IEleus 194 Decree of Athenian soldiers based at Eleusis, Panakton and Phyle, honouring Demetrios [of Phaleron the Younger]

Decree of Athenian soldiers based at Eleusis, Panakton and Phyle, honouring Demetrios [of Phaleron the Younger]

I Eleusis 194 Date: ca. 245 BC

Fragment a

Eugeiton son of Ariphron of - [proposed: since] Demetrios^[1] continues [to be well disposed to the People and whatever] [liturgies and offices to which] the People [have elected] him he carried out all of them [well; and having been appointed a commander of a tribal cavalry contingent? (phylarchos)] (5)in the archonship of Antimachos (256/5) . . . having been elected a cavalry commander (hipparchos)[in the archonship of - ] he managed [cavalry business] . . . . . . and the . . . . . . and because of these things . . . [he was crowned] (10)[with a golden crown;] and having been elected general [in the] archonship of - for the [countryside around Eleusis] [he managed both the] defence [of the guard-posts] . . .

Fragment b

. . . [he continued] . . . (15) . . . countryside . . . . . . general . . . . . . he behaved [unimpeachably] . . . . . . towards the citizens stationed^[2] . . . . . . having been elected general [for Eleusis] (20)[in] the archonship of - he carried out [his command] . . . acting in accordance with the . . . . . . he also made the sacrifices . . . . . . and at Panakton the [Apatouria?]^[3] . . . [having set up] a prize for the torch-race^[4] . . . (25) . . . he made . . . . . . spear-throwing and archery . . . . . . they partook . . . . . . the . . . . . . to . . . . . .

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References:

I Eleusis 194 (Translated text) (PHI)

IG II² 1285 (PHI)

SEG 38.131

Tracy, Athens and Macedon 132b

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Edward Jones

Monument type: Stele (?)

Inscription type: Decree

Fragment a - Findspot: Eleusis (Lost)
Fragment b - Findspot: Eleusis ("the area around the Greater Propylaea") (Eleusis Museum 226)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This inscription, together with an associated statue base, I Eleusis 195, cut by the same mason, appear to document the career of Demetrios of Phaleron the Younger, grandson of the Demetrios of Phaleron who directed Athenian public affairs between 317 and 307 BC. For fuller discussion see the notes to I Eleusis 195. [2] The wording of this fragment suggests that the decree was enacted by Athenian soldiers stationed at Eleusis, Panakton, and Phyle, who are also attested by I Eleusis 195 as having awarded crowns to Demetrios. This is one of a number of decrees of this period from Eleusis passed by military groups based there; see I Eleusis 207 with notes; and it is the earliest such decree enacted by soldiers described as based at Panakton and Phyle as well as at Eleusis. I Eleusis 195 seems to imply that the demesmen of Eleusis also honoured Demetrios. At this period the deme Eleusis passed a number of hybrid decrees together with military units based there (see I Eleusis 95, with notes). Whether this was a hybrid decree of this kind (e.g. the deme's decree might have been appended at the bottom of the stele, as in I Eleusis 196), or the deme Eleusis was associated with another decree honouring Demetrios, is unclear. The deme is not otherwise known to have inscribed decrees independently of other groups at this period (on the exant decrees of the deme alone, all of which date to ca. 350-300 BC, see I Eleusis 68, with notes). [3] In I Eleusis 196 (ca. 234 BC), ll. 28-30, the award of a crown and a statue for the general Aristophanes is to be announced at various locations, including Panakton at the time of the sacrifice of the Apatouria and Eleusis at the Haloa. It is thus possible that the Apatouria is also referred to here, though it seems here to be a matter of contributions to festivals rather than announcements of honours. Whether there was also reference to the Haloa in this context is unclear. At I Eleusis 196, ll. 9-14, the general Aristophanes had contributed to sacrifices at the Haloa. On the fortress at Panakton and the six inscriptions found there recently by M. Munn, see IG II³ 4 324 with notes. [4] Torch-races occurred at various city festivals, including the Panathenaia (IG II³ 4, 426 with notes), but this was perhaps a local torch-race, organised by Demetrios, cf. AIUK 4.5 no. 4.

Added: 15 Mar 2022
Updated: 3 Nov 2023
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ID: AIO_2467