SEG 26.135 Honorific decree of the orgeones of Amynos and Asklepios and Dexion

Honorific decree of the orgeones of Amynos and Asklepios and Dexion

SEG 26.135 Date: mid-late 4th cent. BC

Kleiainetos son of Kleomenes of Melite proposed,^[1] the orgeones shall decide, since Kalliades son of Philinos of Piraeus and Lysimachides son of Philinos of Piraeus are good men (5) regarding the collective affairs of the orgeones of Amynos and Asklepios and Dexion, to praise them on account of their excellence and justice towards the gods and regarding the collective affairs of the orgeones^[2] and to crown each of them with a gold (10) crown of 500 drachmas, and they shall also have freedom from the tax of the heap (ateleian tou chou) in both the sanctuaries both them and their descendants,^[3] and also whatever the orgeones decide shall be given to them for a sacrifice and a dedication, and this decree (15) shall be inscribed on two stone stelai and one shall be erected in the sanctuary of Dexion and the other in the sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios, and also whatever the orgeones decide shall be given to them for the stelai, so that (20) others may display love of honour (philotimōntai) regarding the collective affairs of the orgeones, knowing they will render thanks to those who benefit (euergetousin) them in some way.

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Greek text

References:

SEG 26.135 (Translated text) (PHI)

IG II² 999 (PHI)

IG II² 1252 (PHI)

Syll.³ 1096

Kloppenborg and Ascough, Greco-Roman Associations, I 6

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (orgeones)

Original location: Sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios , Sanctuary of Dexion

a - Findspot: Sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios (EM 12836)
b - Findspot: Sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios (EM 298)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] As this decree makes clear, the orgeones of Amynos, Askleipios, and Dexion managed the sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios and the (apparently separate) sanctuary of Dexion. This inscription was found reused as part of the lining of the fountain of the sanctuary of Amynos, on which see IG II³ 4, 902 with notes. IG II² 1253 and probably 1259 are other decrees of the same group. On orgeones see Sokolowski, LSCG 45 with notes. The date is indicated by prosopography: the proposer Kleiainetos probably appears as an arbitrator (thus 60 years old) in IG II³ 4, 35, l. 122 of 325/4 BC and Kalliades perhaps appears as proposer of AIUK 4.3A no. 1 (324/3 BC). There are two crowns incised in the pediment.

A Late Antique dictionary identifies Dexion (‘handshaker’ or ‘receiver’) as the tragedian Sophocles, given heroic status for introducing the cult of Asklepios to Athens (Etym. Magn. s.v. Δεξίων). Sophocles’ role, but not his heroicisation, is also mentioned in Plut. Mor. 1103b, Numa 4.6; Marinos, Life of Proklos 29. A paean for Asklepios, attributed to Sophocles, was inscribed in the second century AD (IG II³ 4, 851). This link between Sophocles and Asklepios seems to clash with IG II³ 4, 665, a contemporary first-person narrative which recounts the introduction of the cult of Asklepios by one Telemachos in 420/19 BC. Some suggest that the role of Sophocles was invented in the Hellenistic period (A. Connolly, JHS 118, 1998, 1-21). Others propose that Sophocles, Telemachos, and others collaborated in the introduction of Asklepios to Athens, with Sophocles playing a role, perhaps as priest of Amynos, and the later tradition eventually forgetting about Telemachos (I. Mylonopoulos Kernos 36, 2023, pp. 45-46). [2] The reference to “excellence and justice” probably indicates that Kalliades and Lysimachides’ had been involved in distributing collective resources (cf. IG II² 1263, 1322). [3] The tax ‘of the heap’ means contributions to collective meals (cf. Ath. Deip. 8.365d), originally made in kind, but by this time possibly in cash.

Added: 19 Aug 2025
Updated: 19 Aug 2025
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