IGII34 1405 Dedication of the Library of Pantainos

Dedication of the Library of Pantainos

IG II³ 4 1405 Date: 97-102 AD

To Athena Polias and Emperor Caesar Augustus Nerva Trajan Germanicus (98-102) and the city of the Athenians, the priest of the philosophic Muses Titus Flavius Pantainos son of Flavius Menandros the successor (diadochou) dedicated the external stoas, the peristyle, the library with the books, all the decoration (kosmon) inside it, from his own resources, with his children Flavius Menandros and Flavia Secundilla.^[1]

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References:

IG II³ 4 1405 (Translated text) (IG Online)

SEG 21.703 (PHI)

Agora XVIII 217

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Images: Agora Excavations - (1)

Monument type: Architectural fragment (lintel)

Inscription type: Dedication (private, Athena), Dedication (private, emperor), Dedication (private, Athens), Building inscription

Original location: Library of Pantainos

Findspot: Agora (Post-Herulian Wall) (Ag. I 848)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This dedicatory inscription stood on a long lintel-block above the door of the library of Pantainos. The date of the inscription (and thus the library) is indicated by Trajan’s titulature (cf. D. Kienast and W. Eck, Römische Kaisertabelle⁶, 2017, 117). Excavation shows that the library was located south of the Stoa of Attalos, on the corner formed by the Panathenaic Way to the west and the broad street leading to the Roman Agora to the north (cf. IG II³ 4, 15). External stoas on the northern and western sides led to a peristyle. On the eastern side of this was the large square chamber of the library itself and a smaller room with an altar in front of it. The library’s rules of conduct were inscribed on SEG 21.500 and statues of the Iliad and Odyssey (SEG 29.192 and IG II² 4313) may have stood inside. A colossal statue of Trajan (SEG 60.223) probably stood immediately east of the library; another statue of Trajan (IG II² 3284a) stood in or near the library (B. Martens, JRS 113, 2023, 153-59). On the library, see Agora XIV p. 114-16; J. McK. Camp, The Athenian Agora (2010), 132-134 and on libraries as civic monuments in the Imperial period, M. Nichols, in J. König, K. Oikonomopoulou, and G. Woolf, Ancient Libraries 2013, 261-76.

Pantainos was honoured with a portrait herm (SEG 29.180) which appears to have stood in the Agora and was the archon for 109/10 AD (IG II² 2017, l. 4). These honours may have been rewards for the construction of the library. His priesthood of the philosophic muses is not otherwise attested, but might be connected with the Mouseion which is mentioned in connection with philosophers in a number of second and third century AD sources (see Oliver, Marcus Aurelius 20 with notes). Pantainos’ father Menandros had been successor (diadochos, i.e. head) of one of the philosophical schools (see SEG 55.250 with notes). Secundilla was later hierophantis (IG II² 4062). On the family, see S. Follet, Athènes (1976), 251-52 and Byrne, Roman Citizens 237-39, stemma xiii. None of them have demotics in this inscription, which might mean that they were not yet Athenian citizens, but there are many other possible reasons for the omission.

For the triple dedication to a god, the emperor, and the civic community, cf. IG II³ 4, 126 and P. Veyne, Latomus 21 (1962) 65-67, 81-84. It is unusual at Athens, but is paralleled by many contemporary building inscriptions from Asia Minor and probably inspired by Latin honorific inscriptions (e.g. I Eph. 421, 424a+add, 424, 517, 509, 858+add from Ephesos, IK Perge 75 from Perge; IAph.2007 5.207 from Aphrodisias; I Labraunda 23 from Labraunda; SEG 20.105, from Kestroi in Cilicia).

Added: 17 Aug 2024
Updated: 17 Aug 2024
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