A few years before the date of this decree, the Bithynian king Nikomedes had complained to the Romans about the impact of the slave trade on his kingdom ( Diod_36.3 ).
For the date - when Kleodamas was archon at Delphi - see G.Daux, "Chronologie Delphique", L85 ( cefael ). Dittenberger assigned the inscription to 92/1 B.C.
God. Good fortune. When Kleodamas son of Kleon was archon, and the members of the council for the first six months were Kleandros son of Timon and Damokrates son of Teison, and the secretary of the council was Nikias [son of Kleon], it was resolved by the city of Delphi in full assembly, with the votes as prescribed by law: since king Nikomedes son of king Nikomedes and queen Laodike daughter of king Mithridates happen to be piously disposed towards the god and kindly disposed towards the city of Delphi; and when Aristokles son Herakon and [Hybrias] son of Xenon were sent as envoys from the city to ask for slaves {"persons"} for the god and the city, the king and queen, acting in a manner worthy of themselves and of their ancestors, gave instructions for slaves to be provided, and they have sent the slaves, entrusting them to their envoy Bias for him to deliver to [the god and] the city; and [at the first available] assembly Bias handed over thirty slaves, through the aforesaid magistrates. It is resolved by the city to assign the slaves [to tasks], and we give them as follows:
[Therefore], in order that [the city] may be seen to show proper gratitude to its benefactors, with good fortune it is resolved by the city of Delphi [to praise] king Nikomedes son of king Nikomedes and queen Laodike daughter of [king] Mithridates, and to crown each of them with the god's [wreath], as is [traditional] at Delphi, and with a bronze statue; [the magistrates] shall announce the award of the crowns at the Pythian games, making the following proclamation: "The city of Delphi crowns king Nikomedes son of king Nikomedes and queen Laodike daughter of king Mithridates with the god's wreath and with a bronze statue for each, on account of [their kindness] and the piety that they show towards the god and towards the [city of Delphi]; and the Delphians will set up their statues [in the most prominent] place in the temple of [Pythian] Apollo." The city shall grant to king Nikomedes and queen Laodike, [both for themselves and for their] descendants, proxeny, [priority in access to the oracle, priority in receiving justice, freedom from all taxes, privileged seating at all the games] that the city holds, and the other privileges that are given [to other proxenoi and benefactors of the city]; and the magistrates in office shall inscribe this decree [in the most prominent] place [in the temple], on the base of the statue of his grandfather Prousias; and their envoy [Bias] shall be invited [to hospitality in the] prytaneion; and in order that king Nikomedes and queen Laodike [may know about this decree, a copy shall be sent to them].
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