IEleus 207 Decree of Athenian soldiers stationed at Eleusis, Panakton, and Phyle honouring Theophrastos

Decree of Athenian soldiers stationed at Eleusis, Panakton, and Phyle honouring Theophrastos

I Eleusis 207 Date: ca. 216 BC

Gods.^[1] The Athenians stationed at Eleusis and Panakton and Phyle decided;^[2] since Theophrastos^[3] continues to be well disposed towards the Athenian People, and whatever posts (5)the People appoint him to he has carried out them [all] well and reputably; [and] having been elected as gymnasiarch for the [year] in which Antiphilos was archon (223/2), [he carried] out his responsibilities concerning the gymnasia in an orderly manner and in accordance with the laws and he put on the games, both the regular ones and those individual to (10)king Ptolemy, having established prizes for those young men who wanted to compete, loving honour (philotimoumenos) in accordance with the preference of the People for honouring the king; and having been elected as cavalry commander (hipparchos)^[4] for the year in which Menekrates was archon (219/8), he managed cavalry business, (15)providing feed for (the horses of) all cavalrymen, and in order that they might be equipped with the best possible arms, he made [a voluntary contribution (epidōsin)] of ten mina to the captains (lochagois) and he received the [Council] of six hundred and fifty, not at all lacking love of honour on his own account; and because of these things he was crowned both (20)by the Council and the People, and the cavalry; and having been appointed as general of the countryside [around Eleusis]^[5] for the year in which Kalli[machos] was archon (217/6), he [managed] both the defence and [fortification(?)] of the guard-posts^[6] in order that for the People there should be [preservation (sōtērian)] and for the . . . [well-being (eudaimonian)] . . . (25) . . . the public . . . . . . the year which he served as general the receptions . . . . . . he considered . . . . . . having come to . . .   . . . since . . . (30) . . . safety . . . . . . . . . of the Athenian People . . . and . . . . . .

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References:

I Eleusis 207 (Translated text) (PHI)

IG II² 1303 (PHI)

SEG 25.157 (PHI)

Translation by: Edward Jones

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree of Athenian soldiers stationed at Eleusis, Panakton, and Phyle

Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum E 204)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This is a decree of the Athenian soldiers stationed at Eleusis, Panakton, and Phyle. It honours Theophrastos, whose latest office (the generalship) was held in 217/6. The decree was likely passed in 216, unless a lost section referred to an additional period of service as general, in which case it was perhaps passed around a year later (see Clinton's comments at I Eleusis II. Commentary (2008), p. 260). [2] In addition to hybrid decrees passed by the deme Eleusis and military units stationed there (see I Eleusis 95, with notes), between the Chremonidean War (267 BC) and 209 BC or later a number of honorific decrees passed solely by soldiers stationed at Eleusis are known (see also I Eleusis 182, 183, 184, 187, 194, 198, 200, 203 ?, 204 ?, 205, 211; note also 196, decree 1). In later decrees in the series (first in 194), the soldiers are stationed also at Panakton and Phyle, which were fortresses also under the command of the general at Eleusis. Soldiers stationed at Rhamnous also enacted decrees in honour of military personnel (see e.g. I Rhamnous 10). Eleusis and Rhamnous were both fortified demes, serving as the respective headquarters for the general of the countryside around Eleusis and the general of the coastal countryside. Honorific decrees passed by soldiers have also survived from Sounion, another fortified deme (see IG II² 1260). G. J. Oliver, War, Food, and Politics (2007), Appendix 4, tabulates the data then known pertaining to the various groups represented in the epigraphy of Eleusis, Rhamnous and Sounion between c. 320 and 200 BC. Oetjen, Athen im dritten Jahrhundert discusses the epigraphic evidence from the fortified demes, and in particular inscriptions from Rhamnous (see esp. 9-39, 127-62).

On the fortress at Panakton and the six inscriptions discovered there recently by M. Munn, see IG II³ 4, 324 with notes. The size of the garrisons respectively stationed at Eleusis, Panakton, and Phyle is unknown. However, in an inscription dating to the 230s arrangements are made for the respective garrisons to appoint a number of men for the procurement of an honorific statue for a general (see I Eleusis 196, ll. 37-9): five are to be chosen from Eleusis, another five from Panakton, and one from Phyle. This perhaps suggests that the garrisons at Eleusis and Panakton were of a similar size (see further Munn, Inscriptions from Panakton, 331-2). [3] For another decree passed by soldiers stationed at Eleusis which honours a general, and which also mentions the honorand’s fulfilment of other offices, including that of gymnasiarch, see I Eleusis 196 (ca. 234 BC). [4] In 282/1 BC, the Athenians increased the number of cavalrymen from 200 to 300 to improve the defence of Attica (see SEG 21.525, ll. 6-10). Cavalry commanders were responsible for seeing that the force was fed and maintained – a service for which they could expect to be honoured (see SEG 21.525, ll. 37-40). Theophrastos was however honoured not only for providing the cavalrymen with their provisions, but also for making a voluntary contribution (epidosis) to the captains (lochagoi, i.e. unit commanders) from his own wealth. On the Athenian cavalry in the third century, see further G. J. Oliver, War, Food, and Politics (2007), 173-175. [5] At some point in the third century, perhaps after the Chremonidean War, the Athenians began to appoint not one but two generals in charge of the Attic countryside (see Oliver, War, Food, and Politics (2007), 164-7). Theophrastos was one such general, and was in charge of the countryside around Eleusis. Another general with a remit extending along the Attic coastline (the general of the coastal countryside) was based at Rhamnous. For a decree honouring the general of the coastal countryside, see I Rhamnous 3 (ca. 267 BC). [6] Theophrastos is thanked for having taken care of the defence and, apparently, the fortification of the forts (i.e. those at Eleusis, Panakton, and Phyle). Cf. I Eleusis 196 ll. 65-6 (ca. 234 BC) honouring the general Aristophanes, who had amongst other things overseen the fortification of the walls and the defence of the forts at Eleusis, Panakton, and Phyle.

Added: 15 Mar 2022
Updated: 15 Mar 2022
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