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Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 80


TREATY OF ANTIOCHEIA-ON-MAIANDROS

Greek text:   Ephesos_604 , IG_12.6.1.6
Provenance:     Heraion , Samos
Date:   c. 165 B.C.
Translated by:   P. Thonemann
Tags:     kinship ,   land ownership
Format:   see key to translations

Part B of this inscription was published in 1957 by C. Habicht, but its exact purpose remained unclear until part A was expertly reconstructed and published in 2021 by P. Thonemann, in "Chiron", vol. 51, pp.1-36 ( Google Books ). It is now clear that it records an unusual treaty between the city of Antiocheia and an extended family, by which the family's land was included in the city's territory.

The two parts of the inscription contain three documents:




[A]   . . . ambassadors who will call on the Samians to grant a spot in the sanctuary of Hera, in which] they [will erect a stele of white marble, on which the decree and the treaty will be written up, so that these things] might be sanctified and remain in force for [ever, knowing that by] doing so they will gratify [the people of Antiocheia; and let the] treasurers give [to the ambassadors travel-expenses from the] revenues under their control. [There were chosen as] ambassadors: [Epinikos adoptive son of Hikesios, natural son of Patron]; 5 Leontiskos son of Orestes.

[Treaty.]   When Rhi... son of . . . was stephanephoros, and Menandros son of [. . . was priest of] Roma, in the month Xandikos. With good fortune: on the following terms, the treaty was agreed by the strategoi of the city, Artemidoros son of Adrastos, [. . . son of . . ., . . . son of] Tmolos (?), Pankrates son of Chai[r... ], Herodotos son of Artemon, Ar[... son of . . .], Andron son of Nestos (?) the strategos in charge of the [territory], and the secretary [of the people, Epinikos] 10 adoptive son of Hikesios, natural son of Patron, [and the] secretary of the council, Adrastos [son of . . . ; and by those who] attached their land to the city, Diokles son of Pisistratos, and [Nikias daughter of Leontiskos], his mother, with the consent of the afore-mentioned Diokles, and [Leontiskos and] Orontes sons of Orestes, and Phila daughter of Antiochos, their mother, with the consent of her afore-mentioned] sons Leontiskos and Orontes, and Orontes and Phila the 15 little children of Pisistratos [and Nikias (?)], with the consent of their guardians, the afore-mentioned Leontiskos and Orontes, and of Diokles son of Chairigenes, their joint guardian. The land [is to be Antiochene] territory, paying the same taxes - the land which belongs to them as an ancestral possession around the [sanctuary and] baths (?) of Men Karou, along with Wood of Kinadates and the other [places (?)] pertaining to it . . ., and Sasotra, according to their rights of possession from ancestral times; and they are also to be citizens 20 with full and equal rights, Diokles and the other afore-mentioned persons who attached their land to the city, belonging to the tribe Rhomais; and other members of their household . . . a letter to whichever secretary of the people may be in office when they register themselves, so that they may be enrolled by the secretary in office at that time into the [(?) citizen] body and into the tribe Rhomais; and the descendants of the afore-mentioned persons are also to be citizens, 25 belonging to the same tribe; and Nikias daughter of Leontiskos, the mother of Diokles, and Phila daughter of Antiochos, the mother of Leontiskos and Orontes, are also to share in the rights that the others share in; and if any foreigners choose to settle on the lands [(?) belonging to] them, let it be permitted to them to take away (?) [from this [. . . the n]th part; and if . . .

[B]   . . . to Antiocheia [on the Maiandros] . . . by Diokles and his associates, let this [decree and] the treaty be sanctified and remain in force for ever, [and let no-one] 5 have the right to transgress these terms, nor to propose or introduce or draft or establish [a law] to the effect that any of the things written here should be overturned; and if anyone [acts] contrary to these terms, let him be accursed and let him pay 20,000 drachmas as sacred to Roma, and let the decree and treaty nonetheless remain in force, and the territory remain Antiochene.

Reply of the Samians.   When Theodotos was eponym, on the [nth day of] the month Lenaion, 10 resolved by the people, proposal of the prytaneis: on the matters concerning which the strategoi [(?) explained to] the assembly, and the ambassadors who have arrived from Antiocheia on the Maiandros - from the other citizens, as they write, Epinikos adoptive son of Hikesios, natural son of Patron, and from [those who] attached their land to the city, Leontiskos son of Orestes - handed over the decree and the treaty; and they call on us to accept the things voted, and register them 15 in our public archives, and also to grant a spot in the sanctuary of Hera, in which a stele of white marble will be erected by the ambassadors, on which the decree and the treaty will be written up, so that these things might be sanctified and remain in force for ever, knowing that by doing so we will gratify the people of Antiocheia; and so that we might make it clear to all what goodwill we consistently bear towards the citizens of Antiocheia on the 20 Maiandros, our kinsmen and friends, who are well-disposed towards us, enjoying equal citizen-rights, and our allies, and who are gratefully disposed towards the Romans, the [common] benefactors of all - with good fortune and for the salvation of both peoples, be it resolved by the people to join in rejoicing with the citizens of Antiocheia at the extension [of their territory] which has occurred, and at the fact that through the increase in their revenues they have become better able 25 to serve Roman interests in an honourable manner, and to respond with due gratitude under every [circumstance to those who consistently choose [to confer benefactions on them; and let] the secretary of the council write up the decree and] the treaty that has been struck, [just as the ambassadors] request, and [register them] in our public [archives, so that it might be clear to all] that the people considers [goodwill towards kinsmen and friends] as a matter of the highest importance, 30 which it has never failed in [extending to the citizens of] Antiocheia [in former times in a fine] and beneficial manner; and now, . . . with the goodwill that is appropriate . . . in the manner that the ambassadors too [. . . at the Dion]ysia . . .

inscription 81


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