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Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 122


APOLLONIA ON RHYNDAKOS HONOURS THE PEOPLE OF MILETOS

Greek text:   Miletos_27   ( I.Milet 3.155 )
Provenance:     Miletos , Ionia
Date:   c. 183-150 B.C. 
Tags:     colonies
Format:   see key to translations

The surviving part of this inscription is concerned entirely with the claim that Apollonia on the Rhyndakos, a Greek colony in Bithynia, had been founded as a colony of Miletos, several hundred years previously.  This was clearly a matter of some importance to the citizens of Apollonia; see K.Clarke, "Making Time for the Past: Local History and the Polis", page 319 ( Google Books ).

The inscription was found in Miletos, but it contains a copy of a decree of Apollonia.    The translation is adapted from H.W.Parke, "The oracles of Apollo in Asia Minor".  


 

The people of Apollonia on the Rhyndakos honours the people of Miletos.  

It was resolved by the council and the people, as proposed by the archons:   since, when an embassy was sent to the people of Miletos about renewing the existing kinship between our people and the people of Miletos, on account of being their colony, the Milesians listened to the ambassadors with every good will and after they had investigated the historiés on the subject 10 and other written records they replied that our city in truth had been founded as a colony of their own city; their ancestors had accomplished this, at the time when they sent out a military expedition to the regions in the neighbourhood of the Hellespont and the Propontis; they had conquered in war the barbarian inhabitants and had settled our city among the other Greek cities, with Apollo of Didyma as their guide in the campaign;   therefore, since they have eagerly and justly accepted our people and our envoys, it is right also for our people 20 to render the appropriate thanksgiving to Apollo of Didyma, and to augment the honours and sacrifices given to our ancestral [gods],  and to honour the Milesians with fitting honours, and to send envoys who shall complete everything necessary [there] for the people and who shall inform the Milesians [of the] goodwill [of our people] towards them;     with good [fortune, it is resolved] by the people [of Apollonia] on the Rh[yndakos]  . . .

inscription 123


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