IEleus 491 Portrait herm for Flavius Xenion

Portrait herm for Flavius Xenion

I Eleusis 491 Date: 165-181 AD

With good fortune, uninscribed space (this image of) the mighty (kratiston) Xenion, having been archon of the Panhellenes (was erected by) the (5)best statesman (ariston poleiteutēn) the Panhellenes.^[1]

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References:

I Eleusis 491 (Translated text) (PHI)

IG II² 3627 (PHI)

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Herm

Inscription type: Herm (Panhellenes)

a - Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum 51)
b - Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum 826)
c - Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum 813)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This inscribed portrait herm was erected by the Panhellenion at Eleusis for T. Flavius Xenion of Gortyn in Crete, archon of Panhellenion from 165/6 to 168/9 AD (on the Panhellenion and its connection to Eleusis, see IG II³ 4, 215 with notes). The Cretan League, a confederation of all Cretan cities, participated in the Panhellenion as a unit, as did the Thessalian League (see Agora XVIII 402). Xenion’s predecessor as archon, Dorion, also came from Crete (Agora XVIII 379) and other Cretan Panhellenes are known from IC I xviii 56 and SEG 28.740.

The Panhellenes’ characterisation of Xenion as “best statesman” (aristos politeutes) parallels their characterisation of themselves as a community of citizens (politai) in OGIS 504-507 B, l. 9 and D, ll. 6-7. It must commemorate some special achievement, probably the large endowment that he made to the sanctuary at Eleusis after his term as archon (see I Eleusis 489 with notes). I Eleusis 481 honours a Flavius Xenion as a hearth initiate. This may be Xenion himself, in which case his ties with Eleusis were long-standing, or a homonymous grandson. On either interpretation, Xenion was an Athenian citizen. The status designation “the mighty” (kratistos) in l. 2 translates the Latin vir egregius, which indicates that he was a Roman equestrian or Senator. At his death, around 177-182 AD, he left an endowment to Gortyn for a series of distributions on the birthdays of himself, his relatives, and members of the Imperial family (I Cret. IV 300), which suggest personal ties with Emperor Lucius Verus (r. 161-169 AD). The head of the herm is lost, but some of Xenion’s hair and drapery remain visible on shoulders.

Added: 21 Jan 2024
Updated: 27 Jun 2024
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