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Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 61


VICTORS IN GAMES AT LARISSA, SAMOS AND KOS



Date:   early 2nd century B.C.
Tags:     freedom ,   victors+contestants
Format:   see key to translations

Inscriptions A and B refer to the Eleutheria ("Freedom") games, which were held every four years at Larissa, in honour of Zeus Eleutherios. Since they began early in the 2nd century B.C., it is a reasonable assumption that they were instituted in response to the liberation of Thessaly from Macedonian control in 196 B.C.: see the discussion by D.Graninger in Cult and Koinon in Hellenistic Thessaly.

Androsthenes of Gyrton, who is named in inscription A as the agonothete, is also mentioned in the Chronicle of Eusebius ( p. 245, Schoene ) as leader of the Thessalians in 188/7 B.C. Note that the crown for the citharodes was "consecrated": this probably means that the crown could not be awarded, for instance because there was a tie.

It is noticeable that in the equestrian events at the Eleutheria - unlike the other contests - almost all the victors were members of the Thessalian aristocracy ( see D.Graninger, op.cit., page 82 ). However, women were allowed to participate in these events, and Aristokleia of Larisa appears as one of the victors in inscription B. Some other women who won equestrian events at Greek games are listed by T.G.Antikas, "Olympica Hippica", Table 6.I ( PDF ).

Inscription C refers to the games of Hera (Heraia) at Samos. These games had a full set of events: musical and dramatic competitions and athletic contests, as well as at least two torch races. The results for some other contests have been lost at the end of the inscription. A few of the competitors, such as the comic actor Kleinagoras of Mallos, had come from outside the local region.

Inscription D refers to the Asklepieia games at Kos. These games were instituted in the third century B.C.: see SEG_12.373. The dates for these two instances of the games were suggested by C.Habicht in "Chiron", 30/2000 pp.297 & 306 ( Google Books ).

The Asklepieia are remarkable for the careful separation of the boys into several different groups, which modern scholars have attempted to equate with age ranges; see M.Golden, "Sport and Society in Ancient Greece", pp.105-6 ( Google Books ). Some of the boys, as well as the adults, travelled from a distance to take part in the games.


[A]   Greek text:   IG_9.2.525
  Provenance:   Larissa , Thessaly
  Date:   c. 188/7 B.C.

When Androsthenes of Gyrton, the son of Italos, was agonothete, the victors in the Eleutheria were as follows.


[B]   Greek text:   IG_9.2.526
  Provenance:   Larissa , Thessaly
  Date:   196-146 B.C.

* * *


[C]   Greek text:   IG_12.6.1.173
  Provenance:   Pythagoreion , Samos
  Date:   early 2nd century B.C.

When the damiuourgos was Antipatros, and the agonothetes were Hermippos son of Moschion, Aristeides son of Apollodotos and Nikolaos son of P...ides, and the gymnasiarch was Sosistratos son of Sosistratos the younger, the victors were as follows:


[D]   Greek text:   Klee_8.2
  Provenance:   Asklepieion , Kos
  Date:   173 & 169 B.C.

When Theodotos son of [Theodotos] son of Archidamos was priest {of Asklepios}, and D[amatrio]s son of Damatrios son of Hermippos was agonothete, and Melankridas son of Aristodamos was monarchos, the following were the victors at the Asklapieia games:


When Theodotos son of Theodotos son of [Archidamos] was priest {of Asklepios}, and Hekatodoros son of . . . was agonothete, and Thessalos son of Thessalos was monarchos, the [following were the victors at] the Asklapieia games:

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