AIUK11 no. 13 Funerary stele of Philodemos and Lysimache

Funerary stele of Philodemos and Lysimache

AIUK 11 (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) no. 13 Date: ca. 375-350 BC (?)

Philodemos son of Sophilos of Cholleidai^[1]

uninscribed space Lysimache daughter of Timogeiton of Phrearrhioi.^[2]

Relief

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Greek text

References:

AIUK 11 (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) no. 13 (Translated text) (AIO) (AIUK)

IG II² 7807 (PHI)

Conze II no. 1099

Clairmont, CAT 2.335a

Scholl, Bildfeldstelen no. 461 and tab. 47.1

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

AIO Images: 1

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Funerary

Findspot: Unknown (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford ANMichaelis 140)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This is one of ten inscriptions acquired by George Wheler on his visit to Athens in 1676 and donated to the University of Oxford 1683 (cf. AIUK 11 (Ashmolean), no. 4).

The inscription is a funerary stele with a relief showing a man holding the bridle of a horse and a woman raising her left hand, perhaps to perform the gesture of unveiling (anakalypsis). They grip each other’s right hand in the gesture called dexiosis. The lower part of a relief depicting a siren is preserved in the pediment. The style of the lettering and relief suggest the stele was first erected in the second quarter of fourth century BC. Philodemos is not otherwise known. The horse in the relief may indicate that he served in the cavalry or just mark him out as wealthy. He probably died young, since he is depicted in the relief without a beard, and the siren is a common motif on the tombs of people who died young (cf. AIUK 12 (Great North Museum: Hancock) no. 1). [2] Lysimache was probably Philodemos’ wife, but this is not certain. Her name (ll. 3-4) was a later addition to the stele. This kind of modification is common on Athenian funerary inscriptions (see AIUK 8 (Broomhall) for discussion of the phenomenon).

For more detailed discussion of the inscription see AIUK 11 (Ashmolean), no. 13.

Added: 14 Jan 2021
Updated: 24 Aug 2023
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