AIUK9 no. 1 Anthippasia dedication of Antiochis

Anthippasia dedication of Antiochis

AIUK 9 (Brocklesby Park) no. 1 Date: ca. 370-330 BC

Face A (front)

[Ἀντι]ο̣χίδος φύ[λαρχοι] ἀ[νέθεσαν] Ἱεροφάνης Πολυαράτο Ἀλωπε[κῆθ]εν. [. . . ⁵ . .]οκλῆς Πολυαρά̣[το] Ἀλωπεκ[ῆθεν]. Relief of horsemen

Face B (left)

[οἱ φυ]λ̣έται.

Face C (back)

Relief of horsemen

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Translated text

References:

AIUK 9 (Brocklesby Park) no. 1 (Translated text) (AIO) (AIUK)

IG II² 5574 (PHI)

IG II³ 4 251 (IG Online)

SEG 53.198

Conze II no. 1162

Clairmont, CAT 1.362

Scholl, Bildfeldstelen no. 366

Translation by: Peter Liddel, Chris de Lisle, Polly Low

AIO Images: 1 2 3 4

Images: Agora Excavations - (1)

Monument type: Base

Inscription type: Dedication (phylarchs)

Fr. a - Findspot: Agora (Ag. I 7515)
Fr. b - Findspot: Agora (?) (Brocklesby no. 53)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This is a square base with reliefs on the sides and a rectangular socket in the top of the block for a pillar, a common form for dedications commemorating athletic victories. The fragment in Brocklesby Park depicts an armed soldier riding a charging horse; the fragment also preserves part of the man’s name, his patronymic and his demotic (official place of origin in Attica). It was previously interpreted as from a funerary monument. The other extant fragments of the base preserve another, very similar, depiction of a mounted cavalryman, another name, patronymic and demotic (“Hierophanes son of Polyaratos of Alopeke”), and a heading (“The tribal commanders of Antiochis dedicated this”). The patronymic and demotic of the two men named on this monument are the same, and from this we conclude that the monument was set up by two brothers, who served as phylarchoi, commanders of the cavalry contingent of the tribe Antiochis.

The surviving fragments of the monument do not provide any explicit information about the context of its creation. However, we suggest that it was set up to commemorate the tribe’s victory in the anthippasia, a “mock fight when the tribes pursue and escape from one another at the gallop in two squadrons of five tribes, each side led by its hipparch” (Xenophon Hipparchikos, 3.11-13). Such monuments are relatively well-known in fourth-century Athens: a particularly close comparison (also set up by two brothers) is IG II³ 4, 252, the Bryaxis monument. We have no other evidence for the sons of Polyaratos, but the fact that they served as phylarchoi suggests that they belonged to the social and economic elite of the city. It is likely that they set up this monument to celebrate their achievement (and that of their tribe), and to advertise the services which they had performed for their tribe and for the city. The inscription is dated to the middle years of the fourth century on the grounds of its letter forms and the style of the sculpted relief.

For fuller discussion of this monument, see AIUK 9 (Brocklesby), no. 1. For further discussion of the anthippasia, and links to more examples, see the notes on IG II³ 4, 252. For more information about the Attic inscriptions in Brocklesby Park see AIUK 9.

Added: 2 Apr 2019
Updated: 6 Apr 2022
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ID: AIO_1694