SEG 26.135 Honorific decree of the orgeones of Amynos and Asklepios and Dexion

Honorific decree of the orgeones of Amynos and Asklepios and Dexion

SEG 26.135 Date: mid-late 4th cent. BC

Κλειαίνετος Κλεομένους ⋮ Μελιτεὺς ⋮ εἶπεν· δεδόχθαι τοῖς ὀργεῶσι· ἐπειδή εἰσιν ἄνδρες ἀγαθοὶ περὶ τὰ κοινὰ τῶν ὀργεώνων τοῦ Ἀμύ- νου καὶ τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ καὶ τοῦ Δεξίονος (5)Καλλιάδης Φιλίνου ∶ Πειραιεύς ∶, Λυσιμαχί- δης Φιλίνου ∶ Πειραιεύς ∶, ἐπαινέσαι αὐτοὺς ἀρετῆς ἕνεκα καὶ δικαιοσύνης τῆ⟨ς⟩ εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ περὶ τὰ κοινὰ τῶν ὀργεώνων καὶ στεφανῶσαι αὐτῶν ἑκάτερον χρυσῶι στε- (10)φάνωι ἀπὸ ∶𐅅⋮ δραχμῶν· εἶναι δ’ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἀτέλειαν τοῦ χοῦ ἐν ἀμφοῖν τοῖν ἱεροῖν καὶ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐγγόνοις· δοῦναι δὲ καὶ εἰς θυσίαν καὶ ἀνάθημα αὐτοῖς ὅτι ἂν δόξει τοῖς ὀργεῶσιν. ἀναγράψαι δὲ τόδε τὸ ψήφι- (15)σμα ἐν στήλαις λιθίναις δυοῖν καὶ στῆσαι τὴν μὲν ἐν τῶι τοῦ Δεξίονος ἱερῶι, τὴν δὲ [ἐ]ν τῶι τοῦ Ἀμύνου καὶ Ἀσκληπιοῦ· δοῦνα[ι] δὲ καὶ εἰς τὰς στήλας αὐτοῖς, ὅτι ἂν δόξε[ι] τοῖς ὀργεῶσι, ὅπως ἂν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι φιλοτι- (20)μῶνται περὶ τὰ κοινὰ τῶν ὀργεώνων εἰδό- τες ὅτι χάριτα[ς ἀποδώ]σουσι τοῖς εὐεργετοῦ- σιν τι αὑτούς.

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Translated text

References:

SEG 26.135 (Translated text) (PHI)

IG II² 999 (PHI)

IG II² 1252 (PHI)

Syll.³ 1096

Kloppenborg and Ascough, Greco-Roman Associations, I 6

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (orgeones)

Original location: Sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios , Sanctuary of Dexion

a - Findspot: Sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios (EM 12836)
b - Findspot: Sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios (EM 298)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] As this decree makes clear, the orgeones of Amynos, Askleipios, and Dexion managed the sanctuary of Amynos and Asklepios and the (apparently separate) sanctuary of Dexion. This inscription was found reused as part of the lining of the fountain of the sanctuary of Amynos, on which see IG II³ 4, 902 with notes. IG II² 1253 and probably 1259 are other decrees of the same group. On orgeones see Sokolowski, LSCG 45 with notes. The date is indicated by prosopography: the proposer Kleiainetos probably appears as an arbitrator (thus 60 years old) in IG II³ 4, 35, l. 122 of 325/4 BC and Kalliades perhaps appears as proposer of AIUK 4.3A no. 1 (324/3 BC). There are two crowns incised in the pediment.

A Late Antique dictionary identifies Dexion (‘handshaker’ or ‘receiver’) as the tragedian Sophocles, given heroic status for introducing the cult of Asklepios to Athens (Etym. Magn. s.v. Δεξίων). Sophocles’ role, but not his heroicisation, is also mentioned in Plut. Mor. 1103b, Numa 4.6; Marinos, Life of Proklos 29. A paean for Asklepios, attributed to Sophocles, was inscribed in the second century AD (IG II³ 4, 851). This link between Sophocles and Asklepios seems to clash with IG II³ 4, 665, a contemporary first-person narrative which recounts the introduction of the cult of Asklepios by one Telemachos in 420/19 BC. Some suggest that the role of Sophocles was invented in the Hellenistic period (A. Connolly, JHS 118, 1998, 1-21). Others propose that Sophocles, Telemachos, and others collaborated in the introduction of Asklepios to Athens, with Sophocles playing a role, perhaps as priest of Amynos, and the later tradition eventually forgetting about Telemachos (I. Mylonopoulos Kernos 36, 2023, pp. 45-46). [2] The reference to “excellence and justice” probably indicates that Kalliades and Lysimachides’ had been involved in distributing collective resources (cf. IG II² 1263, 1322). [3] The tax ‘of the heap’ means contributions to collective meals (cf. Ath. Deip. 8.365d), originally made in kind, but by this time possibly in cash.

Added: 19 Aug 2025
Updated: 19 Aug 2025
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