IGII34 968 Dedication to Dionysos from Euonymon

Dedication to Dionysos from Euonymon

IG II³ 4 968 Date: ca. 330-300 BC

Olympiodoros son of Diotimos dedicated (this) to Dionysos^[1]

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References:

IG II³ 4 968 (Translated text) (IG Online)

SEG 32.267 (PHI)

SEG 57.199

Csapo and Wilson II, 119-20

Translation by: Claudio Huayna Avila

Monument type: Fragment of a plaque

Inscription type: Dedication (private), Dedication (Dionysos)

Findspot: Theatre at Trachones (= ancient Euonymon) (Piraeus Museum)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] On the deme Euonymon, its theatre and inscriptions see AIO 2551 and Csapo and Wilson II, 115-17 with notes. This dedication is a fragment from the upper part of a votive plaque. It was found in the orchestra of the theatre of Euonymon. The discovery of this dedication belongs to a series of spectacular finds in this area: two statues of Dionysos (for images see 1 and 2), one of the bases of the statue, and a quadrangular marble base which was designed to receive a plaque (likely the one of which this is the upper part). The two statues of Dionysos, which measure ca. 1.5m, originally stood at both ends of the side-entrance to the orchestra (parodos), through which the chorus and some actors made their entrances and exits. Although the circumstances under which both statues were erected remain unclear, the proximity of this inscription to both statues suggests that these were all dedicated by same benefactor (euergetes).

Olympiodoros son of Diotimos was a member of one of the most prominent families of Euonymon, known for a long tradition of democratic commitment (on this family, see Davies, APF no. 4207). Born in ca. 350 he might have inherited his father’s patrimony by 325/4 (cf. IG II² 1629, ll. 539-41, 622-29). In spite of his considerable wealth, no liturgies are known for him. He is possibly identifiable as the Olympiodoros who was responsible for supervision of grain shipments, with Diotimos, in IG II³ 1, 339, l. 7 (ca. 333/2 BC). There is insufficient basis, however, for Csapo and Wilson's identification of our Olympiodoros with one of the most prominent politicians from the beginning of the third century, best known for his generalship of 288/7 in which he recovered the Mouseion hill from Macedonian control, and for his exceptional double archonship of 294/3 and 293/2 (cf. Davies, APF pp. 164-65; and Humphreys, Kinship, 506-7; the demotic of this Olympiodoros is not independently attested). The dedication is dated to ca. 330-300 BC by letter forms and stratigraphic evidence of Hellenistic sherds. The two statues of Dionysos have been dated to around the same period, though there is a wide margin of uncertainty.

Olympiodoros may not have been the first in his family to demonstrate beneficence toward the theatre of the deme as four marble slabs for a seat of honour (proedria), Csapo and Wilson II, 115-17, dated to the early fourth century BC may (uncertainly) have been dedicated by one of his relatives, a man named Autokles (cf. Davies, APF pp. 162, Humphreys, Kinship, 815-16), who was an active politician in the first half of the fourth century BC (Athenian ambassador to Sparta in 371/0, Xen. Hell. 6.3.2; general in Thessaly in 368/7, Diod. 15.71.3), and related to Olympiodoros’ grandfather, Diopeithes son of Strombichos, who is epigraphically attested by a dedication at the beginning of the fourth century (IG II² 4881). For further discussion of Autokles and the dedication of the proedria at the theatre of Euonymon, see Csapo and Wilson II, 115-17, with notes.

Added: 30 Sep 2022
Updated: 18 Aug 2023
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ID: AIO_2585