Garrisons in Attica used to honour their commanders with formal decrees ( see for instance Syll.³_547 ), and in this inscription the young soldiers of a garrison in Priene composed a decree and appointed envoys to go to the assembly of their own city. Part of the translation is taken from P.Thonemann, "The Hellenistic Age", pp.126-7 ( Google Books ).
The guards in Teloneia honour Helikon son of Leomedon.
As proposed by Apollonios son of Apollodoros: since Helikon son of Leomedon, who was appointed by the people to be commander of the garrison {phrourarchos} in the Teloneia and held the command during the first four months of the year when Protarchos was stephanephoros, dedicated the greatest care and enthusiasm to ensuring that the watch be conducted in a disciplined manner, 10 making the daily rounds in person - first on his own, later along with his son - to see to the security of the guard-post; he was attentive to the members of his garrison, not least in making sure that all receive equal treatment, and that all the affairs of the rock {akra} be conducted smoothly and without disputes; and he acted throughout his term of office with honesty and justice . . . exhorting his men to [guard the rock] with the greatest care, bearing in mind that there is nothing more important for Greek men than freedom; 20 and previously when he was twice appointed by the people to be commander of the garrison, having commanded in a manner worthy of both himself and those who appointed him, he was praised and crowned by the garrison with golden crowns; he acclaimed the members of the garrison, because they had rendered suitable honours to worthy men, but he did not take the money for the crowns, receiving . . . with words instead of any money, and in other matters he continually acted in a blameless manner 30 towards everybody; therefore, in order that the garrison may be seen to have forethought for noble men who are worthy of commemoration, it is resolved by the garrison to praise Helikon son of Leomedon on account of his virtue and his goodwill towards themselves and towards the other citizens, and to crown him with a golden crown of ten gold pieces; and in order that
what has been decreed may remain for all time in the city and on the rock, 40 it is resolved to choose two men as envoys, who shall go to the council and the people at the lawful time and shall request that they inscribe this decree in the entrance to the stoa in the Asklepieion, on the right hand side as one enters, and that a place is given to them in the temple of Telon, next to the stele of Aristippos son of Philippos, in which they may set up a stone stele, 50 with this decree inscribed on it; and that the crown with which Helikon has been honoured by the garrison, and the reasons for it, be announced at the next Dionysia, in the contest of the boy flute-players; and that the agonothete [and . . .] take care of the announcement . . .
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