Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

An expanding collection of inscriptions, papyri, and other sources in translation (run by Philip A. Harland)

[220] Honorary Decree of Milesians for Aristeas (153-154 CE) Aigiale on Amorgos - Southwestern islands


Aigiale on Amorgos (Southwestern islands, Aegean Islands — Pleiades map), 153-54 CE
AGRW 220 = IG XII,7 396 = SIG³ 866 = PHI 79047 = AGRW ID# 1562


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Slab of marble (27 x 78 x 8 cm). Found among the ruins of the temple of Athena Polias around 1890. This is one of numerous inscriptions that attest to a well-organized group of Milesian immigrants on Amorgos. The association structures itself in imitation of a typical city (polis) and here passes a decree in honor of a well-respected deceased man.

The leaders (archontes), Council, and People of the Milesians who are settled (katoikountes) at Aegiale on Amorgos made a resolution on the proposal of the commanders and Board of Ten who have the presidential power. Serapion son of Serapion introduced the decree and Iason son of Straton put it to the vote. Aristeas son of Preimos has been a good man with respect to all the leadership positions and services which he accomplished alongside us in the homeland. He has lived a reverent and quiet life throughout his whole life, just as all the citizens have witnessed through his lovable character. Certainly that which is fixed by fate for all people has happened, as Aristeas has died while still in the prime of life, leaving behind orphaned children and grief for Aristeas’s son and another infant forever. Therefore, it was resolved through the decree to comfort his children, his female relatives, and his friends in proportion to their grief, knowing that the fate which is determined for all people is inevitable.

Two decrees were inscribed concerning this, one of which was stored in the archives. This happened at Aigiale on Amorgos on the twelfth day before the first day (kalends) of the month of Dekenbrion, when Bruttius Lateranus and Junius Rufinus were consuls. Serapion son of Serapion introduced it and Iason son of Straton put it to the vote. Epikrates son of Agatheinos, leader (archōn) for the second time, declared and approved it.

 

Translation by: Harland



Μειλησίων τῶν Ἀμοργὸν Αἰγιάλην | κατοικούντων ἔδοξεν ἄρχουσι, | βουλῇ, δήμῳ· γνώμη στρατηγῶν | καὶ δεκαπρώτ<ων> ἐχόντων <δὲ> vac. || καὶ τὴν πρυτανικὴν ἐξου|σίαν· ἰσηγησαμένου τὸ ψήφισ|[μα Σ]εραπίωνος τοῦ Σε[ραπί]|[ωνος], ἐπιψηφισαμένου δὲ Ἰ|[άσο]νος τοῦ Στράτωνος· || Ἀριστέαν τοῦ Π[ρείμ]ου ἀν|δρὸς εὖ γεγενημένου [πάσας] | τε ἀρχάς τε καὶ λιτουργία[ς] | τὰς παρ’ ἡμεῖν ἐν τῇ πατρίδι | ἐπιτελέσαντος, σεμνόν || τε καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον παρ ὅλον τὸν | τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ χρόνον διενέν|κας, ὡς δὴ ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν πα|ρ’ ἡμεῖν πολειτῶν μαρτυρεῖται | διὰ τὸ ἀξιοφίλητον αὐτοῦ ἦθο[ς], || συνβέβηκεν οὖ[ν] τὸ ἐπὶ πάντω[ν] | ἀνθρώπων εἱμαρτόν, ἔτι ἀκμ[α]|ζούσης τῆς ἡλικίας τὸν Ἀριστέ|αν μεταλλά<ξαι> vac. τὸν ἐξ ἀν[θρ]ώ[πων] | βίον, καταλιπὼν τέκνα ὠ<ρφανὰ> καὶ || λύπην Ἀριστέᾳ τῷ αὑτοῦ <[υἱῷ], ὧν τὸ μὲν(?)> {ΠΡΩ} | παντελές, τὸ δὲ ἕτερον ἔτι ὂν | νήπιον παντελῶς· διὸ δ[ὴ] δεδό|χθαι διὰ τοῦδε τοῦ ψ[ηφί]σματος | παρηγορῆσαι αὐτοῦ τὰ τέκνα | καὶ τοὺς συνγενῖς καὶ φίλους || φέριν συνμέτρως τὰ τῆς λύπης, | εἰδότας ὅτι ἀπαραίτητός ἐστιν | ἡ ἐπὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ὡρις|μένη μοῖρα. περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐγρά|φη ἁπλᾶ [ψ]ηφίσματα δύο, ἐξ ὧν || τὸ ἓν ἐπεδόθη ἐπὶ τὸ ἀρχεῖον. | ἐγένετο ἐν Ἀμοργῷ | Αἰγιάλῃ vac. πρὸ δέκα | δύο καλανδῶν Δεκεν|βρίων [Βρ]ουττίῳ Λ[α]τε||ρανῷ καὶ Ἰουνίῳ Ῥου|φείνῳ ὑπάτοις· Σεραπί|ων Σεραπίωνος ἰσσηγησά|μην· Ἰάσων Στράτωνος ἐπε|ψηφισάμην· Ἐπικράτης Ἀγαθεί||νου [ἄ]ρχων τὸ γ’ ἐδογμάτισα | καὶ ἀπεδεξάμην.

Item added: January 19, 2012
Item modified: March 14, 2016
ID number: 1562
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=1562

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