IEleus 499 The Greater Propylaia at Eleusis

The Greater Propylaia at Eleusis

I Eleusis 499 Date: 161-180 AD

Fragment a

. . . M(arcus) A[urelius] . . . ^[1]

Fragment b

. . .

Fragment c

. . .

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References:

I Eleusis 499 (Translated text) (PHI)

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Epistyle

Inscription type: Building inscription

fr. a - Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum E 1093a)
fr. b - Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum E 1093b)
fr. c - Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum E 1093c)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] These three architrave fragments bear a monumental building inscription in the name of emperor Marcus Aurelius (r. 161-180 AD). They derive from the Greater Propylaia, which marks the point where the Sacred Way enters the sanctuary of Demeter and Kore at Eleusis (the name distinguishes it from the Lesser Propylaia, I Eleusis 290, located a little further into the sanctuary, which was built by Appius Claudius Pulcher in 54 BC). The Greater Propylaia closely replicates the fifth-century BC Propylaia of the Athenian Acropolis, except that a bust of Marcus Aurelius appeared in the centre of the pediment, confirming that it was finished during his reign, although construction very likely began under Hadrian as part of a general reorganisation of the Great Court in front of the sanctuary, along with the Gates of the Panhellenes (IG II³ 4, 217-218) and perhaps the Roman fountainhouse (I Eleusis 449). The building inscription is thus likely to have named both emperors, perhaps one on the outer architrave (northern) and one on the inner (southern) architrave. Alternatively, there may have been a two-line inscription naming both emperors on the outer architrave (cf. Clinton, I Eleusis II, p. 374). On the Greater Propylaia and the other structures of the Great Court, see D. Willers in M. Flashar, H.-J. Gehrke, E. Heinrich, Retrospektive (1996), 179-224. On Hadrian and Athens, see IG II² 5185 with notes, and on Marcus Aurelius see IG II² 3410 with notes.

Added: 6 Mar 2026
Updated: 6 Mar 2026
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