IGII2 18 Honours for Dionysios of Syracuse, 394/3 BC

Honours for Dionysios of Syracuse, 394/3 BC

IG II² 18 Date: 394/3 BC

Relief^[1] In the archonship of Euboulides (394/3). In the prytany of Pandionis^III, being the sixth, for which Platon son of Nikochares of Phlya was secretary. (5) The Council decided.^[2] Kinesias^[3] proposed: concerning what Androsthenes^[4] says, to praise Dionysios the ruler (archonta) of Sicily^[5] and Leptines the brother of Dionysios and Thearides the brother of Dionysios and Polyxenos the [brother-in-law (10) of Dionysios] . . . . . .

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Greek text

References:

IG II² 18 (Translated text) (PHI) (AIO)

Syll.³ 128

Lawton 16

RO 10

Translation by: Stephen Lambert, P. J. Rhodes

Images: Aleshire - (1)
Krateros - (1)
Ohio - (1)

Monument type: Stele

Inscription type: Decree (Council)

Original location: Athens (Theatre of Dionysos?)

Findspot: Athens (Theatre of Dionysos) (EM 6899)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] The relief, which is broken off at the top, depicts Athena ("an adaptation of the Parthenos type", Lawton) clasping the right hand (dexiosis) of a female figure holding a torch, probably Persephone, whose head appears on the coins of Syracuse. For the use of symbols of cities familiar from coinage to aid identification by the viewer of the foreign city to which an inscription related cf. RO 18. The figures may also have been labelled in paint or by inscribed names above them on the upper moulding, which is not preserved. On the significance of the relief as an indication of what was contained in the lost part of the text see below n. 5. [2] This may have been an independent decree of the Council, but is more likely a probouleuma or decree of the Council inscribed under the provisions of an Assembly decree which followed it further down the stone (on its likely content see below n. 5). Over the course of the fourth century there was an increase in the amount of information supplied in decree prescripts (perhaps a result of influence from the state archive, in which copies of decrees were also deposited). This is the earliest to identify the number of the prytany as well as the name of the tribe that filled it. [3] Since the name is not common, Kinesias was probably the dithyrambic poet of that name satirised in contemporary comedy (e.g. Aristophanes, Birds 1373-1409, Ekklesiazousai 329-30). Dionysios of Syracuse was an enthusiastic (though not, it seems, very talented) poet (Diod. 14.109, 15.6-7) and it may be that he had produced a play at, or otherwise supported, the Lenaia, a dramatic festival that took place (in Gamelion) around the time of this decree (on special Assemblies in the theatre of Dionysos following dramatic festivals cf. IALD, 337-8; it is unclear whether this decree was passed at such an Assembly). An anecdote at Diod. 15.74 records a victory (over better poets) won by Dionysios at the Lenaia shortly before (and indirectly causing) his death. It is not impossible that this is a chronologically displaced reference to a victory, diplomatically awarded, in 394/3, though it is perhaps more likely that it refers to a later victory which did in fact occur shortly before his death, in 368/7 (see RO 34). This inscription was found in the theatre of Dionysos and was perhaps set up there. [4] Androsthenes, presumably a citizen with an interest, is not identifiable. [5] Dionysios, referred to here (and in RO 33 and RO 34) as a diplomatic courtesy as archon of Sicily, a title that would seem respectable in an Athenian context, but in literary sources as "tyrant" or "king" or "autocrat-general" (strategos autokrator) (cf. SEG 53.83), had been in power since 405. This decree, which also carefully honours Dionysios' family members (his brothers served as his admirals, Polyxenos was married to Dionysios' sister, Theste, Diod. 13.96.3) seems to be part of a démarche aimed, from Athens' point of view, at dissuading Dionysios from supporting Sparta in the Corinthian War. Lysias 19.19-20 relates that Konon sent envoys to Dionysios to seek to persuade him to conclude a marriage alliance with Athens' ally, Euagoras of Salamis (cf. RO 11), and to "become an enemy of the Spartans and the friend and ally" of Athens. "They accomplished this ... and persuaded Dionysios not to send the triremes that he had already prepared for the Spartans" (transl. Todd). After the victory at Knidos the previous summer, in early spring 393 Konon and Pharnabazos sailed to Melos, raided the coast of Lakonia and established a garrison on Kythera. They then proceeded to Corinth, whence Pharnabazos, having supplied the allies with funds, sailed home, leaving the fleet to Konon, who employed the crews on rebuilding the walls (Xen. Hell. 4.8.7-10, Diod. 14.84-85; Isok. 4.119, Plut. Ages. 23; Lewis and Stroud, 186). If P. Funke, ZPE 53 (1983), 163, cf. 175, is right to date Konon's return to Athens to the 9th prytany of 394/3, it postdated our decree, passed in the 6th. Lysias' version of "Konon's mission" may not be wholly reliable, but if it is correct in outline, there would seem to be three alternative possible reconstructions of the sequence of events: (a) Konon's mission to Dionysios took place before the battle of Knidos, dissuaded Dionysios from supporting the Spartans at that time, and the lost portion of our inscription contained an Assembly decree cementing the "friendship and alliance" that resulted from it. Lawton notes that the relief would be more appropriate on an interstate agreement than a simple honorific decree; but it would be surprising that Lysias does not mention such an important victory as Knidos in this context and, assuming (what is not certain) that "Konon's mission" was an official Athenian embassy, a case (not compelling) can be made that it took place after he returned to Athens; (b) as (a), except that Konon's mission to Dionysios took place in winter 394-3, after Knidos but before he returned to Athens; (c) despite the relief, this decree fell short of concluding full "friendship and alliance", but laid diplomatic foundations for Konon's mission after he returned to Athens and an agreement with Dionysios some months later. This was the alternative preferred in RO.

Added: 29 Jul 2014
Updated: 7 Jan 2024
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