IGII34 278 Dedication by soldiers for general and patrol commanders at Eleusis

Dedication by soldiers for general and patrol commanders at Eleusis

IG II³ 4 278 Date: Before 335/4 BC (?)

The soldiers [having crowned the general and] the patrol commanders (peripolarchous)^[1] [for their excellence (aretēs) and justice (dikaiosunēs)] dedicated (this) . . . . . . Dein[okrates?]^[2] . . . . . .

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References:

IG II³ 4 278 (Translated text) (IG Online)

IG II² 2973 (PHI)

I Eleusis 81 (PHI)

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Base

Inscription type: Dedication (soldiers)

Findspot: Eleusis, sanctuary (Eleusis Museum E 257)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This base is one of a series of military dedications from deme garrisons in honour of their annual commanders. For an overview of the genre see IG II³ 4, 285 n.1. The patrol commanders (peripolarchoi) were in charge of patrols on the borders of Attica (including Eleusis, cf. I Eleusis 80). See G. J. Oliver, War, Food, and Politics in Early Hellenistic Athens (2007), 180-1. Such border forces perhaps existed already in the fifth century (e.g. Thuc. 8.92.1), and Aischines 2.167-68 states in reference to the 370s: "On passing out of childhood, I was a border-guard (peripolos) of this land for two years, and I will supply for you as witnesses of this my fellow ephebes (synepheboi) and commanders (archontes)". Such patrols may have been superseded by the (new or reformed) system of ephebic service instituted ca. 335 BC (cf. RO 89). Patrol commanders are attested, leading soldiers rather than ephebes, at ca. end of the fourth century (IG II² 1260, I Eleusis 80) and then re-emerge in inscriptions in the last quarter of the third century (cf. Oliver). The official token of a patrol commander has been found in the agora (Ag. SS 8080). [2] Possibly Deinokrates son of Kleombrotos of Acharnai, general in 338/7 (IG II³ 4, 285, 286) and perhaps also in 336/5 BC. Cf. Athenian Onomasticon s.v. Deinokrates of Acharnai.

Added: 2 Apr 2019
Updated: 8 Jan 2024
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ID: AIO_1732