IGII34 357 Dedication to Hermes by ephebes (Piraeus)

Dedication to Hermes by ephebes (Piraeus)

IG II³ 4 357 Date: 196/5 BC and ca. 130 BC

Face A (front)

Those who were ephebes^[1] in the archonship of Tychandros (196/5) (dedicated this) to Hermes^[2]

Kimon son of Kimon of Aphidna Xenokrates son of Artemidoros of Eleusis Athenion son of Biottos of Perithoidai (5) Xenon son of Xenokles of Kropidai Nikokrates son of Zoïlos of Phlya Phanostratos son of Nikomachos of Trikorynthos Eukrates son of Eukrates of Euonymon under the physical trainership (paidotribountos) of Dorotheos of Hybadai.

Face B (back)

Those who were ephebes in the archonship of De- (dedicated this)^[3] to Hermes Xenophilos son of Xenophilos of – Agathokles son of Agathokles of – (5) Meniskos son of Therson of Semachidai Boulos son of Boulos of Lousia under the physical trainership (paidotribountos) of Mikylios of Kopros.

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References:

IG II³ 4 357 (Translated text) (IG Online)

IG II² 2981 (PHI)

SEG 42.153

Tracy, ALC 248

Henderson, Springtime, T7.5

Henderson, Springtime, T8.21

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Sjoukje M. Kamphorst

Monument type: Base

Inscription type: Dedication (ephebes of the Piraeus), Dedication (Hermes)

Findspot: Piraeus (EM 10665)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] IG II³ 4, 357-425 are post-Classical ephebic dedications. On the ephebate in the fourth century BC see RO 89, with notes. In the third century BC the ephebate was reduced to one year and was voluntary. Fewer young men served as ephebes and it became customary after the Chremonidean War to honour them with inscribed Assembly decrees, see IG II³ 1, 917, 957, 981, 986, 1003, etc.; AIO Papers 4, 20-21, 25-26. The latest monuments with inscribed decrees date to the period between Sulla and Augustus: AIO 1798, 1836, 924, 1838, 1837. By 123/2 BC foreigners were allowed access to the ephebate, a development that can be linked to the introduction of a significant academic element into the ephebic programme. Cf. AIO 1798 n. 10. From about the same time we have a series of dedications by "pre-ephebes" (mellepheboi): see IG II³ 4, 370, with notes; IG II³ 4, 396, 397, 399, are dedications by pareutaktoi (overage ephebes). IG II³ 4, 357-364 are dedications to Hermes from the Agora or Piraeus by small groups of ephebes with their physical trainer at the end of their year of service. Commonly Hellenistic ephebic dedications commemorate victories in festival competitions; often the precise festival context is unstated, but explicitly mentioned are the Heroia?, IG II³ 4, 366, Hermaia, IG II³ 4, 368 ?, Sylleia, IG II³ 4, 375, Theseia, IG II³ 4, 377, 379 ?, 388, 396, 397 Epitaphia, IG II³ 4, 379 ?, 385, 395, 396, 397, Hephaisteia, 412, Soteria, 417, "at Eleusis", 420, Hadrianeia (and other festivals?), 425. IG II³ 4, 371, 372, 380, 401 ?, 402 ?, 406, 409 ?, 421 ?, are dedications by ephebic gymnasiarchs, cf. IG II³ 4, 331 n. 3; agonothetai, 393, 425. Dedications by ephebic lampadarchs are also common, see IG II³ 4, 371. 376 is a ritual norm set up by ephebes; 372 relates to the ephebate on Delos after 166 BC. [2] This inscription is the first of a series of ephebic dedications of the 2nd cent. BC from the Piraeus and the Agora that follow the same formula: a single column of names, followed by the name of their trainer. The monuments were set up by groups of ephebes of mixed tribes who, upon successful completion of their ephebate, wished to record their own names and that of their trainer (not the whole year class). The dedication in these texts is always to Hermes, the patron god of youth and the gymnasium. The other inscriptions are IG II³ 4, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364. On this type of ephebic inscription see O. W. Reinmuth, "The Ephebic Dedications to Hermes" in: Phoros. Tribute to B. D. Meritt (1974), 139-43. On the ephebate in general see RO 89. [3] To judge by the letter forms (Tracy) this later inscription was added to this round base after ca. 130 BC. It is not clear whether the base was positioned in its later use so that the original inscription remained legible.

Added: 1 Jul 2019
Updated: 1 Jul 2021
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ID: AIO_1788