest (epi bōmō) of Melite Herennius Sacred Herald of Hermos Aurelius Fire-bearer (purphoros) of Lamptrai Herald of the Council and People: (90)Claudius Attikos of Marathon Deputy herald Aphrodeisios of Phlya Secretary of the Council and People: Aristoboulos son of Attikos of Anagyrous (95)Secretary at the bema (peri to bema): Rhodon son of Kallistos of Marathon Copy secretary (antigrapheus): Flavius Marinus of Ch- Sacred pipe-player (hieraulēs): Athenaios son of Aphrodeisios Priest of the Phosphoroi: Aristeides (100)Under-secretary: Menophilos son of Paramonos

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References:

Agora XV 460 (Translated text) (PHI)

IG II² 1077 (PHI)

SEG 26.123 (l. 84)

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Images: Krateros - (1)

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Areopagos, Council, and People)

Findspot: Psyri (Hagia Eleousa) (EM 10566)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] Tetual note: AIO follows the text of Agora XV, but accepts S. Follet's reading of Ἀχ⟨α⟩ρ(νεύς) "of Acharnai" in l. 84 (Athènes (1976), 262 = SEG 26.123).

This decree responds to the promotion of Geta to the status of co-emperor with his father Septimius Severus (r. 193-211 AD) and his brother Antoninus ("Caracalla," r. 198-217 AD) in 209 AD (for the date, see M. Roxan, Roman Military Diplomas 1985-1993, 1994, no. 191). The decree may have been preceded by an imperial edict on the lost upper part of the stele, announcing the news (ll. 31-34). Likely also related to this event are a fragmentary stele (SEG 33.166), a statue base for Geta (SEG 33.180), and an Athenian embassy to Britain (where the emperors were based at this time), mentioned in I Eleusis 645. Two other Athenian decrees relating to the Imperial cult under Septimius Severus survive (Agora XVI 340 and 341). On the Imperial cult generally, see Agora XVI 336 with notes. On Athenian decrees of the Severan period, see AIUK 4.3A (BM, Decrees), 10. [2] The decree was passed in the Council (ll. 5-6), hence the inclusion of a list of prytaneis (ll. 38-101, see n. 6). This was an appropriate venue for the meeting because receiving embassies was one of its traditional functions (P. J. Rhodes, Athenian Boule, 1972, 43). Although the decree says it is passed in accordance with "ancestral custom" (l. 17), it presents itself as a joint-decree of all three decision-making bodies of Athens in the Imperial period: the Areopagos, the Council of 500, and the People, along with the archons (ll. 10-11, 26-28), which is unprecedented. The three bodies may have held a joint session, which is not otherwise attested at Athens, but is encountered in other Greek cities in the Imperial period (S. Dmitriev, City Government in Hellenistic and Roman Asia Minor, 2005, 327) and might have been deemed necessary in order to express appropriately unanimous enthusiasm for the news. Alternatively, it may be an unusual way of expressing the common procedure in the Imperial period, whereby the three bodies passed decrees in succession (usually, but not always in the order Council-People-Areopagos, cf. IG IV 1² 82-84, AIUK 4.2 (BM, Decrees), 17). Decrees in the Imperial period were usually proposed by officials (e.g. IG II² 1072, AIUK 4.2 (BM, Decrees), 17), reflecting the greater prominence of officials in the Imperial period generally (cf. IG II² 1100, ll. 49-54), but the emphasis placed on their role in ll. 11-16 is striking. On the posts of archon, hoplite general, and herald of the Areopagos, see IG II² 1990 with notes.

Flavius Diogenes, the eponymous archon (ll. 1, 11-12), is not otherwise attested. The hoplite general Aurelius Alkamenes (ll. 9, 12-14) was one of the leading figures in Severan-period Athens. His father, the fire-bearer in l. 88, is the dominant figure in AIUK 4.3A (BM, Decrees), 10. One of them was ephebic superintendent in 194/5 AD (AIUK 4.3B (BM, ephebic), 5). Descendants appear as Areopagites and (probably) Kerykes in the 240s (SEG 24.200, ll. 12-15). On the family, see AIUK 4.3A pp. 71-73, AIUK 4.3B, pp. 29-30, S. Byrne, Roman Citizens of Athens, 2003, 80-82 and stemma iv. The manager of the gymnasiarchy of the God Hadrian was responsible for an endowment established by Hadrian in the 120s AD to fund Athens' gymnasia in perpetuity (cf. AIO Papers 12, p. 19; D. Geagan, Athenian Constitution after Sulla, 1967, 128-32). On the Panhellenion see IG II³ 4, 215. It is also called "Attic" in a statue base at Thessalonike for the archon of 203-206 AD (IG X.2 1, 181); this is the only reference to its deputy archon. A letter from Severus and Caracalla to the Panhellenion in 201 AD suggests that its influence was waning in this period (Oliver, Greek Constitutions, no. 245). The herald of the Areopagos Tryphon of Hybadai (ll. 14-16) was an athlete, president of the Athenian branch of the Universal Athletes’ Association (cf. AIUK 4.3A (BM, Decrees), 9 with notes), and ephebic superintendent in 200/1 AD (IG II² 2193); his brother erected a monument for the senator L. Lucillius Pansa Priscilianus (Agora XVIII 442). On the games of the Augustan House, instituted under Claudius, see IG II² 1069 with notes. This is their last attestation. [3] The key theme of the decree is the "immortal harmony" (l. 18) within the Imperial family, which is to be perpetuated into the next generation by the brothers Caracalla and Geta. This family unity was a central theme of the regime's self-representation under Septimius Severus (see C. Rowan, Under Divine Auspices, 2013, 91-93; A. M. Kemezis, Greek Narratives of the Roman Empire under the Severans, 2014, 64-65, 69-70). The emperors' claim to universal dominion is emphasised by assimilating them to the Olympian gods as rulers of the universe (esp. l. 16, cf. Agora XVI 340, l. 9). Because of this, the state of the Imperial family is presented as having implications for the state of the whole world and the unanimity of the Severan family is reciprocated by unanimous acclamation from the whole Athenian community (and the whole empire, cf. Kemezis 2014, 73-74 and n. 5). This link between Imperial family and Athens is emphasised through the appropriation of democratic language to describe the Imperial decision: the three emperors are said to enjoy a state of isegoria (l. 26, here translated as "equal partnership," literally "equality of political speech"), a key slogan of the Classical democracy; their decision is made "in common" (koino, l. 22), by a vote (psepho, l. 25), like decisions in the Assembly; and the position of emperor is referred to as an "archonship " (ll. 26, 30). In reality, the brothers' relationship was extremely hostile; Caracalla murdered Geta in 211 within months of their father's death and ordered a thorough damnatio memoriae, which saw Geta's name and image removed from documents of all kinds, including this inscription (ll. 6-7, 23-24). See IG II³ 4, 1397 with note. [4] The decree orders an immediate sacrifice "in every genos" (pangenei) and a festival in celebration of Geta's accession (ll. 28-29). The anniversary is to be commemorated annually. As ll. 30-31 indicate, commemoration of the date of an emperor's accession (the dies imperii) in this manner, was commonplace in the Roman empire, like the celebration of Imperial birthdays (cf. Agora XVI 336 with notes). There is also to be a distribution (dianome) of money to all citizens. It is unclear whether this was meant to be a one-time event or an annual one, nor who was to pay for it.

The sacrifice in every genos (l. 28) has been cited as evidence that all Athenian citizens in the Imperial period were members of at least one genos, along with Philostratos' report that Claudius Atticus often entertained the Athenians by tribes and gene (Vit. Soph. 2.3, S. Aleshire in J. H. Richardson and F. Santangelo, Priests and State in the Roman World, 2011, 562). It is unlikely that it can bear this weight, since the decree never says that all Athenians are involved in this sacrifice (S. D. Lambert in M. Horster and A. Klöckner, Civic Priests, 2012, 91–92, cf. the role of genos members in Agora XVI 341, l. 33) and the phrase "in every genos" (pangenei) appears to have been chosen to parallel "for the whole imperial family" (panti… genei, l. 29) and reinforce the idea that harmony in the Imperial family is reflected by harmony in Athens (see n. 3). [5] From ll. 31-34, it seems that the emperors sent a general announcement of the accession of Geta to their governors and left it to them to communicate it to the individual cities. This announcement required the celebration of (at least) the dies imperii (ll. 29-31), which is striking since the imperial cult was usually presented as voluntarily undertaken on the initiative of individual cities. Efforts like this to impose uniformity throughout the Empire are a feature of the third century AD (despite or because of the empire's political fragmentation), also seen in the extension of Roman citizenship to all free people in the Empire in 212 (cf. Agora XV 470), the Severan jurist Ulpian's claim that Imperial statutes should apply everywhere (Digest 47.12.3.5), Decius' edict requiring everyone to sacrifice in the presence of a magistrate in 250 AD, and Diocletian's edict of Maximum Prices in 301 AD (cf. IG II² 5 13248). Gaius Licinius Telemachos was simultaneously governor of the province of Achaia and corrector of the free cities of the province (cf. Puech, Orateurs no. 1 with note). He was also honoured at Athens by the association of the Paianistai in 215/6 (IG II² 2963), indicating that, like most governors, he remained in post after the accession of Caracalla (cf. D. Okon, Imperatores Severi et Senatores, 2013, 42-43). [6] A catalogue of the members of the prytany in office when this decree was passed is appended (ll. 38-101). These catalogues were an imperial period development of the Classical and Hellenistic prytany decrees (on which see IG I³ 515, AIUK 4.2 (BM, Decrees), no. 15, and SEG 28.95 with notes). They are normally preceded by a prescript stating that the prytaneis had honoured themselves and/or their treasurer, but the focus of the decree on Geta seems to have precluded that in this case. In the period after 124 AD, each of the thirteen tribes provided forty Councillors for a total of 520. The first name in the list was the "eponymos", who funded the prytany's sacrifices (successor to the treasurer of the prytany, which is only held by gods after Agora XV 322). Sometimes, he was not a member of the Council, in which case the catalogue contains forty-one names, as here (see D. Geagan, Athenian Constitution after Sulla, 1967, 100). Deme quotas ceased to operate in the second century BC and thereafter the number of prytaneis from each deme varied year to year. Thus, in this list, there are 33 prytaneis from Paiania, which had a quota of 12 in Classical times (cf. IG I³ 250), while Kydathenaion which also had a Classical quota of 12, supplies only 4. There is no evidence that demes had any institutional existence by the Imperial period. Of the councillors, only Marinus (l. 64) is otherwise attested (as an ephebic liturgist in IG II² 2130, ll. 56-57, 84). Kommodos (l. 51) must be named after the emperor Commodus, an indication of the general esteem for him at Athens (cf. I Eleusis 513; G. Mitropoulos, in A. Kouremenos, ed., The Province of Achaea in the 2nd Century CE, 2022, 148-51). Demetrios, Dionysios and Kelados (ll. 72, 74-75) are relatives; it was common for family members to serve on the Council together in the Imperial period. [7] Those who have permanent dining rights (the aeisitoi) were various officials and Eleusinian priests entitled ex officio to dine in the Tholos every night (cf. SEG 30.82 with notes). In the Imperial period, Eleusinian priests practised hieronymy, i.e. the replacement of their personal names with their titles (first attested in I Eleusis 233 of 149/8 BC). Despite this, most of the priests are identifiable as leading members of the Athenian political class. The dadouch is Fabius Thisbianos, archon in the following year (IG II² 2201, Byrne 2003, 225-26). The sacred herald is Herennius Ptolemaios, father of Dexippos who led the defence of Athens against the Herulian invasion in 267 AD (cf. IG II³ 4 206, Byrne 2003, 292-93). The fire-bearer is the father of Alkamenes, the proposer of the decree (see n. 2). The other aeisitoi are officials who were involved in the operation of the Council and Assembly. The Herald of the Council and People (l. 90) may be Claudius Attikos Bradua, son of Herodes Atticus (Byrne 2003, 126-27). The posts of pipe-player, priest of the Phosphoroi (in charge of the Tholos), and under-secretary were often held for long periods of time, tend to be inherited in individual families, and had lower prestige. A symptom of this is the omission of their demotics, although those of Athenaios and Aristeides at least are known from elsewhere (cf. Agora XV 414).

Added: 28 Jul 2023
Updated: 19 Nov 2023
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