AIO 2880 Lease of an estate by the deme Prasiai

Lease of an estate by the deme Prasiai

AIO 2880 Date: Mid-4th cent. BC

Gods^[1] On these terms the deme of the Prasieis leased the Theodoreion estate to Kirrias son of Poseidippos (5)of Prasiai every year free of tax (ateles) and not liable to assessment for the property-based tax (eisphoras) or any other tax for all time, to himself and his descendants while they pay the rent; and Kirrias and his (10)descendants shall pay the rent to the Prasieis, half in the month of Metageitnion [on the sixth?], half in the month of [Mounichion?]; and it shall not (15)be possible for the Prasieis to deprive Kirrias of the lease while he pays [the money or the rent] each year, or [the Prasieis?] [shall be liable] ... . . .

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References:

AIO 2880 (Translated text) (AIO)

IG II² 2497 (PHI)

SEG 21.645 (PHI)

Papazarkadas, Sacred and Public Land, 118-9, 147, 149-50, 291-3

Pernin, Baux ruraux 15

Bultrighini, Demi della Paralia, 310-15

Russo, Ripartizioni, D80

Translation by: Stephen Lambert

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Lease (deme Prasiai)

Findspot: Porto Rafti (Unknown)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] Prasiai was a smallish deme of the coastal trittys of Pandionis on the east coast of Attica on the south and south-western sides of Porto Rafti bay. It sent 3 men to sit on the Council in the 4th century BC (e.g. IG II³ 4, 21, 32-35; IG II³ 4, 55, 22-25; Agora XV 42, 181-4). For recent discussions of the deme, see Bultrighini, 295-347; Humphreys, 917-9. The deme boasted a fine harbour (Thuc. 8.95.1, Paus. 1.31.2, Strabo 9.1.22, one of the ten main Attic regional harbours at the coastal end of a wagon road: M. C. McHugh, ABSA 114, 2019, 207-40 (map), and D. M. Lewis, Pnyx 1, 2022, 81-101, at 90-94 (map)) and included the peninsula of Koroni, which was fortified in the early-3rd century BC (? after 287 BC) and apparently occupied by Ptolemaic forces (in the Chremonidean War?, Vanderpool, McCredie and Steinberg, Hesperia 31, 1962, 26-61, cf. Humphreys). Apart from this lease, two other leases of this deme are extant (all three apparently perpetual and all dating to about the same period), Pernin 16 and Pernin 17. For Attic leases in general see IG I³ 84, with notes. On demes in general, RO 46.

Apart from this evidence of deme landholdings a territorial group that may be the deme Prasiai sold quite a substantial portfolio of property, 5 estates, all with a house, at least 2 or 3 of them at Prasiai, at least 1 at Paiania, in the land sale programme of the Lykourgan period, Rationes F4. The buyers, so far as they are identifiable, all come from demes other than Prasiai (1 or 2 from neighbouring Myrrhinous, 1 from relatively distant Athmonon), though the son of Lykinos who bought one of the properties may be the brother of Lykophron son of Lykinos of Prasiai (cf. Lambert, Rationes, p. 166, Humphreys). It is not clear whether the extant leases relate to any of the properties sold in this programme, but it may be that the sale programme related wholly or mainly to land in the deme that was not already productive.

In addition a very fragmentary dedication to Artemis by a man who had been crowned by the deme [Prasiai?] was found at Koroni, IG II³ 4, 237. A cult of the Herakleidai is attested by the marker of an altar for burnt offerings (eschara) found in this area (IG II³ 4, 1873, iv-iii BC). Also at Prasiai was a sanctuary of Apollo, perhaps connected with a phratry and/or with the genos Erysichthonidai. A head of Apollo, ca. 490 BC, and a base, ca. 510–500, IG I³ 1018 ter, perhaps came from this sanctuary. The tomb of Erysichthon (Paus. 1.31.2), eponym of the genos Erysichthonidai and associated with Delos, was also at Prasiai (Parker, Ath. Religion, 289-90; the genos is attested in late Hellenistic evidence, first on the Pythais of 97/6 BC, Syll.³ 728 D1, cf. FD III 2, 3; for a priest of Apollo for life from this genos on Delos in the Augustan period see I Délos 1624 bis; 2515-8; for the "tomb of Ion" further down the same coast, perhaps linked to a deme and possibly a phratry, SEG 39.148). Theoriai to Delos departed from the harbour of Prasiai (FGH 325 Phanodemos F2). Humphreys notes that interests on the island are documented for several demesmen. A sanctuary of Athena Pronaia is also attested (Bekker, Anecd. Gr. I 299.6).

The lessee's father, Poseidippos son of Kirrias of Prasiai, was a syntrierarch between 356 and 346/5 and is named on a mid-4th cent. (funerary?, but cf. Humphreys n. 77) monument from Markopoulo together with Kirrias (see Ath. On.). Noting that a Theodoros son of Kiron of Prasiai was guarantor for a lease of sacred land in 343/2, Papazarkadas, 291-3, suggests that the name of the property leased in our inscription, Theodoreion (3-4), reflected that it had once belonged to this family. Perhaps it was acquired by the deme e.g. as a result of a default or donation, and the family is here leasing it back from the deme.

The significance of the dates for the two instalments of rent, Metageitnion (summer, second month of the year), and perhaps Mounichion (spring, tenth month of the year) is obscure (cf. Pernin).

The clause guaranteeing that the lessee will not be deprived of the property so long as he pays the rent (15-18) is unusual (Pernin), but there are fairly similar clauses in the other two Prasiai leases. The provision that the lessee be free of deme taxes and the city's capital tax (eisphora) in respect of the property (6-7) is common in deme leases.

Textual Note
AIO's text follows that of IG, except the heading θ[ε]ο[ί] from the ed. princ. of Foucart, BCH 15, 1891, 210-2 (cf. Pernin and Bultrighini), the restoration of the name of the lessee (4, 11, 16, Vanderpool et al. 1962, SEG 21.645), and the tentative restoration of the date of the first rental payment as 6th Metageitnion (14, Papazarkadas).

Added: 1 Nov 2024
Updated: 1 Nov 2024
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ID: AIO_2880