Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum: 1061

VICTORS IN CONTESTS AT SAMOS

Diadromai - contests for youths and ephebes - happened in many Greek cities; see N. Kennell in "The Oxford Handbook of Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World", p. 502 ( Google Books ). At Samos the contests were mostly related to military skills.

Inscription B (not included in Sylloge³) shows that these contests happened every one or two months. The inclusion of four intercalary months in one year, as recorded in this inscription, is extraordinary, and the reason for it happening is unknown.

[A]   . . . . . .

• Stadion race : Demetrios son of Demokrates
• Double race : Aretos son of Minnion
• Physical vigour : Apollonios son of Poseidippos
• Good discipline : Kallidromos son of Exakestas
• Hard work : Sopatros son of Exakestas
• Stone-throwing machine {lithobolos} : Mentor son of Zoilos

Youths {pallēkes}.

• Catapult : Asteriskos son of Asteriskos
• Javelin : Asklepiades son of Demokratos
• 10 Archery : Asklepiades son of Demokratos
• Contest in armour : Sostratos son of Sostratos
• Contest with shields : Apollas son of Apollonios
• Long race : Asklepiades son of Demokratos
• Stadion race : Sostratos son of Sostratos
• Double race : Porthesilaos son of Kleogenos
• Physical vigour : Hegemoneus son of Porthesilaos
• Good discipline : Asklepiades son of Demokratos
• Hard work : Apollas son of Apollonios
• Stone-throwing machine {lithobolos} : Theokritos son of Theokritos

[B]   In the year of Aristomenes son of Aristippos, the following were victors in the races {diadromai} that were held by him on the first day of each month of the year.

Metageitnion and Pelysion.

• Catapult : Menekles son of Philokratos
• Javelin : Telon son of Zopyros
• Archery : Thraseas . . .
• 10 Contest in armour : Aristimos son of Onasandros
• Contest with shields : Apollonides son of Diaphanos
• Long race : Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

Kyanopsion and Apatourion.

• Catapult : 20 Neon son of Dion
• Javelin : Bion son of Zoilos
• Archery : Dositheos of Alexandria, son of Dositheos
• Contest in armour : Menekles son of Philokratos
• Contest with shields : Diogenes son of Archinos
• Long race : 30 Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

Posideon.

• Catapult : Demainetos son of Demainetos
• Javelin : Herakleides son of Herakleidos
• Archery : Diotimos son of Gorgios
• Contest in armour : 40 Menekles son of Philokratos
• Contest with shields : Apollonides son of Diaphanos
• Long race : Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

Lenaion.

• Catapult : 50 Aristimos [son of Onasandros]
• Javelin : Herakleides [son of Herakleides]
• Archery : Seleukos son of So...
• [Contest in armour] : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Contest with shields : Apollonides [son of Diaphanes]
• Long race : 60 Zoilos son of Zoilos
• [Stadion race]: Apollonides [son of Diaphanes]

Anthesterion [and Artemision].

• [Catapult] : Metrodoros [son of Apollophanes]
• [Javelin] : Bion [son of Zoilos]
• [Archery] : Hermogenes . . .
• [Contest in armour] : 70 Menekles [son of Philokrates]
• [Contest with shields] : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Long race : Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

Taureon.

• Catapult : 80 Menekles son of Philokrates
• Javelin : Perigenes of Ephesos, son of Perigenes
• Archery : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Contest in armour : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Contest with shields : Epigonos son of Epigonos
• Long race : 90 Demainetos son of Demainetos
• Stadion race : Apollonides son of Diaphanes

[Targelion].

• [Catapult] : . . .
• [Javelin] : . . .
• [Archery] : . . .
• 100 Contest in armour : Apollonides son of Diaphanes
• Contest with shields : Apollonides son of Diaphanes
• Long race : Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

Panemos and Kronion.

• Catapult : 110 Menestheus son of Menestheus
• Javelin : Epigonos son of Epigonos
• Archery : Metrodoros son of Apollophanes
• Contest in armour : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Contest with shields : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Long race : 120 Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

Intercalary month.

• Catapult : Bion son of Zoilos
• Javelin : Apatourios son of Minnion
• Archery : Neon son of Dion
• 130 Contest in armour : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Contest with shields : Aristimos son of Onasandros
• Long race : Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

[Second intercalary month.]

• [Catapult] : 140 . . .
• [Javelin] : . . .
• [Archery] : . . .
• Contest in armour : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Contest with shields : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Long race : 150 Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

[Third intercalary month.]

• Catapult : Demainetos son of Demainetos
• Javelin : Apollonides son of Diaphanes
• Archery : Alexandros son of Iseos
• Contest in armour : 160 Menekles son of Philokratos
• Contest with shields : Perigenes of Ephesos, son of Perigenes
• Long race : Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

[Fourth intercalary month.]

• Catapult : 170 Neon son of Dion
• Javelin : Alexandros son of Iseos
• Archery : Demainetos son of Demainetos
• Contest in armour : Menekles son of Philokrates
• Contest with shields : Apollonides son of Diaphanes
• Long race : 180 Zoilos son of Zoilos
• Stadion race : Zoilos son of Zoilos

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