Very few Argive decrees have survived from the Hellenistic period; for another example, see SEG_36.330. The date of this decree is usually thought to be the late 4th century B.C., because one of the Rhodian envoys, Athanodoros, is known to have been active during that period; but some scholars have suggested that the envoy was the homonymous grandson of the other Athanodoros,and have placed the date in the first half of the 3rd century. The exact historical context of the decree is unknown.
Some of the translation is taken from C.P. Jones, "Kinship Diplomacy in the Ancient World", p. 53 ( Google Books ). There is a French translation in O. Curty, "Les parentés légendaires entre cités grecques", pp.11-12 ( Google Books ).
Concerning the Rhodians.
It was resolved by a full assembly, adjourned from the month Aguiēos, on the ninth day of the month Karneios, when Kallistratos Wanidas of Mansetos was president, and Timokles Pholygidas of Prosymna was secretary of the council. God. Since, as kinsmen of the Argives, the Rhodians remain good and true friends of the Argive people and of the Greeks in general, and offer every service on land and sea; and when the Argive people sent an embassy to the Rhodians, the latter lent them a hundred talents free of interest 10 both for the repair of the walls and to bring the cavalry up to strength; and after waiting a long time, and seeing the difficulties of our city, the Rhodians have now sent an embassy - namely Philias son of Agloustratos, Eirenidas son of Euxenos, and Athanodoros son of Thrasonidas - to affirm that the Rhodian people have remained well disposed to the Argive people in the past, and will continue to do so in the future as well; therefore it was resolved by the people of Argos to crown the people of Rhodes with a golden crown of one hundred gold pieces, on account of their goodwill and their virtue towards the people of Argos and the other Greeks; and that the agonothete shall announce the award of the crown at the Hekatomboua, 20 in the gymnastic contest; and that the agonothete shall announce the award of the crown at the Nemean games, in the gymnastic contest; and that four men shall be chosen from all the citizens, who shall go to Rhodes and inform the people of Rhodes of this decree and of the goodwill that the people of
Argos continually have for the people of Rhodes; and that the envoys who go to Rhodes shall take care that the award of the crown is announced in Rhodes at the Dionysia, in the contest of the cyclic choruses, on the first day; and that this resolution shall be inscribed on steles of stone and set up in the temple of Apollo Lykeios and in the temple of Hera and at Nemea; the treasurer and the Eighty shall take care of these matters, 30 as was resolved by the people of Argos, and they shall also inscribe this decree in Rhodes, wherever the people and council of Rhodes indicate. Proposed by Thion of Poimonis and Menedamos of Asina.
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