IGII34 215 Dedication by Panhellenes (Eleusis)

Dedication by Panhellenes (Eleusis)

IG II³ 4 215 Date: after 131/2 AD

The Panhellenes in the archonship of Aristaios (dedicated this) from the first-fruits of Demeter’s harvest.^[1] ivy leaf

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References:

IG II³ 4 215 (Translated text) (IG Online)

IG II² 2956 (PHI)

Oliver, Marcus Aurelius 16

I Eleusis 532 (PHI)

Translation by: David Weidgenannt, Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Base

Inscription type: Dedication (Panhellenes), Dedication (Demeter)

Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum E 1045)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] The Panhellenion was a league of Greek cities, based in Athens, which was founded by the emperor Hadrian in 131/2 AD. Many cities and leagues in Greece, Macedonia, Asia Minor, and Cyrenaica applied for membership, which required them to demonstrate: a Greek pedigree, as Ionians, Dorians, or Aiolians; a record of early service to Rome; and a good relationship with Hadrian (see IG II² 1091 with notes and A. J. Spawforth and S. Walker JRS 75, 1985, 78-104). A number of communities celebrated their admission by erecting decrees on the Acropolis (Sardis et Synnada 1-2, SEG 47.163) or elsewhere (SEG 53.1090). The establishment of the Panhellenion encouraged cities elsewhere in the Greek world to strengthen their ties with Mainland Greece, especially with Athens and Sparta (A. J. Spawforth and S. Walker, JRS 76, 1986, 88-105), proclaimed the primacy of mythic descent over education and cultural practices in establishing Greek identity (I. Romeo, CPh. 97, 2002, 21-40), and reinforced the emperor’s role as arbiter of Greekness. Imperial patronage of the Panhellenion and its activities is attested under Hadrian (IRCyr. C.163, ll. 6-12), Antoninus Pius (OGIS 504-507 A), Marcus Aurelius (SEG 29.127, ll. 15-31), Septimius Severus and Caracalla (Oliver, Constitutions 245), and another pair of co-emperors (SEG 60.162).

The full scope of the league's activities is unclear. It made decisions about its own membership (IG II² 1091; OGIS 504-507, B ll. 8-9) and honoured people (OGIS 504-507). In Athens, it organised the quadrennial Great Panhellenia festival (see Oliver, Constitutions 245) and maintained a cult of Hadrian Panhellenios (Cass. Dio 69.16.2, Paus. 1.18.6-9). In IG X 2, 1 supp. 1063, the city of Thessalonica honours the new emperor, Antoninus Pius, “in accordance with the decree passed by the Panhellenes, which was sent out by them to all cities and peoples participating in the Panhellenion, having been ratified by the emperor,” indicating that the league organised Imperial honours and cult on behalf of its members – at least on this occasion. The Panhellenion also had close ties to the sanctuary of Eleusis and its mystery-cult. This inscription and IG II³ 4, 216 show that they revived the tradition of dedicating first fruits at Eleusis (on which, see OR 141, I Eleusis II, pp. 5-7). They also erected two large archways at Eleusis (IG II³ 4, 217-218) and may have been responsible for an Eleusinian endowment (see I Eleusis 489 with notes).

The Panhellenion was led by an archon, who was usually also priest of Hadrian Panhellenios and competition-director (agonothetes) of the Great Panhellenia festival. This archon served for four years (SEG 29.127, ll. 23-24). There is no evidence for how they were selected. Aristaios, the archon in this inscription, is the only one who was not certainly a Roman citizen. Most belonged to equestrian or senatorial families (Spawforth and Walker 1985, 85-90). They frequently erected or were honoured with statues at Athens and elsewhere (see SEG 26.253, 28.97, Agora XVIII 379, 402, 404, I Eleusis 491, IG II² 3626, 3712, perhaps IG II² 3623 and Oliver, Marcus Aurelius 19). The archon was supported by a deputy archon (Agora XV 460, l. 13); no other officials are attested.

Member communities elected one or more delegates, called Panhellenes, to represent them on the league council (synedrion). An early 3rd-century AD sculpture found in the Agora of a man wearing a crown of Imperial busts might depict one of these Panhellenes (Ag. S 3500; L. A. Riccardi, Hesperia 76, 2007, 365-390). Panhellenes had to meet a minimum age requirement and to have held a civic or provincial magistracy. In practice, they had to be wealthy enough to travel to Athens and reside there for an extended period. These factors meant that they all belonged to the civic elite, but, within that class, they varied in wealth and social status; only half held Roman citizenship (A. J. Spawforth and S. Walker, JRS 75, 1985, 84-90). Their elections were scrutinised by the archon with the help of other Panhellenes (see OGIS 504-507, B ll. 8-9 with note). Unfavourable decisions could be appealed to the emperor (SEG 29.127, b, ll. 17-19). They may have served for only a single year, unlike the archons, since IG V 1, 45, ll. 12-13 names one Spartan as “Panhellene in the year of the patronomos Kossaios” (S. Follet, Athènes 1972, 134); alternatively, this may simply be the year he took office, in which case they could have served a four-year term, like the archons [CdL]. Many Panhellenes are praised for representing their city well and service could form the basis of a successful career at home (see OGIS 504-507, Agora XVIII 402, and probably I Sardis VII 2, 319-320) and there are some examples of Panhellenes acting on behalf of their communities (I Eleusis 495; Sardis et Synnada 1, ll. 11-13). Participation in the Panhellenion built on and reinforced some Panhellenes’ interpersonal ties with Athens (see SEG 28.223; Agora XVIII 404 with notes). At times the delegates’ Panhellenic identities were emphasised over their civic ones. Serving delegates and archons are usually named without an ethnic (Oliver, Marcus Aurelius, p. 137) and the Panhellenion refers to itself as a civic community (politeia) and its delegates as citizens (politai) or statesmen (politeutai) in OGIS 504-507 B, l. 9 and D, ll. 6-7; and I Eleusis 491.

The attested members of the Panhellenion, by Roman province, are: Achaia: Athens (three delegates: SEG 29.127, ll. 15-30), Akraiphiai (BCH 22, 1898, 246), Argos (IG IV 590, 592, SEG 28.223), Corinth (SEG 26.253, Corinth VIII 1, 80; VIII 3, 139 and 264); Epidauros (IG IV² 1, 384, Peek, Inschriften aus dem Asklepieion 320), Methana (IG IV 858), Megara (IG VII 106); Naryx (IG IX 1², 2018, l. 12); Pagai? (IG VII 192); the Phokian League? (IG IX, 1 218; Oliver, Marcus Aurelius 32); Sparta (two or more delegates: IG V 1, 45, 47, 164; Oliver Marcus Aurelius 47); Thessalian League (Agora XVIII 402; SEG 25.680); Macedonia: Thessalonica (IG X 2.1, 181); Thrace: Perinthos (Philostr. Vit. Soph. 2.17, cf. SEG 28.97); Crete and Cyrenaica: Cyrene (two delegates: Agora XVIII 404; IRCyr. C.163 l. 12), Apollonia (I Eleusis 495); Ptolemais-Barka? (IRCyr. C.163 l. 8-10 with Jones 1996, 47-53); the Cretan League (Agora XVIII 379; I Eleusis 491 , IC I xviii 56, SEG 28.740); Asia: Aizanoi (OGIS 504-507, etc); Apameia in Phrygia (MAMA VI List 147,126); Eumeneia? (P. Weiß, Chiron 30, 2000, 617-37); Kibyra (SEG 53.1090); Magnesia on the Maiandros (IG II² 1091); Miletos (I Didyma 361); Rhodes (Oliver, Constitutions 245); Sardis (Sardes et Synnada 1); Synnada (Sardes et Synnada 2); Thyateira (SEG 47.163); and Tralles (I Tralles 86). No members are attested from the Greek cities of Italy, Sicily, the Black Sea, the Levant, or Egypt, reflecting the Panhellenion’s restrictive conception of Greekness. The most culturally prestigious cities of Imperial-period Asia Minor (Ephesos, Smyrna, and Pergamon) are not attested as members either, perhaps because they were unwilling to accept the subordination to Athens and Mainland Greece implicit in the Panhellenion.

The date of Aristaios’ archonship and thus this inscription is unknown; 137-152, 177-196, 201-204, or after 209 AD are possible. There is a cutting in the top of the base for a votive.

Added: 4 May 2018
Updated: 21 Jan 2024
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ID: AIO_1486