This inscription was first published, with a German translation and commentary, by E.Stavrianopoulou,"Die Familienexedra von Eudamos und Lydiadas in Megalopolis", Tekmeria 2002 ( academia.edu ). Unfortunately only the first section is complete enough to permit continuous translation, but the posthumous honours that it describes are reminiscent of the remarkable honours that Megalopolis gave to Philopoimen after his death ( Syll_624 ).
Lydiadas brought Megalopolis into the Achaean League, but was subsequently killed in battle in 227 B.C. His death stirred up popular anger against Aratos, who was blamed for abandoning him ( Plut:Arat_37 ). However, Greek historians have not preserved any information about his father Eudamos; before this inscription was discovered nothing was known about him, except his name.
In line 21 there is a reference to the "games that the Greeks hold", which apparently means the Eleutheria festival at Plataia; earlier evidence for this festival has been discussed by S.Wallace, "The Significance of Plataia for Greek Eleutheria in the Early Hellenistic Period" ( academia.edu ).
[A1] . . . his descendants . . . to the city; and [to set] up a . . . bronze statue [of him in] the sacred precinct of (?) Lydiadas 10 . . . the descendants of Eudamos shall take care [of this]. The city shall sacrifice a sheep on the [altar] of Eudamos at the [(?) festival of . . .], just as is sacrificed to the other heroes and benefactors of the city . . . the third company {lochos} [shall]. . . the sacrifices that usually occur and the customary perquisites. The hierothytai who are then serving in the city shall take care that the sacrifices are [performed] and that the descendants of Eudamos receive the customary perquisites and that the . . . [always] give preparatory offerings . . . 20 The damiorgoi who are serving in the city shall announce the [sacrifices at the] games that the Greeks hold, along with [all the other] honours that have been voted for Eudamos by the city. A stone stele shall be set up next to the statue of Eudamos . . . the expense of this, so that it may be clear that the city [honours] noble men who are [well disposed] and benefactors and [who govern] justly [(?) to the advantage of] their own people, and [who {?) provide assistance] and will (?) consecrate the best memorial of themselves, all . . . not only . . . gratitude concerning it; 30 . . . when Eudamos departed from life, wishing . . . the sacrificial offerings . . . The legislators {nomographoi} who are serving in the year of Proxenos [shall take] care that . . . [the honours which] we have assigned to [the hero] Eudamos.
[A2] [Decision] of the damiorgoi and polemarchs . . . the twentieth year over . . . Lydiadas son of Eudamos departed from life . . . [he] often made himself useful to the city . . . 50 . . . shall take [care]; the sacrifices . . . to honour Lydiadas . . .
[B] . . . to Lydiadas son of Eudamos . . . who departed [from life] . . .
[C] . . . the hero Eudamos . . . [the city] of Megalopolis . . .
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