Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 43
SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE DEFENCE OF THE ISLAND OF KOS
Greek text: IG_12.4.1.75
Provenance: Kos
Date: 202/1 B.C.
Tags: subscriptions
Format: see key to translations
The islands in the Aegean Sea were in constant danger of being attacked during the last few years of the third century B.C., as a result of the Cretan War and the increased activity of the Macedonian fleet in the region. Kos decided to respond to this threat by collecting money to pay for the island's defence through residents' contributions, which are recorded in this long inscription. The first part of the translation is adapted from A.Chaniotis, in "Epigraphical Approaches to the Post-Classical Polis", page 95 ( Google Books ).
Most of the contributions were fixed sums of money, varying widely according to means from 50 drachmas up to 8000 drachmas. But some donors (in part D) undertook to provide a soldier's salary for a certain period. The standard pay for a soldier was one drachma per day - see A.Chaniotis, "War in the Hellenistic World", p.116 ( Google Books ); so their pay for a year of twelve lunar months (12 x 29½ days) would be 354 drachmas.
The large number of names in the list has enabled scholars to analyse how many women took part in giving contributions. Angelos Chaniotis ("Epigraphical Approaches", page 104) identifies six women who gave individual contributions, out of about 300 contributors in the list; Anne Bielman (on Migeotte, Souscriptions, 50) counts 24 or 25 women who gave "family contributions" jointly with their husbands or fathers.
[A] [When] Nikomedes was monarchos, on the first day of the month of ..., as proposed by Diokles son of Leodamas. In order that it may be apparent that the citizens care for the common security in all difficult situations, may the following resolution be passed. Let those of the male and female citizens, 10 the illegitimate children, the foreign residents, and the foreigners, who come forward, pledge a contribution. The names of those who make a pledge shall be immediately announced in the assembly. Through a public vote the people shall decide about the value of the contributions and accept the donation, if it approves of it. In order that there will be an everlasting memorial 20 of those who jointly engaged themselves in the rescue of our fatherland and its allies, the citizens shall let out a contract for three steles to be made, and have one of them set up in the theatre, the second one in the sanctuary of Asklepios, and the third one in the agora, next to the altar of Dionysos. 30 They shall inscribe on the steles the names of those, whose donation has been accepted through a vote. Also the names of those, whose pledge was declined through a vote, shall be inscribed. If some individuals delay their pledge, they shall be able to promise a contribution in the following assembly.
- Diokles son of Leodamas, and on behalf of his son Xenotimos : 7000 drachmas
- Theudotos son of Archidamos on behalf of himself and his children and his wife : 3000 drachmas
- 40 Dardanos son of Herakleitos : 3000 drachmas
- [Doro]theos son of Philippos : 100 drachmas
- Hekatodoros son of Nikomedes : 100 drachmas
- Kallikrates son of Kleumedes : 100 drachmas
- Philippos son of Philippos son of Damophon : 200 drachmas
- Hekataios son of Zoilos, and on behalf of his children and his wife : 1000 drachmas
- P...ses [child of] Aristippos, and on behalf of his grandfather Alkidamas . . .
- Damokritos and Diogenes sons of Teiseas, and Damokritos and Tisias sons of Diogenes : 3000 drachmas
- Apollonios son of Apollonios, and on behalf of his father : 500 drachmas
- Agathokles son of St[ratok]les , a benefactor . . .
- 50 Timokleidas son of Aristophon : 200 drachmas
- Ephantidas son of E... : 500 drachmas
- . . . [son of] Epikrates . . .
- Hippokrates son of Th[essa]los : 500 drachmas
- M... son of Da..., and on behalf of his wife : 500 drachmas
- A... . . .
- [Ari]steus son of Arist... : 500 drachmas
- Mikion son of Polyarchos, a proxenos, and on behalf of their children : 1000 drachmas
- Mousaios son of Hermodamos (?) in place of . . . : 50 drachmas
- Pythodotos son of Hippokrates, and on behalf of his sons : 100
- Parmeniskos son of Leonidas, and on behalf of his son . . .
- Damokrates son of Philostratos . . .
- . . . 200 drachmas
- Dardanos son of Orthagoras, and on behalf of his sons : 1000 drachmas
- The children of Zopyrion, whose guardians are Simos and Timonax : 8000 drachmas
- 60 Nikophon son of Timostratos, and on behalf of his son : 100 drachmas
- Andromachos son of Artemidoros . . .
- [Epai]netos son of Leonidas, and on behalf of his sons : 500 drachmas
- * * *
[B]
- Theukles son of Philippos : 100 drachmas
- Parmeniskos son of Hieron : 100 drachmas
- Lykaithos son of Leukippos, and on behalf of his children and his wife : 500 drachmas
- Thauminos son of Aristos : 100 drachmas
- Polykleitos son of Nikomachos : 100 drachmas
- 80 Dion son of Diokles, and on behalf of his wife : 500 drachmas
- Philistos son of Moschion, and on behalf of his sons : 4000 drachmas
- Aristagoras son of Diokles : 300 drachmas
- Protophanes son of Chairephanes, and on behalf of his son : 1000 drachmas
- * * *
{ The list of names continues for about another 230 lines, through parts B and C, and the start of D. }
[D]
- * * *
- Those who undertook to pay for the salaries of soldiers:
- Stasagorinos son of Timoxenos : provisions for a year, 151 drachmas
- Teisarchos son of Gerastis : provisions for a year, 151 drachmas
- 320 Ariston son of Aristokleidas : provisions for a year, 151 drachmas
- Althaimenes [son of Andro]sthenes, , and on behalf of his sons : provisions for two years, 302 drachmas
- Chrysantas son of . . . : provisions for six months, ... drachmas
- Agathostratos son of Memnon : provisions for six months, 99 drachmas 4 obols
- . . . son of Nikias : provisions for six months, . . .
- ...chos son of Nikandros : provisions for [nine] months, 265 drachmas 3 obols
- Kleinos, Krat[idas, . . .,] Hekatodoros : 330 from each provisions for [nine] months, 1062 drachmas
- Zmendron . . . : provisions for a year, [and on behalf of his] sons and his wife, [354 drachmas]
- * * *
- Kallistratos son of Kallistratos : 340 [provisions] for a year, 354 drachmas
- ...onymidas son of Mikylos . . .
{ The list of names, of persons contributing a fixed sum of money, is continued on two other stones, IG_12.4.1.76 and IG_12.4.1.77. }
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