This inscription is almost the only source of information about the city of Araxa in Lycia during the Hellenistic period. Because little else is known about the history of the region in the 2nd century B.C., it it difficult to determine its exact date. The inscription was originally dated to about 180 B.C., but some writers have placed it a few decades later.
The translation is adapted from K.A.Garbrah, "On the enumerative use of τε", pp.194-197 ( ZPE,1993 - PDF ). For a discussion of the decree, and in particular the references to the city of Boubon, see C.Kokkinia, "Boubon: The Inscriptions and Archaeological Remains: A Survey 2004-2006", pp.20-23 ( academia.edu ).
When Orthagoras and Menokritos were priests, on the second day of the month of Dystros, in a lawful assembly, it was resolved by the people and the magistrates of Araxa; since Orthagoras son of Demetrius, our citizen, who has inherited the nature of a noble man from his ancestors, has given many great demonstrations of his goodwill towards the people from his youth onwards; for when he was appointed commander by our people in the war against Moagetes and the city of Boubon, 10 he championed the cause of his city without flinching from dangers and difficulties of all kinds; dispatched twice as an envoy to the city of Kibyra to complain of the actions of Moagetes and Boubon, and after the war to Moagetes himself, he arranged everything to the advantage of the people; when the war against Moagetes was called off and Moagetes sent out raiders and carried off a considerable number of our citizens, Orthagoras was chosen by the people as ambassador to bring the matter before the federal government {koinon}; after he had given a detailed explanation of the matter he was chosen by the federal government 20 to go as an ambassador to the city of Kibyra to lodge a complaint against Moagetes, and to Moagetes himself to negotiate about what he had carried off and the unlawful acts he had committed against us; in all these missions he conducted himself in a manner worthy of the people and the nation; looking the tyrants in the face, he lost no opportunity to oppose them and in consequence often found himself in many dangers and exposed to plots on account of his struggles on behalf of his fatherland; in the war against Kibyra which developed 30 he continued to lead and champion the cause of the city, serving as a cavalry officer; and moreover, he was several times dispatched as an envoy to the federal government of the Lycians to secure the help of that nation against Kibyra because the land and the suburb of the city were being laid waste and goods being carried off; when Lysanias and Eudemos seized the city of Xanthos and staged massacres and attempted to establish a tyranny, Orthagoras served as the head of a contingent of young men from the city 40 and took part in the campaign with the Lycians to prevent the establishment of tyranny there; when Eudemos seized also the city of Tlos, staged a massacre, and attempted to set up a tyranny, Orthagoras campaigned with the Lycians and assisted in the struggle until the city of Tlos was recovered and the tyranny put down; in the war between the Lycians and the people of Termessos, he served at his own expense as a cavalry officer and campaigned with the Lycians in the land of Termessos and continued to champion their cause; in a dispute between the people of Araxa and our opponents 50 over a piece of land in Soasa, Orthagoras was sent as an envoy to the federal government and proved such a good pleader in word and deed that he secured everything that was advantageous to the people; observing that the people were eager that that the citizens of Orloanda, a neighbouring city, should be set free and admitted into the federation {sympoliteia} of the Lycian nation, when he was sent as an envoy to the individual cities in Lycia and to the federal government of the Lycians, he performed his mission in a manner worthy of our people and of the Lycian nation, 60 and arranged for Orloanda to be admitted into the federation of the Lycians; sent as an envoy to the ambassadors from Rome, first to the delegation under the leadership of Appius, and then again, to the one under the leadership of Publius, he carried out both missions in a manner worthy of his people and nation and secured everything that was advantageous to his city; he has also carried out many missions at his own expense as part of his public duty without asking for reimbursement of his expenses; and, specifically, sent as a theoros to the first celebration of the quadrennial festival established by the league {koinon} of the Lycians 70 in honour of Roma Goddess Manifest, he and his colleagues performed sacrifices in a manner worthy of the city and the nation; for the second celebration of the festival by the league in honour of Roma, Orthagoras was chosen as a theoros, and he and his colleagues gave an additional gift . . .
Attalus' home page | 22.02.18 | Any comments?