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Honorary decree of an unknown city to the people of Assos for sending judges and a scribe
Greek, East Greek
Hellenistic Period
about 100 B.C.
Findspot: Anatolia (Turkey), Troad, Assos (Behramkale), Eastern end of the Stoa plateau
Medium/Technique
Marble
Dimensions
45.8 x 61 cm (18 1/16 x 24 in.)
Credit Line
Gift of the Archaeological Institute of America
Accession Number84.51
NOT ON VIEW
CollectionsAncient Greece and Rome
ClassificationsInscriptions
DescriptionLong inscription in many lines, much defaced; top broken off; mended, in two pieces.
"...in order that the people show the proper respect to the good and virtuous men, so that afterwards men also come forward who are worthy and know the present gratitude of the people, the council and demos decided that:
the people of Assos should be praised for their conduct toward us, and be rewarded a
golden wreath in the upcoming Dionysiac games on the first day of the fluteplayers for sending honorable and good judges and a scribe;
the attending judges, Echelaos, son of Athenagoras, and Latimos, son of Cleomortos, should also be praised, and each of them should be adorned with a golden wreath for their equal and just judgement of the trials, and for resolving them in the best possible way;
they should have access to the council and people, in the first position after the sacred rites; they also should be public guests of our city;
the scribe Melanchros, son of Melanchros, should be honored with a fresh wreath for performing his job with great zeal;
the judges of the musical contest should take care to announce the wreaths; in order that the Assians also may learn the noble character of the men and the gratitude of the people, envoys should be chosen who come to them and appear for the council and the people, and they will present to them the decree and make known the noble character of the men and the goodwill which we have toward their people, and they will invite the Assians to have the announcement of the wreaths also made among them by the appointed judge of the musical contest;
they should make provisions that the decree be written on a stone monument and be set up in the most conspicuous place. Cleomedes, son of Hegesagoros and Anaxagoras, son of Dionysios were chosen as envoys."
"...in order that the people show the proper respect to the good and virtuous men, so that afterwards men also come forward who are worthy and know the present gratitude of the people, the council and demos decided that:
the people of Assos should be praised for their conduct toward us, and be rewarded a
golden wreath in the upcoming Dionysiac games on the first day of the fluteplayers for sending honorable and good judges and a scribe;
the attending judges, Echelaos, son of Athenagoras, and Latimos, son of Cleomortos, should also be praised, and each of them should be adorned with a golden wreath for their equal and just judgement of the trials, and for resolving them in the best possible way;
they should have access to the council and people, in the first position after the sacred rites; they also should be public guests of our city;
the scribe Melanchros, son of Melanchros, should be honored with a fresh wreath for performing his job with great zeal;
the judges of the musical contest should take care to announce the wreaths; in order that the Assians also may learn the noble character of the men and the gratitude of the people, envoys should be chosen who come to them and appear for the council and the people, and they will present to them the decree and make known the noble character of the men and the goodwill which we have toward their people, and they will invite the Assians to have the announcement of the wreaths also made among them by the appointed judge of the musical contest;
they should make provisions that the decree be written on a stone monument and be set up in the most conspicuous place. Cleomedes, son of Hegesagoros and Anaxagoras, son of Dionysios were chosen as envoys."
ProvenanceFrom Assos (Behramkale, Turkey); eastern end of the Stoa plateau. September 5 and 6, 1881: excavated by the Archaeological Institute of America; gift of the Archaeological Institute of America to MFA, January 15, 1884.