AIO 310 Decree concerning Carthage

Decree concerning Carthage

AIO 310 Date: 406 BC ?

Fragment a

^[1]The Council and the People decided. - was in prytany. - of Aphidna was secretary. - of - was chairman. - proposed: . . . . . . (5) . . . . . . [the secretary of the Council] shall inscribe [the Carthaginians as benefactors?] of the Athenians [on the acropolis on a] stone stele; . . . . . . to Sicily . . . [to the generals] (10) [Annibal] son of Geskon [and Himilkon son of Annon] . . . them . . . . . . . . .

Fragment b

. . . . . . [the generals Annibal son of Geskon and?] Himilkon (15) [son of Annon and to praise?] . . . who [have come to Athens, because they are?] good [men] [with regard to the Athenian People]; and [to invite them?] to [hospitality in the city hall (prutaneion) tomorrow?]. End of line uninscribed . . . Annibal . . .

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Greek text

References:

AIO 310 (Translated text) (AIO)

IG I³ 123 (IG Online) (PHI)

ML 92

SdA II 208a

Fornara, Translated documents 165

OR 189

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, P. J. Rhodes

Images: Aleshire - (1)

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Council/People)

Fragment a - Findspot: Acropolis (EM 13069)
Fragment b - Findspot: Acropolis (EM 6830)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] The decree is extremely fragmentary (and the translation opposite is based on fewer speculative restorations than previous published texts), but enough survives to see that it seems to relate to diplomacy between Athens and the Carthaginians, Hannibal and Himilkon, in Sicily. Hannibal and Himilkon were operating together in Sicily in early 406 BC until Hannibal's death (Diod. 13.80.1-2, 86.3) and that supplies the most likely context for this decree, making it the earliest in which the officials named in the prescript are given demotics (next is IG I³ 126 of 405/4). The Athenians had had some contact with Carthage in the context of the Sicilian expedition (Thuc. 88.6, 415/4 BC), and some time after the Athenian defeat Egesta appealed to Carthage for help against Selinous (Diod. 13.43). Carthage had not intervened in Sicily since 480, and had not responded to an appeal from Egesta in 416/5 (Diod. 12.82.7), but now it did respond, sending an advance force in 410 and a larger force in 409 (Diod. 13.44, 54–59). In the context of this decree it may be relevant that the treaty which ended this war achieved one of the Athenians’ Sicilian objectives, the refoundation of an independent Leontinoi (Diod. 13.114.1; cf. Thuc. 3.86, 5.4, 6.8). In a series of further wars after this the Carthaginians never gained control of the whole island but retained a presence in the west end.

Added: 8 Oct 2013
Updated: 19 Feb 2019
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ID: AIO_310