IEleus 95 Honours for Xenokles of Sphettos

Honours for Xenokles of Sphettos

I Eleusis 95 Date: 321/0 or 318/7 BC

When Onetor was demarch, in the archonship of Archippos (321/0 or 318/7),^[1] the deme of Eleusis and the Athenians on guard duty (phulakēi)^[2] decided: (5) for good fortune, [Moi]r[okles] son of Euthydemos of Eleusis^[3] proposed: since the law requires that it be specified in the decree what benefit the recipient of a grant has done to (10) the city,^[4] and Xenokles,^[5] having been elected manager both of the sanctuary of the Two Goddesses and of the Mysteries,^[6] conducted his offices piously and - and with love of honour (philotimōs); (15) and in order that the sacred objects shall be conveyed safely and finely^[7] as well as the gathering of Greeks coming to Eleusis and to the sanctuary for the festival, and that those (20) living on the outskirts (proastion) of the town and the farmers shall be relieved (sōizōntai), he is building (kataskeuazei) a stone bridge,^[8] spending his own money on it,^[9] and having managed (diacheirisas) public funds both previously (25) and now^[10] is crowned for his justice,^[11] and in his liturgies . . . People or deme . . . . . .

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References:

I Eleusis 95 (Translated text) (PHI)

IG II² 1191 (PHI)

Syll.³ 1048

Translation by: Nicolai Futás

Images: Cornell - (1)
Krateros - (1)

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Deme Eleusis and soldiers)

Findspot: Eleusis (Eleusis Museum E 237)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] The deme Eleusis had inscribed decrees on stone since mid-iv BC. Cf. I Eleusis 68, with notes. This decree, dating (perhaps significantly) to shortly after the end of the Classical Democracy, is the earliest of a series of hybrid decrees, passed by the deme together with other groups, usually military units stationed at Eleusis (see also I Eleusis 180, 185, 191 [deme and residents?], 193, 196; 197 is a decree of Athenians resident at Eleusis and soldiers; 229 a decree of the deme inscribed with a decree of the Athenian Assembly). Between 267/6 and 209 BC there are also inscribed decrees from Eleusis of military units alone (see 207, with notes). For uncertainty about the dividing line between the deme, Athenians resident there and soldiers stationed there in the case of Rhamnous see I Rhamnous 17, with notes.

The precise date of this decree is uncertain since the eponymous archons of 321/0 and 318/7 BC had the same name. [2] This refers to the Athenian garrison stationed in Eleusis which apparently continued in place after Athens’ defeat in the Lamian War and the imposition of a Macedonian garrison stationed at Mounychia in 322 BC. [3] Moirokles belonged to a prominent family, very active in the affairs of the deme Eleusis; see IG II³ 4, 232 with note. [4] A notable law which is documented only here. The legal obligation to specify an honorand’s benefaction was no doubt intended to prevent the abusive bestowal of honours. We cannot tell whether this law was passed before or after the implementation of the oligarchic regime by Antipater following Athens' defeat in the Lamian War in 322. [5] This was Xenokles son of Xeinis of Sphettos, one of the leading figures of Lykourgan Athens. See IG II³ 4, 212 with notes. [6] On this office see IG II³ 4, 212, note 3. [7] This is apparently a reference to the procession at the beginning of the Mysteries in which the sacred objects were led from the Eleusinion in Athens to the sanctuary of Demeter and Kore in Eleusis; cf. I Eleusis 489 and I Eleusis 638. [8] This infrastructure improvement was important for the sanctuary, the deme and the garrison, since a durable bridge over the Kephisos river (near Eleusis) secured the connection with Athens. The present tense used in ll. 21–22 suggests that the works on the building had not yet been completed when this decree was passed. [9] This remarkable benefaction, also commemorated in an epigram (Anth. Pal. 9.147, cf. IG II³ 4, 212 with notes) is one of the earliest explicit references to financial euergetism by an Athenian citizen in an Athenian decree. For other, less explicit, examples see IG II³ 1, 338, ll. 14–18 with note 3; IG II³ 1, 348, ll. 15–17; I Eleusis 93 and IG II³ 4, 1057 with notes. [10] The management of public funds “previously” is perhaps a reference to Xenokles‘ tenure of office “in charge of the financial administration”, epi tei dioikesei; cf. I Eleusis 87. “Now” is a reference to his offices as manager of the Eleusinian sanctuary and the Mysteries. [11] This is a reference to crowns awarded by the People following successful tenure of office, both "previously" and "now". For the award of crowns in these circumstances cf. AIO Papers 9.

Added: 26 Jul 2018
Updated: 4 Mar 2022
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ID: AIO_1642