Inscription 138 : Panathenaia at Ilion (original) (raw)
Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 138
FINES OWED TO THE PANATHENAIA AT ILION
Greek text: IMT_174 ( I.Ilion 5 ) , IMT_175 ( I.Ilion 11 )
Provenance: ? Ilion , Troad
Date: (A) late 3rd century , (B) early 2nd century B.C.
Tags: games+festivals , leagues , loans+debts
Format: see key to translations
The primary purpose of the 'Confederation of Athena Ilias' was to organise festivals in honour of Athena at Ilion ( see SEG_53.1373 ). However, as inscription A shows, the arrangements for the festivals did not always run smoothly. The role of the agonothetes at Ilion and elsewhere is discussed by Z.Papakonstantinou, "The Hellenistic Agonothesia: Finances, Ideology, Identities", page 99 ( academia.edu ).
In inscription B, which was probably slightly later than A, the emphasis is on making a fresh start rather than imposing penalties. It is indeed likely that cities had failed to meet their obligations because of war or other crises, rather than through negligence.
[A] When the agonothetes were Eupolemos of Ilion the son of Poseidonios, Lysis of Assos the son of Gynos, Metrothemis of Dardanos the son of Kleanaktides, Idomeneus of Lampsakos the son of Sphodriades, and Polykles of Parion the son of Apatourios, and the secretary was Asklepiodoros of Dardanos the son of Menios, at the Little Panathenaia; the agonothetes recorded the following as owing fines to the festival:
- 10 the city of Kalchedon, because it did not pay the interest, 1,230 Alexandrian drachmas and the charge incumbent for the arrears in the year, 25 Alexandrian drachmas
- the same because they did not send the members of the council {synedreia}, 1,000 Alexandrian drachmas
- the same because it did not bring the cow, 1,000 Alexandrian drachmas
- the city of Myrleia because it did not pay the interest, 245 Alexandrian drachmas and 3 obols
- 20 the same because it did not send the cow, 1,000 Alexandrian drachmas
- the same because it did not send the members of the council {synedreia}, 1,000 Alexandrian drachmas
Those whom we have fined and have made an oath according to the law, we have recorded as owing fines to the festival.
- The agonothetes fine Menekrates of Ilion, the son of Dionysios, 100 drachmas because after contracting to provide a bull 30 and receiving as a pledge . . . Alexandrian drachmas . . .
[B] . . . and the cities shall in accordance with tradition choose the other officials that ought to exist and shall send out whoever seems best to them. If there are any registers of debts or any debts recorded against the cities and the agonothetes and the those who have governed or managed any of the public tasks, who have made a delay in payment, these shall be cancelled and void. Those agonothetes who have not spent their money shall pay back the money that they received within the appropriate time. The cities shall send the customary amounts of money for one year; [there shall not be any exaction] of the other amounts from previous years, which are customarily paid each year but [the cities] suspended their payment . . .
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