AIO 823 Rhamnous honours the general Epichares of Ikarion

Rhamnous honours the general Epichares of Ikarion

AIO 823 Date: ca. 267 BC

Fragment 1

θεοί Νικόστρατος Ἐπιτέλου Ῥαμνούσιος εἶπεν· ἐπειδὴ Ἐπιχάρης, ἐπί τε Λυσιθε[ίδου] χειροτονηθεὶς ἵππαρχος καλῶς καὶ κατὰ τοὺς νόμους ποησάμενος τοῦ ἱππικ̣ο̣[ῦ] [τ]ὴν ἐπιμέλειαν, ὑπό τε τῆς βουλῆς καὶ τοῦ δήμου ἐστεφανώθη καὶ τῶν ἱππέων· πάλιν (5)τε ἐπ̣ὶ̣ Πειθ⟨ι⟩δήμου ἄρχοντος, χειροτονήσαντος αὐτὸν στρατηγὸν τοῦ δήμου, κα[ὶ] τάξαντος ἐπὶ τὴν χώραν τὴν παραλίαν, καλῶς καὶ φιλοτίμως ποησάμενος τῆς φυλακῆς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τό τε φρούριον διέσωισε τῶι δήμωι πολέμου ὄντος ^v καὶ τὸν σίτ[ον καὶ] τοὺς ξυλίνους καρποὺς μέχρι τριάκοντα σταδίων συνεκόμισεν τοῦ [στ]ρατο[πέδου ὄν]τος [ἐν τῆι] χώραι, καταστησάμενος κρυπτοὺς ἐπὶ τὰς σκο- ^v (10)[πάς, παρεφε]δρεύων αὐτὸς μ̣ετὰ τ̣ῶν̣ στρατιωτῶν, ὅπως ἀσφαλῶς γένηται ἡ ^v [συγκομιδὴ τῶν κ]αρπ̣ῶν τοῖς γεωργοῖς· τε[τήρ]ηκεν δὲ καὶ τὰς ἀμπέλους ἐφ’ ὅσον [κυριεύω]ν ἦν τ̣ῆς χώρας· κατεσκεύακε δ’ ἐκ τῶ̣ν [ἰδ]ίων καὶ στοὰν ὅπως, ἄν τις εἶ χρεία παρακοιτ̣ῶ̣σι πάντες καὶ ἐξ ἑτ̣[οί]μ̣ου ἂν δεῖ γίνηται ἡ βοήθεια. ὠικοδόμηκε δὲ καὶ φυλακτήρια διττὰ καὶ κύνα̣ς [π]ροσ̣κατέστησε το[ῖ]ς ὑπάρχουσιν, διδοὺς αὐτὸς̣ (15)τὴν τροφήν, ὅπω̣[ς] ἡ φυλακὴ πλέω γ[ί]νηται· πεπόηκε δὲ καὶ στρατήγιον, τὸ ἱερὸν [τῆς Ἀφροδίτη]ς κατασκευάσας, ὅπως ε̣ἶ̣ ἐν τιμεῖ καὶ ἔχει καλῶς καὶ εὐσεβῶς τοῖς [δημόταις]· εἰσεκόμισε δὲ καὶ πυρῶν μεδίμνους 𐅅 καὶ κρ[ι]θῶν 𐅅 προευπορή- [σας] α̣ὐτὸς τὰς τιμὰς καὶ διέδωκεν τοῖς τε̣ π̣ολίταις καὶ τοῖς στρατιώταις τῆς [κ]αθεστηκείας τιμῆς· συνετάξατο δὲ καὶ ὑπὲ̣[ρ] τῶν γινομένων αἰχμαλώτων (20)[ὅ]πως ἀποδόντες ἑκατὸ̣ν εἴκοσι δραχμὰς ἀνασώιζωνται διὰ̣ τοῦ κήρυκος καὶ μή- [δε]ὶς ἐξαχθεῖ τῶν πολιτ̣ῶ̣ν μηδὲ τὰ δοῦλα σώματα ἀφανίζηται· ἐκόλασε δὲ καὶ τοὺ- [ς κ]α̣θηγουμένους εἰς τ̣[ὴ]ν χώραν τοῖς πειραταῖς, λαβὼν καὶ ἐξετάσας αὐτούς, ὄν- [τα]ς ἐκ τῆς πόλεως, [ἀξίω]ς ὧν ἔπραττον· παρεσκεύασε δὲ καὶ τοῖς παρὰ Πατρόκλου [πα]ραγενομένοις [στρα]τ̣ιώταις ἐπὶ τὴν βοήθειαν, καὶ στέγα[ς] ὅπως ἔχωσιν ἱκανὰς (25)[. . . . . . . . . . . ²² . . . . . . . . . . .]ο οὐθένα ποήσας ἐν ἐπισταθμείαι τῶν πολιτῶν οὐδὲ τῶν [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ²⁷ . . . . . . . . . . . . . ὠικονό]μηκε δὲ καὶ τοῖς πολίταις ὅπως διδῶται τὸ εἰσ- [κομιζόμενον - - - - - - στρα]τ̣ι̣ώταις μηθὲν ἐλλείπ̣[ει - - -] Missing lines Fragment 5 [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ἀεὶ πράττων τὰ] [συμφέρον]τα τῶ[ι τε τῶι δήμωι - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - -]ν καὶ ἰδί[αι - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - -] τοῖς τε̣[ταγμένοις Ῥαμνοῦντι ἐπαινέσαι καὶ στεφανῶσαι χρυσῶι στεφάνωι] [Ἐπι]χάρην [Πολ - - - Ἰκαριέα] (Fragment 2) [ἀ]ρετῆς ἕ[νεκα καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἣν ἔχων διατελεῖ] [πρὸς τὸν δῆμον τὸν Ῥαμ]νουσίων καὶ [πρὸς - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - στρατ]ηγοῖς ἐπ[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ἐπ]ιμελει[α - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] [- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -]ΑΙΣ[- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -] Missing lines Fragment 4 [τὸν στρατηγὸν] [Ἐπιχάρη]ν Πολ[- - -] Ἰκα[ριέα] Fragment 3 [το]ὺς στρατιώτας

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Translated text

References:

AIO 823 (Translated text) (AIO)

IG II² 247 (PHI)

SEG 59.146

SEG 61.19

SEG 51.105 (fr. 4, fr. 5, ll. 9, 10, 21, 27)

I Rhamnous 3 (PHI)

I Rhamnous 403

Oetjen, Athen im dritten Jahrhundert, no. 3

Knoepfler, Trésor documentaire, 19-37, 207

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, Sean Byrne, Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Deme Rhamnous?)

Fr. 1-3 - Findspot: Rhamnous (EM 13463 Nemesion)
Fr. 4 - Findspot: Rhamnous (Rhamnous Nemesion 609 Ν)
Fr. 5 - Findspot: Rhamnous (EM 2637)

Transliterations on Places on

*THIS ENTRY IS CURRENTLY BEING REVISED* [1] Textual Note AIO follows the text of Petrakos in I Rham. 403, except 8 τὸν σίτ[ον] G. Steinhauer, in A. Themos and N. Papazarkadas eds., Attika Epigraphika. Meletes ... Christian Habicht (2009), 193-200 (SEG 59.146) || 15 πλε(ί)ωγ [γί]νηται, "afin que la défense soit plus complète" Knoepfler, 35 || 16 [Ἀφροδίτη]ς I Rham. 403, following a suggestion of G. Papadopoulos, and restoring the same deity, i.e. Aphrodite Hegemonē, in IG II³ 4, 291. Earlier suggestions included [Νεμέσεω]ς, [Ἀρσινόη]ς Steinhauer, [Ἡγεμόνη]ς Knoepfler, who discusses the alternatives at pp. 30-34;

This is one of a series of decrees in honour of the generals who had their headquarters in the deme of Rhamnous. The honours awarded by the decrees are also often commemorated by inscribed dedications (see IG II³ 4, 285, n. 1). The decrees are issued by a range of different constituents, including Rhamnousian demesmen, citizen and non-citizen soldiers, and other residents of the deme. In this case the enactment formula is not preserved, so the issuer is uncertain. The demotic of the proposer suggests the deme was one of the issuers, Fragments 3 and 5 that the soldiers under Epichares' command were also involved. Compare the complicated situation in I Rhamnous 17. The Athenian garrison force at Rhamnous is first attested in 304/3 BC in the aftermath of the war with Kassandros of Macedon (Oetjen Athen im dritten Jahrhundert v. Chr., no. 1 = I Rhamnous 462, dedication in the archonship of Pherekles by Athenians stationed at Rhamnous by the general of the countryside, Kephisophon of Konthyle, commemorating their crowning of him). The fort was taken by Demetrios Poliorketes in 296/5 as a prelude to his conquest of the city (Plut. Demetr. 33.3) and was probably regained by the Athenians in the late 280s following Demetrios' final defeat (Oliver, War, Food, and Politics, 2007, 125-27). This decree belongs to the initial stages of the Chremonidean War (ca. 268-263/2 BC), when Rhamnous became the headquarters for the defence of the entire east coast of Attica (see n. 3). For the situation after the Athenian defeat in that war, see I Rhamnous 7 and 10. Similar decrees are found at Eleusis (e.g. I Eleusis 182), and to a lesser degree Sounion (e.g. IG II² 1260; on these garrisons, see Oliver 2007, 138-59). The last decree honouring a general at Rhamnous is I Rhamnous 423 of 74/3 - ca. 63 BC, which is also the latest evidence for any of the Attic garrisons. [2] The cavalry was under the overall command of two cavalry commanders (hipparchs) (Ath. Pol. 61.4). Career progression from cavalry commander to general becomes common in this period (Oliver 2007, 161-62, 173-75). [3] The archonship of Peithidemos was the first year of the Chremonidean War, in which Athens fought with Sparta and Ptolemaic Egypt against Antigonid Macedon (see IG II³ 1, 912). For the date, see M. Osborne, ZPE 171, 2009, 83-99 (SEG 59.18). The general in charge of the countryside was one of the specific roles assigned to the annual generals from the mid-fourth century BC (see IG II³ 4, 276). The position is first attested in IG II³ 1, 292 l. 19 of 352/1 BC. In the mid-third century BC, the role was split between two generals: the general in charge of the countryside around Eleusis, and the general in charge of the coastal countryside, based at Rhamnous but responsible for the eastern coast of Attica all the way down to Sounion. This inscription is the earliest attestation of this regional division (Oliver 2007, 164-67 with map 6.1). [4] This decree is our best summary of the activities of the general in charge of the countryside and their agricultural focus. Thirty stades is ca. 5.5 km. If this was the radius of the area under Epichares' control, it is only 45 km². G. Oliver in Z. H. Archibald et al., Hellenistic Economies, 2000, 143-52, calculates that the harvest from this area might have been sufficient to feed 750-1500 men for three months (hence Epichares' subsequent importation of further grain). The pruning of the vines would have begun around October/November, a few months after Epichares' appointment. The grain harvest took place around June of the following year and the harvest of the vines around August, shortly before Epichares left office (Steinhauer, SEG 59.146). This inscription is also the earliest epigraphic attestation of the “hidden agents” (kruptoi) and the most detailed account of their role, as troops stationed in lookouts in the countryside to enable a quick response to threats to the harvest (see IG II³ 4, 299, I Rhamnous 20; Oliver 2007, 139; the general principle is outlined in Aen. Tact. 6-7). Later on, their zone of operation seems to have extended from Rhamnous to Sounion (SEG 51.107). After 229/8, they may have been superseded by the hypaithroi, who may, however, also have existed before then; see I Rhamnous 26, 46, 49, 55, I Eleusis 211, IG II³ 4, 324 with notes for the latest discussion (2021). [5] For the military sense of parakoitōsi here, i.e. the stoa provided a suitable place for soldiers to "bivouaquer", shelter, or spend the night, see Knoepfler, 35-7, [6] For watch dogs, cf. I Rhamnous 16 and Aen. Tact. 22.14. [7] The headquarters (strategion) was a complex in the fortress, near the east gate, where a dedication by Epichares was found (IG II³ 4, 291). It was rebuilt in 252/1 by Thoukritos (I Rhamnous 10). Steinhauer (SEG 59.146) restores the dedicant of the sanctuary as Arsinoe, the wife of Ptolemy II, who died in July of 270 or 268 and was deified shortly thereafter (P. Oxy. 27.2465). The posthumous cult of Arsinoe was closely associated with the Ptolemaic navy (Poseidippos 119 Gutzwiller) and is attested during the Chremonidean War in a number of other locations linked to the Ptolemaic forces, such as Delos and Eretria (I Délos 313 l. 63-4, SEG 40.763). An alternative restoration of the dedicant as Nemesis is used to identify the headquarters built by Epichares with a structure located to the east of the sanctuary of Nemesis, outside the walls of the fortress (V. Petrakos Ho Demos tou Rhamnountos, I Topographia [1999], 299-303). [8] This amount of wheat and barley could feed 250 men for three months. The official price is unknown but wheat usually sold for at least 5 drachmai per medimnos and barley for 2 drachmai in this period. Epichares may be being praised for selling at a loss or for the logistical feat of securing the grain (Oliver, in Hellenistic Economies). [9] The raiders appear to be pirates who captured a group of citizens and slaves, probably while engaged in agricultural activity. Slaves sold for 100-200 drachmai on average in this period, so the ransom price is quite low. Their guides were probably Athenian citizens in exile; the phrasing implies that Epichares had them executed, as would be normal for treason. Cf. de Souza, Piracy in the Graeco-Roman World, 1999, 2-12. [10] Patroklos was a Ptolemaic general sent to relieve Attica from the Antigonid siege during the Chremonidean War. Arriving from Keos, he fortified an island southwest of Cape Sounion henceforth known as Patroklos. Pausanias claims that he did not dare to engage the Antigonid forces directly on land (Pausanias 1.1.1, 1.7.3, 3.6.4-6). This inscription suggests that he intervened in Attica much more actively. The shelters for his troops were probably located in Rhamnous, but some scholars have identified them with the fortified camp at Koroni, whose connection to the Chremonidean War is controversial (McCredie, Fortified Military Camps in Attica, 1966, 106).

Added: 15 Sep 2017
Updated: 8 Dec 2025
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ID: AIO_823