OGIS: 48

DECREE OF PTOLEMAIS IN HONOUR OF ITS MAGISTRATES

Greek text: OGIS_48
Date: 278 or 239 B.C.

The city of Ptolemais was founded by Ptolemy I, specifically to provide a Greek presence in Upper Egypt. This inscription shows that the city had all the attributes of a typical Greek city, including serious political disputes.

It was resolved by the council and the people {of Ptolemais}, as proposed by Hermas son of Dorkon, of the Megisteus deme, since Dionysios son of Mousaios and the other prytaneis in the eighth year, namely:

Dionysios son of Mousaios, of the Hylleus deme
Hippias son of Dion, of the Megisteus deme
Kratios son of Prokritos, of the Philotereios deme
Kissos son of Nearchos, of the Andanieus deme
Heliodoros son of Nikomachos, of the Danaeus deme
Neoptolemos son of Theodoros, of the Karaneus deme

have governed the city in a fine and worthy manner; and observing that some of the citizens were behaving badly, and were causing exceptional trouble in the councils and assemblies, and especially in the elections, proceeding [as far as violence and] impiety, the prytaneis acted against this wrong-doing, [and punished them with] the penalties prescribed by law; as a result of which it happened that the city became [more orderly; and then] they voted that the council [and the] judges [should be chosen] from selected men; the younger men were provoked by this, but the other citizens, the ones who were selected, [thought] that the state would be better governed, and concerning those matters, which they supposed should be corrected for the benefit of the city . . .

→ inscription 49

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