IGII2 2193 The ephebes honour the superintendent, 201/2 AD

The ephebes honour the superintendent, 201/2 AD

IG II² 2193 Date: AD 201/2

Face A (front)

For him whom emperors (basilēs) crowned for the righteousness (eudikiē) of his way of life, and appointed Prize-director (aethlothetēn) in the holy races (stadiois hierois), president of the athletic association (xustarchēn) for the Kekropians and the athletes, Tryphon, (this) herm was erected, by his sons, for their father and superintendent (kosmētēn). (5) As the most famous man of the glorious city of the Kekropians, he took the reins of the children’s self-discipline (sōphrosunēs) and way of life.^[1] In the archonship of Gaius Quintus Himertos of Marathon (200/1 AD) the sons, Satyros and Theophilos (honoured) their father and Apollonios son of Theophilos (honoured) his uncle, (10) Tryphon son of Theophilos of Hybadai, superintendent of the ephebes, and he himself set his herm up next to that of his own superintendent, Rufus son of Rufus of Eleusis.^[2] Gymnasiarch for the whole year: Marcus Julius Pius Papirianus Asklepiades Eurytidas Julius of Thorikos and he was also the archon.^[3] General: Aelius Artemon. Herald: Apollonios (15) son of Theophilos. King: Satyros son of Trophon of Hybadai. Polemarch: Titus Varius Eleuseinios of Phlya.^[4] Competition directors (agōnothetai): Antinoeia in the City: Satyros son of Tryphon of Hybadai Antinoeia at Eleusis: Theophilos son of Tryphon (20) of Hybadai. Hadrianeia: Aurelius Epigenes and Aurelius Alexandros of Marathon. Philadelpheia: Apollonios son of Theophilos of Hybadai. Severeia: Aelius Artemon of Semachidai. Antoneia: Marcus Julius Pius Papirianus Asklepiades Eurytidas Julius. (25) Commodeia: Annius Sphallon of Pallene. Athenaia: Tullius Metrodoros of Marathon. Epinikeia: Aelius Zenon of Berenikidai. Theseia: The superintendent. Amphieraia: Claudius Aper of Marathon. Germanikeia: Lucius Posthumius (30) Publius of Marathon. The Contest of Prowess (tou peri alkēs): Varius Eleuseinios of Phlya. Phallus Deputy superintendent (antikosmētēs): Eleuseinios son of Kittos of Aithalidai.^[5] Commander (hēgemōn) for life: Gaius Tyr(annius?) Teimagenes of Sphettos. Trainer (paidotribēs) for life: Telesphoros son of Menekrates of Phlya. (35) Secretary for life: Priest Straton son of Kithairon of Acharnai.

col. 1

Controllers (sōphronistai)^[6] Eutychides son of Praxiteles of Pallene Phoibianus son of Peiraieus of Lamptrai Epiktetos son of Eisidoros of Azenia (40) Agathon son of Phileros of Paiania Aphrodeisios son of Abaskantos of Acharnai Mnesitheos son of Demetrios of Erchia Erechtheis^I^[7] Eisidotos son of Phoibianos of Lamptrai (45) Demetrios (son of Demetrios) of Lamptrai Soteridas son of Soterichos of Kephisia Philippos son of Symphoros of Kephisia Aigeis^II Aphrodeisios son of Megistodoros of Gargettos (50) Mnesitheos (son of Mnesitheos) of Erchia Demetrios son of Mnesitheos of Erchia Euodos son of Mnesitheos of Erchia Licinius Kallistomachos of Gargettos Pandionis^III (55) Pergasides son of Agathon of Paiania Zosimos son of Agathon of Paiania Onasos son of Antiochos of Kytherros Eutyches son of Lenaios of Kytherros Leontis^IV (60) Satyros son of Tryphon of Hybadai Theophilos son of Tryphon of Hybadai Apollonios son of Theophilos of Hybadai Eumenes (son of Eumenes) of Cholleidai Statius Abaskantos of Cholleidai (65) Statius Korinthos of Cholleidai Eisidoros son of Aphthonetos of Leukonoion Dionysodoros son of Hermeios of Leukonoion Ptolemais^V Aelius Zenon of Berenikidai (70) Varius Eleuseinios of Phlya Soterichos son of Stratonikos of Phlya Zoilos son of Arkesilaos of Phlya Theophilos son of Theramenes of Semachidai Akamantis^VI (75) Marcus Julius Asklepiades Eurytidas of Thorikos Licinius? Straton of Hermos . . . Eudemos of Hermos Thales son of Asklepiades of Kerameis Chrestos son of Moschianos of Kephale (80) Aristippos (son of Aristippos) of Kyrteidai Agathon (son of Agathon) of Kyrteidai Flavius Amphikles of Sphettos Karpodoros son of Sostratos of Hephaistiadai Zenodotos son of Xystos of Hephaistiadai (85) Deputy trainer (hupopaidotribēs)^[5] Eutychianos son of Hyakinthos of Sphettos. Deputy secretary: Aelius Eucharistos of Sphettos. Instructor (didaskalos) for life: (90) Euporos son of Epigenes of Acharnai.

col. 2

Deputy controllers (huposōphronistai):^[6] Eutychianos (son of Eutychianos) of Epieikidai Zosimos son of Ariston of Besa (95) Nikomachos son of Apollonios . . . Dionysodoros (son of Dionysodoros) of Paiania Prosdokimos (son of Prosdokimos) of Pallene Menodoros son of Agathokles Hadrianis^VII (100) Aelius Epaphrodeitos of Antinoeis Aelius Dionysios of Antinoeis Kalligamos son of Dionysios . . . Oineis^VIII Aphrodeisios (son of Aphrodeisios) of Acharnai (105) Euporos son of Aphrodeisios of Acharnai Prosdokimos (son of Prosdokimos) of Acharnai Claudius Marinus of Acharnai Kekropis^IX Charmides son of Amphiaraos of Melite (110) Pythodoros (son of Pythodoros) of Epieikidai Ephesios son of Pythodoros of Eipieikidai Aithales son of Straton . . . Hippthoontis^X Xenokrates son of Nikias of Azenia (115) Nikias (son of Nikias) of Azenia Antiochos son of Nikias of Azenia Apollonios (son of Apollonios) of Piraeus (120) Krateros son of Apollonios of [Piraeus] Tryphon (son of Tryphon) . . . Aiantis^XI Tullius Metrodoros [of Marathon] Marcus Aurelius Epigenes [of Marathon] (125) Marcus Aurelius Alexandros [of Marathon] Lucius Postumius of Marathon Claudius Aper of Marathon Porphyrios [(son of Porphyrios)] of Marathon Claudius Eutyches of Marathon (130) Thallos son of Soterichos of Marathon Zosimos (son of Zosimos) of Marathon Antiochis^XII Aelius Artemon of Semachidai Annius Sphallon of Pallene (135) Zosimos son of Eutychides of Pallene Euporos son of Eutychides of Pallene Thallos son of Kallikrates . . . Paramonon son of Paramonos of Amphitrope Attalis^XIII (140) Aelius Logismos of Hagnous Publius Aelius Zoeilos of Hagnous Sosikrates son of Epiktetos . . . Preimos son of Epiktetos . . . Hilaros (son of Hilaros) of Athmonon (145) Epaphrodeitos son of Iason . . .

Face B (left)

Weapons-trainer (hoplomachos): Dionysios son of Neikomachos^[8] of Phaleron Instructor (didaskalos): Euporos son of Epigenes of Acharnai Kestrophylax: Chrysogonos son of Chrysogonos of Phlya Manager of the Diogeneion (epi Diogeneiou): Claudius Xenophon (150) Cloakroom manager (kapsarios): Melissos Additional enrollees (epengraphoi)^[9] Polykarpos son of Hermeias Athenaios son of Polydeukes Epagathos son of Aphrodeisios (155) Oimos (son of Oimos)^[10] Philetos son of Philostorgos Klymenos (son of Klymenos) Perigenes son of Hermeias Dionysios son of Demetrios (160) Zosimos son of Anaxilaos Hygeinos son of Oresteinos Mousaios son of Eutyches Theseus son of Prosdokimos Menas son of Euboulos (165) Chrematinos Claudius Herakleon Claudius Dionysios Kondianos son of Menippos Menippos (son of Menippos) (170) Kallistratos son of Menippos Tullius Epiktetos Dionysios son of Demetrios Hermes son of Eutyches Anteros (son of Anteros) (175) Philoumenos son of Anteros Dionysios son of Eutyches Phaustos son of Eutyches Theseus son of Soterichos

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References:

IG II² 2193 (Translated text) (PHI)

Wilson, Ephebic Inscriptions E.269

Translation by: Chris de Lisle

Monument type: Herm

Inscription type: Herm (ephebic)

Original location: [Diogeneion]

Findspot: Athens, St. Demetrios Katephores (EM 10367)

Transliterations on Places on

[1] This is an honorific herm set up by two sons and one nephew of Tryphon the superintendent (kosmetes) of the ephebes for 200/1 AD (for the date, see Byrne, RCA p. 510, 538). The inscription appears on the front and left side of the herm's shaft. The herm's head, now lost, would have been a portrait of the superintendent. Fragments of the ephebic catalogue for this year also survive (IG II² 2194-2196). On these ephebic herms, which were set up annually in the Diogeneion in the second and third centuries AD, usually by the sons of the superintendent, see IG II² 3739 and AIO Papers 12 sect. 1.4. Originally they bore short inscriptions, but by this date they had taken on most aspects of the format of the ephebic catalogues (on which see AIUK 11 (Ashmolean), no. 10) and often feature full lists of the year’s ephebic staff and ephebes. They often open, as here, with poetry in elegiac couplets, which served to emphasise the cultural accomplishment (paideia) of the dedicators (cf. AIUK 11 (Ashmolean), no. 3 with notes). The poem records positions and honours that Tryphon had received from the Emperors (probably Septimius Severus and Caracalla) and the Athenians (referred to poetically as the “Kekropians"). The Prize-director (athlothetes) paid for the cost of the prizes in the athletic competitions at a given festival (D. Geagan Hesp. Supp. 12, 1963, 136), in this case the “sacred races,” which should refer to one of the four Athenian festivals that had been awarded “sacred” status by the Emperor Hadrian: the Hadrianeia, Olympia, Panathenaia, and Panhellenia. Tryphon was also the president (xystarch) of the Athenian branch of the Universal Athletes’ Association, which had its headquarters in Rome. A xystos was the cleared area used for athletic events, and the xystarch oversaw the athletic events at all games held in the city (cf. B. Fauconnier, Historia 66, 2017, 442-67). It was an imperial appointment with lifetime tenure, typically held by a retired athlete (cf. IGUR 240). Athletic achievements are regularly emphasised in honorific inscriptions for ephebic magistrates (cf. IG II² 3741 and 3769). Line 6 compares Tryphon’s role in teaching the ephebes proper behaviour to a charioteer guiding his horse, a metaphor for leadership and self-control, most famously deployed by Plato Phaedrus 246a–254e. The close link between physical training and personal virtue was a guiding principle for the Athenian ephebate and in Greek thought generally (see AIO Papers 12 sect. 3.2). The presentation of the superintendent as providing a moral exemplum is also commonplace (see AIO Papers 12 sect. 2.1). Tryphon is subsequently attested as Herald of the Areopagos and competition director for the games in honour of the Imperial House in 209/10 AD (Agora XV 460). Neither of his sons, nor his nephew are attested after their ephebic service. [2] Although his sons and nephew funded the herm, it was Tryphon himself who chose the location; as superintendent he was ultimately responsible for all construction in the Diogeneion (cf. IG II³ 4, 416). Rufus had been superintendent when Tryphon himself had gone through the ephebate. His herm does not survive, but he may be the same as the superintendent Rufus [son of Rufus] mentioned in SEG 26.246 (late ii AD). The ties of affection and respect ephebes held for their superintendent apparently lasted a lifetime. [3] For the cadet gymnasiarchs, archons, and competition directors, see AIO Papers 12 sect. 2.3. Holding the gymnasiarchy for a full year, rather than a month was unusual, but not unprecedented (cf. AIUK 11 (Ashmolean), no. 10). [4] For reasons of space, “of Phlya” is inscribed on the line below. [5] The section below the herm’s phallus lists some of the staff who ran the ephebate (see AIUK 11 (Ashmolean), no. 6 and AIO Papers 12 sect. 2.2). Lower-ranking members of the staff are listed at the bottom of column 1 and on Face B (ll. 85-90, 146-50). [6] The top of columns 1 and 2 (ll. 36-42, 92-98) list the six controllers (sophronistai) and deputy controllers (hyposophronistai), on whom see IG II² 2044 and AIO Papers 12 sect. 2.1. The six controllers all had one or more sons in the cohort (ll. 135-36, 44, 117-18, 55-56, 104-5, 50-52). [7] The citizen ephebes arranged by tribe number 76, including the 14 ephebic liturgists already listed in ll. 12-31 (this repetition is unusual). This is a typical size for ephebic cohorts in the period ca. 190-220 and lower than the periods before and after (see AIO Papers 12 sect. 1.3). Only four of the ephebes are otherwise attested; none in particularly prominent roles. [8] Apparently an error – all other inscriptions that Dionysios appears in give his patronymic as “son of Neikostratos” (e.g. IG II² 2207-2208, 2223). [9] On the “additional enrolees” (epengraphoi), see IG II² 2017 and AIO Papers 12 sect. 4.1. There are 27 of them in this cohort, which is typical of the period ca. 190-215 AD, when they tend to number around 30. It is much lower than the preceding period, when they usually exceeded a hundred, and the following period when they drop below ten (AIO Papers 12 sect. 1.3). [10] “Oimos,” a poetic word for “way” or “song” is attested as a name only here.

Textual note: The translation follows the text of IG II², except for l. 76 [Λικ?]ίν[ι]ος, after Wilson.

Added: 14 Jan 2021
Updated: 27 Jun 2024
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