AIO 2660 List of a board of archons

List of a board of archons

AIO 2660 Date: 9 BC – ca. 75 AD, probably 40s AD

[Archon]:^[1] . . . [King]: . . . (5) [Polemarch]: . . . [Court presidents (thesmothetai)]:^[2] . . . . . . . . . of Euonymon^I? . . . . . . . . . of Paiania^III (10) . . . . . . . . . of Eupyridai^IV . . . . . . . . . of Berenikidai^V Hestiarchos son of – of Phlya^V Demokrates (son of Demokrates) of Athmonon^XII Hoplite general: Julius (15) Nikanor, New Homer and New Themis[tokles] Herald of the Areopagos Council: Ti[berius Claudius] The[oge]nes of Paiania^[3] Minor Herald (kērukiskos): Attikos son of Diodotos of Marathon Pipe-player: Nikias (son of Nikias) of Phlya – Uninscribed space (20)Public servant (litourgos): Isidotos son of Isigenes the Milesian.^[4]

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Greek text

References:

AIO 2660 (Translated text) (AIO)

IG II² 1723 (PHI)

SEG 26.166 (PHI)

SEG 28.192 (ll. 15-16)

SEG 31.108 (ll. 15-16)

SEG 56.210bis (ll. 15-16)

Schmalz 17

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: List of names (archons)

Findspot: Acropolis? (EM 13215)
Findspot: Athens (near Lysikrates monument) (EM 964)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] Textual Note: AIO reads Τ̣ί̣[β Κλ] “Tib(erius) Cl(audius)” in l. 16, following Kapetanopoulos Hellenika 33 (1981) 226, (= SEG 31.108, affirmed from autopsy by Clinton, I Eleusis II, p. 328), rather than C. P. Jones, Phoenix 32 (1978) 222-228 (= SEG 28.192) and G. Bowersock ANSP 2002, 11-16 (= SEG 56.210bis), who read -τ[οκλῆς] (i.e., the end of name begun in l. 15).

This is one of a series of annual archon lists, attested from 88/7 BC until the mid-second century AD and perhaps reflecting the increased prominence of the archons in this period (IG II² 1714-1715, 1717-1731, 1734-1736a; SEG 36.213, 38.155-158, with S. Dow, Hesperia 3, 1934, 140-175, 183-84). Their layout and size are standardised, with slight variations. IG II² 1717, 1720, 1718, and 1721 (all i BC) were originally mounted on a wall; this list was freestanding. Findspots suggest they stood somewhere east of the Acropolis (G.C.R. Schmalz, AJA 102, 1998, 408, associating them with the Prytaneion). These catalogues seem to have been gradually superseded by the plaques dedicated by individual archons in the Cave of Apollo Hypo Makrais on the Acropolis (on which, see IG II³ 4, 128 with notes).

In the Roman period, the nine archons had few administrative functions, but continued to conduct sacrifices together (e.g. Agora XVI 341, l. 12). The eponymous archonship in particular remained the most prestigious office in Athens and was sometimes held by Roman emperors (usually in absentia) and other powerful foreigners (e.g. AIUK 11 (Ashmolean), no. 4). The king archon was involved in legal cases and leases relating to sacred land in the late first century BC (IG II² 1035, ll. 9, 11, 16; IG II³ 4, 1132, ll. 9-10). IG II² 1113, a fragmentary letter of the Severan period may indicate that the court presidents still played some role in the organisation of the courts (but cf. IG II² 1732-1733 for separate court officials). All nine positions were expensive liturgies, requiring a direct payment to the Athenian people (cf. IG II² 3546; SEG 30.82). It was necessary to hold one of them in order to become a member of the Council of the Areopagos, the most powerful decision making body in Athens (on the Areopagos, see AIUK 4.3A (BM, Decrees), no. 10 with notes). On the role of the archons, see D. Geagan, Constitution after Sulla, 1967, 1-13. From the first century AD onwards, then, archons tended to be younger men drawn from Athens' wealthiest families. The chronology of the archons remains largely uncertain for the first century BC (cf. S. Follet, Topoi 8, 1998, 243–260 and REG 113, 2000, 188–192) and the first half of the first century AD. For the chronology of the archons in the Imperial period, see S. Byrne, Roman Citizens 2003, appendix 1. [2] The court presidents (thesmothetai) are usually listed in tribal order, as here. From the Classical period until 96/5 BC, the archon, king, polemarch and six court presidents were drawn from different tribes (Ath. Pol. 55.1; IG II² 2336, ll. 244-53), but from IG II² 1714 of 88/7 BC onwards, there is at least one duplicate in most years (Dow 1934, 180-82). Here, the court presidents in ll. 11 and 12 both come from Ptolemais. [3] On Julius Nikanor “the New Homer and New Themistokles” see IG II² 1069 with notes, where he appears as hoplite general elect. This is the only instance of the hoplite general appearing in one of these archon lists, so it presumably reflected some special activity, probably the implementation of Nikanor's endowment on Salamis (SEG 55.248bis). This inscription is important for dating his period of activity to the 40s AD. If the name of the herald of the Areopagos in ll. 16-17 is read as Tiberius Claudius Theogenes (see textual note), then he must have received Roman citizenship under the emperors Claudius (AD 41-54) or Nero (AD 54-69). The herald Theogenes who appears in IG II² 1990 would probably be his son. [4] The last three officers were professional functionaries who often served for several years. The “minor herald” (kerykiskos), referred to as the “herald of the archon” in earlier lists (IG II² 1717, 1718, 1720), and the pipe-player had existed since Classical times (Ath. Pol. 62.2). They were responsible for making announcements on behalf of the board of archons. There was a separate herald of the Council and People performed the same role for the Council and in Assembly meetings (cf. D. Geagan, Athenian Constitution after Sulla, 1967, 14). The name “minor herald” distinguishes the officeholder from the herald of the Areopagos (a high-ranking magistrate and probably not a herald at all, see IG II² 1990 with notes). The public servant (leitourgos) had lower status than the other individuals and is marked off from them by the uninscribed space between ll. 19 and 20. In earlier lists, the title is “public (slave)” (demosios, IG II² 1717, 1720). The new title, connected to "liturgy" as public service, was less demeaning (cf. SEG 66.125, l. 54 from ca. 120 BC with note). It was adopted in or before 14/3 BC (IG II² 1721), thereafter holders are “Milesians,” a class of freedmen and offspring of mixed marriages, which developed sometime in the first century BC or early first century AD (cf. AIUK 2 (BSA), no. 13 with notes).

Added: 20 May 2023
Updated: 20 May 2023
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ID: AIO_2660