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Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 119


EPHESOS CONDEMNS CITIZENS OF SARDIS FOR SACRILEGE

Greek text:   Ephesos_572   ( I.Eph. 2 )
Provenance:     Ephesos , Ionia
Date:   334-300 B.C.  
Tags:     sacrilege
Format:   see key to translations

This inscription has been the subject of much scholarly attention since it was discovered in 1961; see for instance H.S.Versnel, "Coping With the Gods", page 107 ( Google Books ). The list of names has been analysed by E.Dusinberre, "Aspects of Empire in Achaemenid Sardis", pp.120-122 ( Google Books ). There is a French translation of the inscription by A.Cassayre, "La justice sur les pierres", pp.14-18 ( PDF ).

The advocates {proēgoroi} for the goddess imposed a sentence of death on those accused of the following crime: when theoroi had been sent by the city to (?) bring the chitons for Artemis according to the customs of our ancestors, and the sacred objects and the theoroi had arrived at Sardis and the sanctuary of Artemis founded by the Ephesians, they profaned the sacred objects 10 and assaulted the theoroi. The punishment for the crime is death. The following were sentenced:


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