SEG 59.142 Decree of Halai Aixonides honouring the deme treasurers, 338/7 BC

Decree of Halai Aixonides honouring the deme treasurers, 338/7 BC

SEG 59.142 Date: 338/7 BC

Gods. Anaschetos proposed: since the treasurers of the archonship of Chairondas (338/7) managed the treasury well and justly for the demesmen, 5 and made the sacrifices to all the gods and heroes, and took care of everything else which the demesmen required of them, and having achieved a surplus from the revenue, have deposited [with the] 10 [demesmen] 388 dr.; the demesmen shall resolve to praise them for their justice and excellence towards the demesmen, and crown them with a foliage crown, Kephiso- 15 son of - , [Phyt?]ios son of Polyeuches, A- . . . and to announce the crown . . . . . . ^[1]

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Greek text

References:

SEG 59.142 (Translated text) (AIO)

SEG 63.102

Csapo and Wilson II, 123a

Russo, Ripartizioni, D47

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Feyo Schuddeboom

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Deme Halai Aixonides)

Findspot: Dilofo (Border of Anagyrous and Halai Aixonides) (Piraeus Museum 11392)

Transliterations on No places

[1] Textual Note. AIO's text follows that of the first editor, G. Steinhauer, Horos 17-21, 2004-2009 [2010], 69-72 (SEG 59.142), as amended by K. Takeuchi, Horos 22-25, 2010-2013, 91-4 no. 5 (SEG 63.102). In ll. 9-10 Steinhauer had restored [τοῖ|ς ἱεροποιοῖ]ς, "deposited with the religious officials (hieropoioi)", cf. SEG 49.141. In l. 15 we add a "?" to the restoration, Φύτι]ον.

On the deme Halai Aixonides and its inscriptions see RO 46, with notes. This recently published inscription (which, from its findspot, might have been set up in the deme Aphrodision, D. Marchiandi, ASAA 97, 2019, 387-409, at 394 n. 56) is one of two well-preserved honorific decrees of the deme, the other being RO 46, honouring the priest of Apollo Zoster and the members of a commission of demesmen collaborating with him. This decree, passed some years later than that one, honours the 3 (?) treasurers (tamiai) of the deme for the successful performance of their duties.

The office of treasurer is attested in this deme at RO 46, l. 13 (singular, charged with paying for inscription); SEG 49.142 (restored singular, charged with duties in respect of the inscription); SEG 49.141 (singular, honoured by deme with hieropoioi); IG II² 1174 (plural, subject to new audit procedures, with demarch); IG II² 1175 (plural, required to take a vow, with demarch, priests and priestesses). Apart from the demarch, they are the most commonly attested officials in Attic demes (Whitehead, Demes, 143-44), occurring frequently e.g. in the inscriptions of Halai's neighbouring deme, Aixone (see e.g. IG II² 1198, 1202, 2492), though they normally fulfilled financial functions and it is unusual to find them performing sacrifices, as in this decree (5). If they were not merely routine, these sacrifices may have been connected with the battle of Chaironeia, cf. IG II³ 1, 416.

L. 16 might suggest announcement of crowns in a theatre at the local Dionysia (cf. Csapo-Wilson). Cf. IG II³ 4, 498.

The proposer, Anaschetos (son of Demoteles) appears with other distinguished Athenians as a guarantor in the naval records for 333/2 BC, IG II² 1623, l. 192 (Davies, APF 819). The honorand, -ios son of Polyeuches is a relation (grandfather?) of the Phytios son of Polyeuches who was a councillor for Halai in 303/2 BC, Agora XV 62, l. 213.

Added: 12 Sep 2015
Updated: 24 Feb 2024
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