It is unclear why the people of Halikarnassos needed to ask the permission of king Ptolemy for this building work - if he did make a contribution towards the cost, this is not mentioned; see R.A. Bagnall, "The Administration of the Ptolemaic Possessions Outside Egypt":, p. 94 ( Google Books ). It is also unclear why the gymnasium was called Philippeion; the most likely explanation is that it was named after the Macedonian king Philip III.
There are German translations of both inscriptions in L.Meier, "Die Finanzierung öffentlicher Bauten in der hellenistischen Polis", nos. 59 & 60 ( Google Books ).
[A] [When] Aretaon son of . . . [was] . . ., [in the month] of Posideōn, in the prytany with Diodotos son of [Philonikos], the secretary being . . . son of Nouma..., [it was resolved by the] council and people, as recommended by the [prytaneis]: so that the Philippeion gymnasium may be restored, since king Ptolemaios, when the people sent an embassy to him, 10 agreed [that the youths] should have a gymnasium and [the boys] should regain the boys' [palaistra], which is currently being used by the youths, [it is resolved by the] people to restore the gymnasium; and since most of the building [tasks] have been completed but a few parts [(?) underneath the] beams need to be done and some of the wood work [remains], and for the remaining tasks some persons have promised, as the people wishes [to restore] the gymnasium, 20 either to give money [without repayment], or to loan money without interest, it is resolved that the persons who provide this service and are manifestly our benefactors, that is whoever [gives] no less than five hundred [drachmas] without repayment, or loans [no less] than three thousand drachmas without interest, shall be praised by the people and [their names shall be] inscribed [in the] vestibule {parastas} of the semi-circle, with this decree [written] underneath; and to write above 30 that these men, as the people wished to restore the gymnasium, contributed money, some as a gift and some without interest, and [to inscribe] first the name of the person who [gave] the most in each category, and then the other names [in order]. The overseers of the gymnasium shall inscribe their [names], and those persons who have promised money shall give the money [to the] treasurers. And so that the work [may be completed in (?) as fine] and profitable a manner as possible, 40 . . . to the contract for the work . . . to choose . . . oversee . . .
[B] When Diophantos son of Diogenes was hieropoios, in the prytany with Metrodoros son of Leontiadas, the secretary being Drakon son of Theodoros, in the month of Anthesterion; it was resolved by the council and the people, as recommended by the prytaneis: since Diodotos son of Philonikos has offered all honourable conduct and eagerness for the restoration of the Philippeion gymnasium; at the time of the first decree he promised to give ten thousand drachmas without interest for the work as far as the double stoa, and all the other money that was lacking 10 in the promises; and again at the time of the another decree, striving honourably so that all the gymnasium might be completed, he himself gave all the money that was lacking in the promises, without interest, and because of this it happened that all the gymnasium was restored; the overseers demonstrated to the council that all the work had been completed in a satisfactory manner, and the council approved it; and in their accounts the overseers record that Diodotos has given in total thirty-three thousand four hundred drachmas without interest for the work; and not only did he give this himself, 20 but also he persuaded some others to give money as a gift; therefore so that it may be clear that the peoples honours him with appropriate honours for his honourable conduct with respect to the gymnasium, and all others may be prompted to provide assistance,
when they perceive the great gratitude of the people, it is resolved to crown Diodotos with a golden crown and a bronze statue of four thousand drachmas, and to place the statue in the gymnasium, in order that there may be a memorial of his honourable conduct with respect to the gymnasium, both in giving a sum of money beyond his [means] and in the other matters. 30 So that [the money] may be given for [his] crown and statue, since the sacred and public [funds are deficient], and seeing . . . Diodotos . . .
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