IGII34 223 Dedication to Aphrodite by demesmen of Halai Aixonides

Dedication to Aphrodite by demesmen of Halai Aixonides

IG II³ 4 223 Date: Ca. 360-350 BC

Those who were appointed by the Halaians to make the statue (agalma) for Aphrodite having been crowned by the demesmen dedicated to Aphrodite.^[1]

(5) Astyphilos son of Philagros^[2] Nikomenes son of Hieron^[3] Euthemon son of Eupolis^[4] Chaireas son of Chairias Argeios son of Demochares (10) Aristomachos son of Astyanax^[5] [Di]otheides son of Sokrates^[6] Astydamas son of Astyanax Euphiletos son of Hagnotheos^[7] Aischias son of Phileriphos^[8] (15) Eukles son of Eukleides^[9] [Di]odoros son of Hagnotheos^[7] -ippos son of Aischines Eupolis son of Euthemon^[10] Euktemon son of Euthemon^[10] (20) Philippos son of Athenippos Hieron son of Nautes Menyllos son of Astyphilos Theodotos son of Theaitetos Philagros son of Diokles^[11] (25) Theophilos son of Euthemon Menandros son of Hegesias Theoboulos son of Theodotos [Sok]rates son of D[i]otheides^[6]

Praxias son of Lysimachos of Ankyle made this.^[12]

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References:

IG II³ 4 223 (Translated text) (IG Online)

IG II² 2820 (PHI)

SEG 47.211

SEG 40.216 (app.)

Peek, Attische Inschriften, 9-10 no. 7b (PHI)

Steinhauer, Demendekrete, 239 (l. 16)

DNO 1827

Humphreys, Kinship, 1085-6

Russo, Ripartizioni, D124

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Feyo Schuddeboom

Monument type: Base

Inscription type: Dedication (deme Halai Aixonides), Dedication (Aphrodite)

Findspot: Agora (north slope of Acropolis, at the church of Hypapanti) (EM 8705)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] On the deme Halai Aixonides and its inscriptions see RO 46, with notes. This dedication records the names of a substantial commission of demesmen who had been responsible for making a statue of Aphrodite, and had been crowned by the deme for their work (ll. 1-4 imply that the deme had honoured the men by decree). One of the two major sanctuaries of this deme was an Aphrodision (see RO 46, SEG 49.142), though this inscription was discovered at the foot of the north slope of the Acropolis in the city. So either the dedication was made in a city sanctuary of Aphrodite (IG; Russo, 173, also inclines to this view, cf. D. Marchiandi, ASAA 97, 2019, 387-409, at 388 n. 12), or the stone had travelled from its original location in the deme before discovery (Humphreys). Though it is not stated explicitly, it can be assumed that the men listed contributed to the cost of the new statue. D. Whitehead, Demes of Attica, 1986, 239-41, with 429-35, noted that the large majority of men named are otherwise known as active in the deme or outside it. Only one or two, however, are attested as performing city liturgies, and this is consistent with the general pattern whereby men prominent in deme affairs are not usually also prominent at city level. Nevertheless the commission differs in the relative prominence of its members from the contemporary lists of contributors from Athmonon, SEG 24.197 and Lamptrai, IG II³ 4, 233, which seem to have included a more genuine cross-section of deme society (Whitehead, 240).

This dedication of a new statue may have been connected in some way with two decrees which tightened up financial procedures in the deme, IG II² 1174, of 368/7 BC, and IG II² 1175, of ca. 370-360 BC (see notes to those inscriptions), but the nature and extent of the connection is unclear. Humphreys, 1086, interprets the statue as a symbol of re-establishment of civic harmony in the deme following the disputes underlying 1174 and 1175, raising the possibility that the Aphrodite in question was Aphrodite Pandemos ("Of All the People", see Apollodoros FGH 244 F 113, Paus. 1.22.3), an appropriate deity in such a context, who had a sanctuary at the West end of the Acropolis, not far from the findspot of this inscription (topographical bibliography, Humphreys n. 134). There is also some overlap between the individuals and families on this dedication and those who served on the deme commission which assisted the priest of Apollo Zoster in works on his sanctuary, RO 46, though it is not clear what, if any, other connection there was between these two religious works projects.

Full up-to-date references and discussion of prosopography of the men named on this inscription can be traced via Athenian Onomasticon and Humphreys, Kinship, 1083-1097 (the prosopography of this deme at Whitehead, Demes, 429-35, also remains useful). We note below mainly those references that are relevant for establishing the date of this inscription, ca. 360-350 BC, which also establishes the date of RO 46. The names are arranged in order of age, such that fathers (ll. 5, 7, 11) are named before their sons (ll. 22, 18, 19, 25, 28). [2] Councillor ca. 390 BC, IG II³ 4, 23, l. 7; identifiable as the Astyphilos who was proposer of the Assembly decrees, IG II² 42 (378/7 BC) and Hesp. 3, 1934, pp. 2-3 no. 3, l. 4 (373/2 BC), and the deme decree (ca. 370-360 BC), IG II² 1175. Named, with Nikomenes (6) and Euthemon (7) on the curse tablet, IG III 3, 24, cf. A. Wilhelm, ÖJh 7, 1904, 116-18 = Kl. Schriften II 1, 208-10. Father of Menyllos (l. 22). [3] Athenian Amphiktyon on Delos, 375/4-374/3 BC, I Délos 98, l. A61. His report is the basis for IG II² 1175 (Humphreys mistakenly identifies the Amphiktyon as Nikostratos son of Hieron of Halai, whom she identifies as brother of Nikomenes, and as identical with the Nikostratos who was demarch in 1175). [4] Proposed IG II² 1174, 368/7 BC, and mentioned in IG II² 1175. His sons at ll. 18, 19, 25. [5] Brother of Astydamas (l. 12) [6] Both Diotheides and his son Sokrates (28) are commemorated on the funerary monument, SEG 40.216. Diotheides was most likely brother of the Pantakles son of Sokrates who served on the deme commission, RO 46, l. 11. [7] These two brothers are most likely sons of the Hagnotheos who proposed RO 46. See note thereto. The fact that Hagnotheos does not appear in person in this list may imply that it dates slightly later than RO 46. [8] Appears also at RO 46, l. 11. See note thereto. [9] Not certainly attested elsewhere in person, but member of a well-known deme family which among other things dedicated to Pan and the Nymphs in the Vari cave, IG II³ 4, 1439 and 1440; bought property at Poros in the public land sale programme of the Lykourgan period, Rationes F7A, ll. 20-21, cf. Lambert, Rationes Centesimarum, 1997, 158-60; and held the priesthood of Apollo Zoster, Kourouniotes no. 3. Cf. also IG II² 5481 with SEG 13.79 and on the family see also K. Hallof, in G. Schörner, H. R. Goette eds., Die Pan-Grotte von Vari (2004), 71-74, cf. 62-64. [10] Sons of l. 7, Eupolis (18) was husband of Chairelea, whose father is at l. 8 (IG II² 5525); Euktemon (19) was syntrierarch in 322 BC, IG II² 1632, ll. 180-181, cf. Davies, APF pp. 197-8. [11] Possibly the Philagros of Halai who was syntrierarch in 322 BC, IG II² 1632, l. 192, cf. Davies, APF pp. 534-35, cf. Whitehead, Demes p. 433. [12] This sculptor is also attested as maker of a statue of Charias of Athens at Oropos in mid-iv BC, I Orop. 341; DNO 1826. He, or another Praxias (son of Praxias, DNO 1823-1825) was a pupil of a Kalamis, Paus. 10.19.4 (DNO 1822).

Added: 12 Sep 2015
Updated: 24 Feb 2024
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