IGI3 369 Loans from the sacred treasuries, 433/2-423/2 BC

Loans from the sacred treasuries, 433/2-423/2 BC

IG I³ 369 Date: 426/5–423/2 BC

These are the [debts] reckoned by the accountants (logistai) in the four years from Panathenaia to Panathenaia.^[1]

Athena (Polias) 426/5 BC These sums the treasurers handed over, Androkles of Phlya and his colleagues, to the Greek treasurers (hellenotamiais), - of - and his colleagues, for the generals Hippokrates of Cholargos and his colleagues, in the prytany of [Kekropis^VII], the second prytany, four days from its entry, under the (5) Council for which Megakleides was first secretary, in the archonship of Euthynos (426/5), 20 tal.; the interest on this was 5,696 dr.. Second grant (dosis), in the prytany of Kekropis^VII, the second prytany, [seven days were left] of the prytany, 50 tal.; interest on this, 2 tal. 1,970 dr.. Third grant, in the prytany of Pandionis^III, the fourth prytany, five days from the prytany’s entry, [28 tal. 5,610 dr. 3½ ob.]; interest on this, 1 tal. 1,719 dr. 2 ob.. Fourth grant, in the prytany of Akamantis^V, (10) the eighth prytany, five days from the entry of the prytany, 44 tal. 3,000 dr.; interest on this, [1 tal. 4,700 dr. 1 ob.]. Fifth grant, in the prytany of Akamantis^V, the eighth prytany, [ten days] from the entry of the prytany, 100 tal.; interest on this, 3 tal. 5,940 dr.. Sixth grant, in the prytany of Erechtheis^I, the tenth prytany, seven days from the entry of the prytany, 18 tal. 3,000 dr.; the interest on this was 4,173 dr. 4 ob.. Total of the payment of principal in the period of office of Androkles (15) and his colleagues, 261 tal. 5,610 dr. 3½ ob.. Total of the interest on the money paid in (16) the period of office of Androkles and his colleagues, 11 tal. 199 dr. 1 ob..

425/4 BC (16) These sums the treasurers handed over, Phokiades of Oion and his colleagues, in the archonship of Stratokles (425/4) and under the Council for which Pleistias was first secretary, for the generals around the Peloponnese, Demosthenes son of Alkisthenes of Aphidna, in the prytany of [Oineis^VI], the fourth prytany, on the third day from the prytany’s entry, from the (20) Rear Chamber (opisthodomo),^[2] 30 tal.; the interest on this was 5,910 dr.. Another grant, to the generals, [Nikias son of Nikeratos] of Kydantidai and his colleagues, in the prytany of Pandionis^III, the ninth prytany, on the fifteenth day from the prytany’s entry, 100 tal.; the interest on this was [2 tal. 3,800 dr.]. Total of the payment of principal in the period of office of Phokiades and his colleagues, 130 tal.. Total of the interest on the money paid in the period of office of Phokiades and his colleagues, 3 tal. 3,710 dr..

424/3 BC (25) These sums the treasurers handed over, Thoukydides of Acherdous and his colleagues, in the archonship of Isarchos (424/3) and under the Council for which Epilykos was first secretary, to the old Greek treasurers (hellenotamiais), - of - [and his colleagues, and the new], Charopides of Skambonidai and his colleagues, in the prytany [of Hippothontis^VIII, the first] prytany, on the twenty-sixth of the prytany, . . . [32 tal. 5,983 dr.; the interest] on this was 4,665 dr. 5 ob.. Second grant, in the prytany (30) of -, the - prytany, on the twelfth of the prytany, ≥ 23 tal. . . . . . . Third grant, in the prytany of Erechtheis^I, . . . [5 tal. 4,800 dr.?]; the interest on this was 632 dr. 1½ ob.. Fourth grant, in the prytany of [Akamantis^V, the eighth prytany], on the thirtieth of the prytany, 100 tal.; the interest [on this was 1 tal. 2960 dr.?]. Total of the payment of principal in the period of office of Thoukydides and his colleagues, (35) [163 tal.. Total of the interest on the] money paid in the period of office of Thoukydides and his (36) colleagues, [≥ 2 tal. 5,210 dr.].

423/2 BC (36) These sums the treasurers handed over, Timokles of Eitea and his colleagues, in the [archonship of Ameinias (423/2)] and under the Council for which Demetrios of Kollytos was first secretary, . . . of Myrrhinous and his colleagues, in the prytany of Akamantis^V, the [first] prytany, on the [twelfth] of the prytany, 64 tal. 4,720 dr.; the interest on this was (40) [4,244 dr. 5 ob.]. Second grant, in the prytany of Pandionis^III, the [third] prytany, on [the twelfth] of the prytany, 2 tal. 5,500 dr.; the interest on this was 163 dr. 5 ob.. Third grant, in the prytany of -, the fourth prytany, on the fourth of the prytany, [from the] Sam[ians?],^[3] [11 tal. 3,300 dr.; interest on this was] 582 dr. 1 ob.. Fourth grant, in the prytany of Aiantis^IX, the [eighth] prytany, on the twenty-fourth of the prytany, 100 tal.; interest on this was 1,700 dr.. (45) [Fifth grant, in the prytany of Leontis^IV], the tenth prytany, on the third of the prytany, [18 tal. 122 dr. 2½ ob.]; interest on this, 122 dr. 2½ ob.. Total of the payment of principal in the period of office of Timokles and his colleagues, 192 tal. 1,642 dr. 2½ ob.. Total of the interest on the money paid in the period of office of Timokles and his colleagues 1 tal. 813 dr. 1½ ob.. Total of the whole of Athena’s payments in the four years from Panathenaia to Panathenaia, 747 tal. [1,253 dr.]. (50) Total of the whole of Athena’s interest in the four years from Panathenaia to Panathenaia, (51) ≥ 18 tal. 3,935 dr.

Athena Nike (51) These sums of Athena Nike, in the prytany of -, the - prytany, on the fourth of the prytany, Timokles [of Eitea] and his colleagues handed over: [6 tal.]; the interest on this was ≥ 100 dr..

Other Gods These debts to the Other Gods were reckoned by the accountants (logistai) in the four years from (55) Panathenaia to Panathenaia. These sums the treasurers of the Other Gods, Gorgoinos son of Oineides of Ikarion and his colleagues, handed over from the monies [of each god, in the archonship of Ameinias (423/2)], to the generals . . . , . . . [under the Council for which Demetri]os was first secretary [in the prytany of Akamantis^V?] [the first prytany?] . . . [of Hekatombaion?] . . . . . . : Artemis Agrotera . . . (60) . . . interest on this ≥ 360 dr.. . . . . . . interest on this . . . ≥ 5,170 dr. . . . . . . Poseidon at Sounion ≥ 5 tal. 2,000 dr.; interest on this ≥ 370 dr. . . . . . . interest on this . . . Artemis at Mounichia 1 tal. 4,551 dr. 1½ ob.; interest on this . . . ≥ 226 dr. 1 ob.; interest on this . . . (65) . . . ≥ 1,976 dr. 2 ob. . . . ≥ 14 dr. 4 ob.; interest on this ≥ 2½ ob.; Aphrodite at the Hippolyteion . . . ≥ 3 dr. 5½ ob.; the Muses ≥ 500 dr.; interest on this 6 dr. 2 ob.; Apollo Zoster . . . Adrasteia 86 dr.; interest on this 1 dr.; Bendis 86 dr.; interest on this 1 dr.; . . . ≥ 1¾ ob.; Apollo . . . interest on this 8 dr. . . . Herakles at Kynosarges (70) [20 dr.]; interest on this 1½ ob. . . . Demophon . . . interest on this . . . Athena at Pallenis ≥ 1 tal. 5,200 dr.; interest on this 129 dr. 3¾ ob.; Apollo . . . . . . Artemis Brauronia 1,396 dr. 4 ob.; interest on this ≥ 16 dr. . . . . . . ≥ 1,110 dr. . . . Athena at the Derioneian Palladion ≥ 850 dr.; interest on this ≥ 11 dr. . . . ≥ 1,700 dr. . . . interest on this 20 dr. ½ ob.; Poseidon Kalaureatis . . . (75) interest on this . . . Total of the principal of the Other Gods paid in the first grant in the period of office of Gorgoinos [30 tal. 5,990 dr.]; total of the interest on this payment ≥ 2,120 dr.. The treasurers of the Other Gods handed over the second grant, Gorgoinos son of Oineides of Ikarion and his colleagues, god by god, from the monies, in the prytany of Leontis^IV, the tenth prytany, on the twenty-third (ogdoei phthinontos) [of Skirophorion], on the twentieth of the prytany: Artemis Agrotera (80) [4 tal. 1,950 dr.]; interest on this 14 dr. 4½ ob.; Aphrodite in the Gardens 2 tal. 5,175 dr. 1 ob.; interest on this 9 dr. 4½ ob. . . . ≥ 2,840 dr.; interest on this 1 dr. 3¾ ob.; Dionysos, 356 dr. 1 ob.; interest on this [1½ ob.]. . . . interest on this . . . Poseidon at Sounion 4 tal. 1,527 dr. 4½ ob.; interest on this [14 dr. 2¾ ob.]; . . . 4,749 dr. 4 ob.; interest on this 2 dr. 4½ ob.; Artemis at Mounichia . . . . . . ≥ 1 dr. 2 ob.; Theseus [808 dr. 4½ ob.]; interest on this 2¾ ob.; Ilissos 402 dr. 1 ob.; interest on this (85) 1½ ob.; . . . interest on this . . . Hephaistos 1 tal. 1,748 dr.; interest on this 4 dr. 2½ ob. Aphrodite [at the Hippolyteion] ≥ 1 dr. 2 ob.; interest on this . . . Muses 521 dr.; interest on this 1¾ ob.; god of strangers (theo chseniko) . . . . . . interest on this . . . Herakles at Kynosarges 80 dr.; interest on this ½ ob.; Demophon . . . Athena at Pallenis 3,418 dr. 1 ob.; interest on this 1 dr. 5½ ob.; Apollo . . . interest . . . Artemis Brauronia 353 dr. 2½ ob.; interest on this 1½ ob.; (90) . . . Athena at the Palladion 2 dr. 1½ ob.; interest on this . . . . . . 144 dr. 3 ob.; interest on this ½ ob.. Mother at Agrai ≥ 200 dr. . . . ≥ 2 dr.; interest on this ½ ob.; Athena Zosteria ≥ 100 dr. . . . 427 dr.; interest on this 1½ ob.. Total of the principal of the Other Gods paid in the second grant in the period of office of Gorgoinos 23 tal. 5,998 dr.; (95) total interest on this money 82 dr.. Total of the principal paid in the period of office of Gorgoinos [54 tal.] 5,988 dr.. Total of all the interest on this money [≥ 2,200 dr.].

Accumulated interest on payments made before this accounting period This was reckoned by the accountants (logistai) as interest over the four years on the monies of the Goddess for which the previous accountants reckoned the interest and handed over in the seven years, on four thousand talents, (100) [one talent, four thousand] five hundred and twenty-two drachmas: the interest on this was [195 tal. 1,713 dr. 3 ob.]. They reckoned as interest for the Other Gods in the four years on what the previous accountants reckoned and handed over in the seven years, five hundred talents, two hundred talents, [sixty talents], six talents, one thousand and ninety drachmas, five drachmas, (105) [four drachmas] in the four years 37 tal. 2,338 dr. 2½ ob.. They also reckoned interest for the monies of Athena Nike in the four years which the previous accountants reckoned and handed over in the seven years, twenty talents, two talents [three thousand] and ninety drachmas, eight drachmas, two obols, 1 tal. 592 dr. 5 ob.. They reckoned as interest on the monies of Hermes^[4] in the four years, which the previous (110) accountants reckoned and handed over in the seven years, ≥ one talent four hundred and ninety drachmas . . . [≥ 316 dr.].

Summary [Of Athena Nike, principal owed in] eleven years, 28 tal. 3,548 dr. 2 ob.;^[5] [of Athena Nike, the interest was ≥ 5 tal. 191 dr. 2½ ob., but ≤ 6 tal. 1,131 dr. 2½ ob.]. [Of Athena Polias, in eleven years], principal owed, 4,748 tal. 5,775 dr.; (115) [of Athena Polias, the interest] in eleven years was 1,243 tal. 3,804 dr.. [In eleven years of Athena Nike and] Polias 4,777 tal. 3,323 dr. 2 ob.;^[5] [in eleven years the total interest] of Polias and Nike ≥ 1,248 tal. 3,995 dr. 2½ ob., but ≤ 1,249 tal. 4,935 dr. 2½ ob.. [For the Other Gods, total of the principal paid] in eleven years 821 tal. 1,087 dr.; (120) [for the Other Gods, total of the whole interest] in eleven years . . . . . . [Whole principal in eleven years] for all the gods [≥ 5,599 tal. 4,900 dr.];^[5] [total of the whole interest in] eleven years for all the gods . . . . . .

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References:

IG I³ 369 (Translated text) (IG Online) (PHI)

ML 72

Fornara, Translated documents 134

OR 160

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, P. J. Rhodes

Images: Aleshire - (1)

Fragment h - Findspot: Acropolis (Lost)
Fragment q - Findspot: Acropolis (EM 12798)
Fragments a-g, i-p - Findspot: Acropolis (EM 6741)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] The reconstruction of this partially preserved inscription is based on a complex and in places uncertain process of reasoning. We translate the IG text, omitting, however, the date at ll. 58-59 (Hekatombaion 23 = pryt. I 25, almost completely restored). With OR, however, we tentatively include the restorations suggested by Lang and Meritt, CQ 18, 1968, 84-94, of the sum of the third grant in l. 32 (5 tal. 4,800 dr.) and the interest on the fourth grant in ll. 33-34 (1 tal. 2960 dr.).

“Kallias’ decrees”, IG I³ 52 document the creation of a new treasury of the Other Gods (i.e. gods other than Athena) on the acropolis and repayment of outstanding debts to the sacred treasuries, in, it seems, 434/3. IG I³ 364 documents funding by the treasury of Athena of the expeditions to Corcyra in 433; and Thuc. 2.13.3-5 reports Pericles in 431 as remarking that Athens could draw on its sacred treasuries for the Peloponnesian War (the 6,000 tal. that he refers to as “on the acropolis” was perhaps money in the treasury of Athena, not including the money of the Other Gods, which he mentions a few sentences later). Thucydides also reports that 1,000 tal. was set aside as an ultimate reserve and was not touched until 412 (2.24.1, 8.15.1). This inscription documents in detail the money that was in fact loaned to the city from the sacred treasuries in 426/5–423/2, and also provides summary accounts for the previous seven years, 433/2–427/6, and totals for the whole 11 years. The payments were treated as loans to the city from the relevant gods, on which interest was calculated. It can be reckoned that the rate of interest for 426/5–423/2 was 1 drachma per day per 5 talents = ¼ obol for 1250 drachmas (about 1.2% per annum). Before that it seems to have been significantly higher, most likely 1 drachma per day per 1 talent = ¼ obol for 250 drachmas (about 6% p.a.), the reduction presumably a reflection of war-time pressures. On the use of the abacus for these calculations see M. Lang, Hesp. 33 (1964), 146-67, and 34 (1965), 224-47. Unfortunately very little information is given about the specific purposes to which the loans were put. The payment for Hippokrates (ll. 3–6) in the second prytany of 426/5 was perhaps for the invasion of the Megarid at Thuc. 4.66–74; that for Demosthenes “around the Peloponnese” (ll. 18–20) in the fourth prytany of 425/4, was perhaps to consolidate the Athenian success at Pylos. There is also a regular payment of 100 talents in the spring, at the beginning of each campaigning season (ll. 11–12, 20–22, 32–34, 43–44). This inscription also contributes to our understanding of the operation of the Athenian calendar at this period, when we know from other evidence that the archon’s or lunar year, normally of 12 months, and the Council’s year of ten prytanies, were not coterminous (Ath. Pol. 32.1 with AIO Papers 5 p. 3; they became so perhaps in 403/2 BC). It has been calculated on the basis of this inscription that the Council’s four years 426/5–423/2 had a total of 1,464 days, most likely four solar years of 366 days each (see W. K. Pritchett, The Calendars of Athens, 1947, 94-105; M. Lang and B. D. Meritt, CQ 18, 1968, 84-94). A further complication is introduced by the heading of the accounts, which refers to “the four years from Panathenaia to Panathenaia”, i.e. years beginning on 28 Hekatombaion (first month of the year), which was the year of office of the treasurers. Around the summer solstice there must have been days which did not fall in the same Panathenaic, archontic and Conciliar years. How exactly this disparity was handled in these accounts is obscure, though the reference to “the old hellenotamiai and the new” in ll. 26–27, in relation to a payment on the 26th day of the first prytany of 424/3, perhaps reflects it in some way. [2] For the “Rear Chamber” as storage place of treasures of Athena and the Other Gods see IG I³ 52 ll. 23-25 with note 5. [3] If this restoration is correct, perhaps a reference to reparation payments by the Samians, imposed in 439 following their revolt (OR 139). [4] The treasurers of Athena were responsible for the treasure of Athena Polias and Athena Nike, both on the acropolis, though accounted for separately. IG I³ 376 ll. 13, 71, indicate that, for some reason, they also administered the funds of Hermes. [5] It seems these figures are too high by 450 dr., perhaps in consequence of misreading at some point of the Greek sign for 50 as the sign for 500. This account takes us to the summer of 422; apart from the addition of further interest, probably the situation was not greatly different when the Peace of Nikias was made in spring 421. The total debt to the sacred treasuries at that point will have been ca. 5,600 tal. principal + over 1,300 tal. interest = over 6,900 tal. This tallies well with the evidence of Andokides 3.8 and Aischin. 2.175 that after the Peace of Nikias the Athenians deposited 7,000 tal. on the acropolis, probably representing a decision to repay the sums due. L. J. Samons, Empire of the Owl (2000), 215, notes that this inscription cannot have been inscribed until 422/1, and suggests that this was at a point when peace seemed likely and repayment could be envisaged.

Added: 15 Sep 2016
Updated: 8 Jan 2024
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ID: AIO_1171