AIUK11 no. 7 Ephebic dedication commemorating victory "at Eleusis", 158/9 AD

Ephebic dedication commemorating victory "at Eleusis", 158/9 AD

AIUK 11 (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) no. 7 Date: 158/9 AD

The superintendent being (kosmēteuontos) Statius Serapion of Cholleidai, the deputy superintendent being (antikosmēteuontos) Casianus Apollonios of Steiria, the controller Athenaios son of Spendon of Eleusis (dedicated) for the ephebes (this image of) Herakles, from the victory at Eleusis^[1]

Relief^[2]

(5) while the trainer was (paidotribountos) Abaskantos son of Eumolpos of Kephisia, year 23.^[3]

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Greek text

References:

AIUK 11 (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford) no. 7 (Translated text) (AIUK) (AIO)

IG II² 3012 (PHI)

IG II³ 4 420 (IG Online)

Wilson, Ephebic Inscriptions E.012

Translation by: Chris de Lisle, Sjoukje M. Kamphorst

AIO Images: 1

Monument type: Plaque

Inscription type: Dedication (ephebes)

Findspot: Athens ? (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford ANChandler 2.57)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This plaque was one of the Arundel Marbles, acquired in 1626 by William Petty for Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel. It was the first Attic inscription to be brought to Britain and was donated to the University of Oxford, along with the rest of the Arundel Marbles, in 1667.

The plaque is a dedication in honour of an athletic victory by the ephebes (on the ephebic dedications of the Hellenistic and Roman periods see IG II³ 4, 357). The superintendent (kosmetes) and deputy superintendent (antikosmetes) were annual officials who managed the ephebes. The controller (sophronistes), who dedicated the plaque, was one of a board of twelve officials who assisted the superintendent. Two other inscriptions which relate to this ephebic year-class: the official ephebic catalogue for the year (IG II² 2079); and a funerary dedication for an ephebe who died during the year (IG II² 3743). The event at Eleusis at which the ephebes were victorious might have been the Antinoeia, festival games held by the ephebes in honour of Antinoos, the young lover of Emperor Hadrian. Or it might have been the “Contest of Prowess” (Peri Alkes), which involved a contest between two teams of ephebes, called “Theseidai” and “Herakleidai” – perhaps the relief decoration indicates that the latter team was victorious (on the Contest of Prowess, see AIO Papers 12, sect. 3.5.iv.). [2] The relief depicts Herakles reclining on a lion’s skin under a tree. His bow and quiver hang from a branch and his club leans against the tree. The motif, representing well-earned repose after labours, was common throughout the ancient world (cf. AIUK 9 (Brocklesby Park), no. 4). At some point, the relief has been snapped in half horizontally, Herakles’ face has been carefully removed, and his genitals may have been removed as well. [3] Abaskantos served as ephebic trainer (paidotribes) for thirty-four years from 136/7 to 169/70 AD, during which time he became a fixture of the ephebate and is frequently mentioned in ephebic inscriptions from this period (see IG II² 3737).

For more detailed discussion of the inscription see AIUK 11 (Ashmolean), no. 7. For a general discussion of the ephebate in Roman Athens see AIO Papers 12.

Added: 21 Oct 2019
Updated: 1 Jul 2021
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ID: AIO_1899