This inscription was carved on a statue base found at Sardis. Iollas may be the same man as an Academic philosopher, Iollas (or Iolaos) of Sardis, mentioned by Philodemos, Acad. 34. The identification was suggested by Chr. Habicht, "Der Akademiker Iollas von Sardis" ( ZPE, 1988 ); and it has been accepted by most subsequent scholars, with varying degrees of confidence.
The translation is adapted from W.H. Buckler & D.M. Robinson, "Sardis", vol. 7, p. 51 ( archive.org ). There is a partial French translation by T. Boulay, "Le tableau d'honneurs d'Antioche du Méandre", p. 68, n. 26 ( academia.edu ); and a partial German translation by M. Haake, "Der Philosoph in der Stadt", p. 214 ( Google Books ).
The People honoured Iollas son of Iollas with two gilded wreaths, rewards for virtue; with a gilded portrait-statue, a gilded colossal portrait-statue and a gilded equestrian portrait-statue; with four bronze portrait-statues, three marble portrait-statues and four painted portraits. He was a good man and a lover of his city; he served successfully many times as envoy; on behalf of the people he took upon himself and brought to a successful conclusion many dangers, many controversies and many advocacies {ekdikasiai}; he served five times with distinction as strategos, and conferred on his city many great benefits; he most brilliantly performed at his personal expense the duties of gymnasiarch; he conducted at his own cost the Panathenaia and Eumeneia games; he was appointed priest of Roma ; on many occasions he offered to the gods sumptuous sacrifices for the people's welfare, and distributed all the remains of the sacrifices among all the citizens at his own house and in the gymnasium; he filled the other principal offices, and in all of them displayed vigour, integrity, and justice; many were the gifts which in the course of his life he bestowed upon his city. These honours were awarded on account of all his virtue and his services to the people.
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