IGII31 985 Honours for Phaidros of Sphettos

Honours for Phaidros of Sphettos

IG II³ 1 985 Date: 259/8 BC(?)

Decree 1 . . . letter traces . . . he besieged the . . . that were in the alliance of the enemy; and Thymochares his son, the father of Phaidros, when elected (5) general in charge of the fleet (epi to nautikon) by the People sailed on the ships which the People ⟦erased⟧^[1] he sent them with them to Asia, and he joined in the fighting of the war in Cyprus and captured Hagnon of Teos and the ships that were with him;^[2] and in the archonship of Praxiboulos (315/4), (10) when Glauketes had captured Kythnos^[3] and had brought down the ships from there, he (Thymochares) captured the city and Glauketes himself and the ships with him, and made it safe for those sailing the sea; and when Kassandros was besieging Oreos^[4] and he (Thymochares) was despatched as (15) general in charge of the ships of the city, he obtained through negotiation (pareitēsato) for those sailing on the ships that the Athenians alone of the allies were free from the works to do with the siege; and Phaidros himself has continued to have the same (20) preference (hairesin) as his ancestors, presenting himself as worthy of the good will of the People; and in the archonship of Nikias (296/5) when he was elected by the People twice^[5] general in charge of equipment (epi tēn paraskeuēn) he managed everything which was required well and with love of honour (philotimōs); and when he was elected (general) in charge of the countryside (epi tēn chōran) (25) several times, and being (general) in charge of the mercenaries (epi tous xenous) three times,^[6] he exerted himself to the full, so that the soldiers were fitted out (kataskeusmenoi) as well as possible and able to fulfil the needs of the People; and when he went as ambassador to the elder king Ptolemy he brought back grain and money (30) for the People;^[7] and when elected by the People hoplite general for the year of the archonship of Kimon (288/7) he continued to strive (agōnizomenos) for the common preservation (sōtērias), and when difficult times beset the city^[8] he safe- guarded the peace in the countryside always revealing himself in the best (35) light, and he was responsible for bringing in the grain and other crops from the countryside, having advised (sumbouleusas) the People to conclude ⟦erased⟧, ⟦ erased ⟧, and he handed over the city free, democratic (dēmokratoumenēn) and autonomous and under the rule of law (tous nomous kurious) to those after (40) him ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧; he continued to speak and do what good he could for the People ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ ⟦ erased ⟧ elected first hoplite general by the (45) People for the year of the archonship of Xenophon^[9] (287/6) he continued to do everything in accordance with the laws and the decrees of the Council and People; ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ (50) ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ ⟦ . . . erased . . . ⟧ and when he was elected competition director (agōnothetēs) by the People in the archonship of Nikias (282/1) he managed the sacrifices so that all would (55) be completed according to tradition and the games would take place as well as possible and worthy of the love of honour (philotimias) of the People, and later when his son Thymochares was elected competition director (agōnothetou) for the year of the archonship of Euboulos (274/3)^[10] he shared also in managing all these things, demonstrating in all things (60) the manifest good will that he has for the People; and he performed all the other liturgies with love of honour (philotimōs),^[11] and as many public subscriptions (epidoseis) as took place on the part of the People he took part in all; and for all these things he has been crowned by the Council and People; in order therefore that (65) the People may be seen to honour the good men who are worthy of remembrance, for good fortune, the Council shall decide: that the presiding committee (proedrous) allotted to preside in the People, when the days set by the law pass, shall put the matter on the agenda (70) and submit the opinion of the Council to the People,^[12] that it seems good to the Council to praise Phaidros son of Thymochares of Sphettos and crown him with a gold crown according to the law for the excellence and good will that he continues to have for the Athenian (75) People; and to proclaim the crown at the new tragedy competition of the Great Dionysia and at the athletic contest of the Great Panathenaia; and the administrator (ton epi tei dioikēsei) shall manage the making of the crown and the (80) announcement;^[13] and the People shall stand a bronze statue of him in the Agora, and he and the eldest of his descendants at the time shall have have meals (sitēsin) in the city hall (em prutaneiōi), and he shall have a front row seat at all the competitions that the city puts on;^[14] and the People shall elect (85) forthwith three men from the Athenians who will manage both the making of the statue and its erection; and the the prytany secretary shall inscribe this decree on a stone stele and stand it next to the statue; (90) and for the inscription of the stele the administrator (ton epi tei dioikēsei) shall allocate the expenditure accrued.

Decree 2 Lyandros son of Lysiades of Anaphlystos proposed:^[15] for good fortune, the People shall decide: to do all the other things concerning the award that Phaidros (95) has requested (eitēken)^[16] according to the earlier decree that Lyandros proposed, and that the court presidents (thesmothetas) shall submit for him the scrutiny (dokimasian) of the award to the court^[17] according to the law. For the erection of the statue the following were elected: Thymochares (100) of Sphettos,^[18] Menon of Acharnai,^[19] Straton of Sphettos.

In crown The Council. The People.

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References:

IG II³ 1 985 (Translated text) (IG Online)

IG II² 682 (PHI)

Syll.³ 409

Translation by: Sean Byrne, Antonio Iacoviello

Images: Krateros - (1)

Monument type: Pillar

Inscription type: Decree 1 (Council and People), Decree 2 (People)

Original location: Agora

Findspot: Athens (East of the Agora) (EM 10546)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] Like the earlier decree for Phaidros’ brother, Kallias (IG II³ 1, 911), this is a notable example of a “biographical” honorific decree from Hellenistic Athens; it also provides archon dates for some of the honorand’s benefactions and offices (ll. 9, 21, 31, 45, 54, 58). For these reasons, it is a crucial source for the chronology and narrative history of Athens in the first half of the third century BC. For a recent study, see J. Shear, in C. Constantakopoulou and M. Fragoulaki, eds., Shaping Memory in Ancient Greece (Histos Supplement 11), 2020, 161-90. The decree was passed after Athens’ defeat in the Chremonidean War (cf. IG II³ 1, 912; and note 15 below) and has multiple erasures, carried out in 200 BC as part of an official effort to rid Athens of all reminders of the Antigonid royal family (cf. Livy 31.44.4-9). The erased wording is not recoverable. [2] The decree’s first surviving portion focuses on the honorand’s ancestors Phaidros and Thymochares, grandfather and father respectively (on Phaidros see e.g. Aischines 1.43 and 50; on Thymochares see IG II³ 1, 911 n. 3). The date and circumstances of Thymochares’ campaign in Cyprus against Hagnon of Teos are unknown, but it perhaps occurred immediately before the campaign against Glauketes in 315/4 BC, mentioned next (ll. 9-10; cf. H. Hauben, ZPE 13, 1974, 62-3). [3] Glauketes was a pirate, perhaps among the mercenaries hired by Antigonos Monophthalmos against Kassandros (cf. Diod. Sic. 19.69). This second campaign of Thymochares is firmly dated to the ten-year rule of Demetrios of Phaleron in Athens in the interests of Kassandros (317-307 BC; for more on this regime cf. IG II² 450; IG II² 1201; SEG 25.206; IG II³ 4, 518). The decree thus attests to i) Demetrios of Phaleron’s large-scale measures against piracy (cf. L. O’Sullivan, Demetrius of Phalerum, 2009, 258-9); ii) the tenure by Phaidros’ father of important offices under this (semi-oligarchical) regime. [4] On the siege of Oreos (= Hestiaia on Euboia) by Kassandros, see Diod. Sic. 19.75.6-7. [5] Phaidros was “twice” general in 296/5 BC because the first term was apparently under the regime of the “tyrant” Lachares (archonship of Nikias), the second after the ousting of Lachares and the restoration of democracy in the same year (archonship of Nikias hysteros; see IG II³ 1, 851). [6] The wording suggests that Phaidros was elected (cheirotonētheis) general of the countryside, and while in this office he was tasked with the command of the mercenaries three times (on the types of generalship in third-century BC Athens see G. J. Oliver, War, Food and Politics in Early Hellenistic Athens, 2007, 160-72 and AIO 823). Given the strict chronological arrangement of the motivation clause, Phaidros must have held these (at least four) generalships between 295 and 288 BC. Accordingly, he was general (stratēgos) nearly every year of Demetrios Poliorketes’ second regime at Athens (295-287 BC). It is unknown whether he was elected or appointed to these positions (cf. Plut. Demetr. 34.4). [7] The details of Phaidros’ embassy to Ptolemy are unclear; it was most likely facilitated by the fact that Kallias, Phaidros’ brother, was serving as a general under Ptolemy. For other Athenian embassies to kings for grain and money dating to these years, see IG II³ 1, 911, note 12. [8] The formula “when difficult times beset the city” (peristantōn tēi polei kairōn duskolōn) refers to the revolt of the Athenians in 287 BC against the Macedonian garrison based on the Mouseion hill (see IG II³ 1, 911 with notes). [9] Phaidros is styled “first” hoplite general apparently because he was elected for the first Attic year of the restored democracy (287/6 BC). [10] Archons named Euboulos were in office in 274/3 and 265/4 BC. It is likely the earlier year is meant here. The competition directorship (agōnothesia) was the most prestigious and expensive form of public service available at this time (the agōnothesia had replaced the chorēgia by the late fourth century; see IG II³ 4, 518 with notes). It seems an individual could be a director only once; therefore Phaidros, who had already served eight years earlier, now gets around this limitation by funding his son Thymochares to perform this office. [11] Phaidros’ benefactions – for which he had been granted a crown, ll. 63-4 – are styled as “liturgies”. However, those which Phaidros performed were not compulsory financial contributions as in the liturgical system of the Classical period (cf. IG II³ 4, 460 with notes), but rather voluntary donations (epidoseis, “public subscriptions”; see l. 62). [12] Some decrees granting the highest honours (cf. note 14 below) allude to the legal requirement of a preliminary request (aitēsis), by or on behalf of the honorand; cf. IG II³ 1, 877 ll. 54-5; IG II³ 1, 1292 l. 32; [Plut.] X Orat. 850d-851e. The formula “when the days set by the law pass” (ll. 68-9; cf. IG II³ 1, 1041 ll. 3-5) refers to the minimum time that had to elapse between the formulation of a probouleuma by the Council based on the request for honours and the subsequent vote on it in the Assembly, organised by the proedroi (in the third century BC, this time window also applied to grants of enktesis, “right of land property” and isoteleia, “equality of taxation”, see IG II³ 1, 989; as well as citizenship, see IG II³ 1, 875 and IG II³ 1, 919). This time window was presumably meant to facilitate the circulation and publicising of the proposal before the vote in the Assembly; cf. M. J. Osborne, Athens in the Third Century BC, 2012, 71-3. [13] After 295 BC, payments for the erection of stelai were made by the treasurer of the stratiotic fund and, in particular, the chief financial administrator (ho epi dioikēsei; on this office see Agora XVI 77 with notes). Since the honours for Phaidros were passed in the early 250s, after Athens’ defeat in the Chremonidean War and the suspension of democracy, we find a single administrator rather than a board (we find the latter in more overtly democratic phases, e.g. in 287-62 BC). This correspondence, however, is not always valid; cf. e.g. IG II³ 1, 1002, note 2 and P. J. Rhodes, G&R 60, 2013, 224-7. [14] These are the so-called highest honours (megistai timai), i.e. sitēsis, free meals in the Prytaneion in perpetuity (cf. AIO 1137); proedria, reserved seats in the theatre (cf. IG II³ 4, 1938); and a portrait statue. On this set of honours, see AIUK 4.2 no. 7 and AIUK 2 no. 1 with notes. [15] From ll. 92 and 95, it is clear that Lyandros of Anaphlystos proposed both decree 1 – which, being probouleumatic, implies that he was a councillor – and also this (non-probouleumatic) rider (decree 2) in the Assembly. Lyandros proposed a prytany decree as treasurer of the Council in 259/8 BC (IG II³ 1, 983 ll. 5, 25, and 32), a dating which is plausible for this decree too. However, he may have been a councillor more than once. On riders to probouleumatic decrees proposed by the same person as proposed the original decree see, e.g., IG II³ 1, 294, with IALD II, 236-8, 249-52. In contrast with the 5th and 4th centuries BC, where such riders are not uncommon, this is the only extant rider to a decree passed in the Assembly in the third century BC (cf. IALD II, 262). This is taken by Lambert as one of several indications of an increasing dominance of the Council over the Assembly (IALD II, 257-68). In this case, the point of the rider is to add the provision for scrutiny of the award by the court (dokimasia); see note 17. [16] Some decrees awarding the highest honours (cf. note 14) allude to the mandatory submission of a preliminary request, which preceded the probouleuma (cf. note 12). In this case, it seems that Phaidros submitted the request himself (the verb used is aiteō, “to request”). [17] This is one of three megistai timai decrees for citizens which involve the judicial scrutiny (dokimasia) of the honorand; the other two are IG II³ 1, 911, ll. 101-4 (270/69 BC, without sitēsis) and IG II³ 1, 1292, ll. 55-56 (200/199 or 184/3 BC?). The provision is absent in earlier decrees awarding the highest honours to native born Athenians, IG II³ 1, 857 (293/2 BC) and IG II³ 1, 877 (283/2 BC). It is possible that the judicial scrutiny was introduced at some point between the late 280s and the 270s (and it was regulated by law; cf. l. 98). As to Phaidros, it is unclear why the provision for dokimasia is absent in decree 1; perhaps, it was an oversight by the proposer, who therefore included it in a rider (cf. M. J. Osborne, Athens in the Third Century BC, 2012, 82; for a similar corrective rider, see IG II³ 1, 378 ll. 32-5 with IALD II, 160-1). [18] Son of Phaidros, the honorand. He had been competition director probably in 274/3 BC as a young man (see note 10), and in 257/6 served as eponymous archon (see IG II³ 1, 986). As a former archon, he also became a member of the Areopagos; in this capacity, he served in the commission for the examination of the inventory of the Sanctuary of Asklepios (IG II³ 1, 1010 l. 25). [19] Menon was elected to be part of a similar committee three years earlier; see IG II³ 1, 980 l. 23.

Added: 20 Jan 2016
Updated: 22 Jan 2024
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