Associations in the Greco-Roman World (AGRW)

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

Bench with Honors by Civic Institutions and Athletes for Q. Vedius Capito and Family (98-138 CE) Kaunos - Caria


Kaunos (Caria, Asia Minor — Pleiades map), 98-138 CE
IKaunos 139 = SEG 56 (2006), no. 1194 = PHI 345204 = AGRW ID# 22518
Copenhagen Inventory info: 1708


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Large monumental bench of marble with space for five statues positioned on the upper level on a platform at the top of the bench. Found in the 1970s at the northern edge of the harbor agora. Inscription I is on the front of the socle (support for the bench). Inscription II is in one line on the front side of the upper base. And inscriptions III A-C are on orthostate blocks of the base. Only inscription III C involves an association of athletes, and so it is translated in full here. This inscription provides another instance of the use of fictive familial language ("brothers" and "fathers") among athletes and fellow-competitors. For other examples, see Harland 2009. Paternal language is used of the honoree himself, who is characterized as "father" (i.e. host or benefactor) to various important figures.

(I) Vedius Capito (junior)

(II) The care and the expense for the statues and the base were covered by himself, Quintus Vedius Capito son of Quintus of Quirina tribe, because of his honor and piety towards his ancestors and his own kin.

(III A.  Honors by the Council and People of Kaunos for Flaminia Maxima, wife of Quintus Vedius, senior).

(III B.  Honors by the Council and People of Kaunos for Vedia Tertulla, daughter of Quintus Vedius).

(III C.  Honors for Quintus Vedius Capito, senior)

. . . The Council and the People of Kaunos honored Quintus Vedius Capito, son of Publius, father of Quintus Vedius Capito (?). . . .  He (Capito, senior) has made provision in a distinguished and generous manner.  He has been crown-bearer of the god Basileus (“King”, patron deity of Kaunos) in a . . . pious manner (?).  He has served as leader of the gymnasium for every age group and rank four times–the first and only to do so–and for the elders’ organization (gerousia) six times as a gift; he has also served as leader of the gymnasium on behalf of his descendent Flavius Capito as a gift; and, he established a fund for oil for the members of the elders’ organization (gerousiastai).  He was also “father” (i.e. benefactor or provider of hospitality) of the older generation, military commanders, high-priests, crown-bearers, leaders of the gymnasium, foreigners, emperors, kings, proconsuls, and legates.  (10) He has been honored by the homeland numerous times, by other free Peoples and cities with statues and decrees, and by the Lycian people with decrees and with the foremost seats.  Likewise, he was also honored by the world-wide group of athletes (athlētai), sacred-victors (hieronikai), and crowned-victors (stephanitai), and by those “brothers” (adelphoi), “fathers” (pateres), superintendents (epistatai), and young men (neaniskoi).  He also served as ambassador to the emperors as a gift, and he completed many other embassies to proconsuls and legates, being honored by them.  He also served as secretary of the city and supplied an abundance (of corn [?]).  He was director of contests in an extravagant manner, priest of Zeus Polieus (“of the City”) and of Leto who is near the baths.  Through voluntary contributions, undertakings, public feasts, and revenues (?), he has always displayed love of honor continuously in service and civic leadership.  As a citizen, he was reverent, virtuous, righteous, (20) and honor-loving, bringing benefits for the entire People and giving no offence to any person because of the virtue and goodwill which he has towards others.

Translation by: Harland



{I} Οὐηδίου Καπίτωνος

{II} τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν καὶ δαπάνην τὴν ἰς τοὺς ἀνδριάντας καὶ τὴν βάσιν ἐποιήσατο παρ’ ἑαυτοῦ Κοΐντος Οὐήδιος Κοΐντου υἱὸς Κυρείνα Καπίτων τειμῆς ἕνεκεν καὶ εὐσεβείας τῆς εἰς τοὺς προγόνους καὶ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ γένος.

{III A, line 1} [Καυνίων ἡ β]ουλὴ καὶ ὁ δῆμος Φλαμινίαν | [— — —] Φ̣λ̣α̣μινίου̣ θυγατέρα Μ̣α̣ξ̣ί̣μ̣αν, | [(?)ἀδελφὴ]ν Ποπλίου [Φλαμινί]ο̣υ̣ Φρόντωνος, | [γυναῖκα] δὲ Κοΐντου Οὐηδίου Ποπλίου υἱοῦ || [Καπίτωνος, μητέρα δὲ Κοΐντου Οὐηδίου Κοΐν]|[του υἱοῦ Καπίτωνος, στεφανηφόρου Βασιλέως] | [τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ γυμνασιάρχου τετράκις, ξένου] | [αὐτοκρατόρων, πατρὸς καὶ προγόνων] χειλι||[άρχων ἀρχιερέων στεφανηφόρων] γυμνασιάρ|[χων ξ]ένων [αὐτοκρατόρων βασι]λ̣έων ἀνθυπά|[των] ἡγεμόνων, ζή[σ]α[σα]ν σεμνῶς καὶ σωφρό|[νως κ]α̣ὶ̣ φιλάνδρως καὶ πάσῃ ἀρετῇ διενέγκασαν.

{III B, line 1} [Καυνίων ἡ βουλὴ καὶ ὁ δῆμος Οὐηδίαν] | [Τερτύλλαν, θυγατέρα Κοΐντου Οὐηδίου] | [Ποπλίου υἱοῦ Καπίτωνος, ἀδελφὴν δὲ] | [Κοΐντου Οὐηδίου Κοΐντου υἱοῦ Καπί]|[τωνος, πατρὸς καὶ προγόνων χειλιάρχων] || [ἀρχιερέω]ν στεφανηφό[ρων γυμνασιάρχων] | [ξένων αὐτο]κρατόρων [βασιλέων] | [ἀν]θυπάτων ἡγεμόνων, γυναῖκα το[ῦ] | [Φ]λαουίου Τιτιανοῦ ἀρχιερέως τοῦ Λυκί||ων ἔθνους τετειμημένου {ς} ἐν ταῖς | κατὰ Λυκίαν πόλεσι πάσαις, σεμνότητι | καὶ σωφροσύνῃ καὶ φιλανδρίᾳ καὶ πάσῃ ἀ|ρετῇ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ διαφέρουσαν.

{III C, line 1} [Καυνίων ἡ βουλὴ καὶ ὁ δῆμος Κοΐντον Οὐήδιον Ποπλίου υἱὸν Καπίτωνα] ||[τὸν πατέρα τοῦ Κοΐντου Οὐηδίου Καπίτωνος, — — —] | [— —] ἐπισήμως καὶ μεγαλοψύχως παρεσχημένον, στεφαν[η]|[φορήσαντα Βα]σιλέ[ως τ]οῦ θεοῦ [εὐσεβῶς, γ]υμνασιαρχήσαντα [πά]||[σης ἡλικίας κα]ὶ τύχης τετράκις μόνον καὶ πρῶτον καὶ τῆς γερουσίας ἑ[ξά]|[κις (?) δω]ρεάν, γυμνασιαρχήσαντά τε καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐγγόνου Φλαουίου | Καπίτωνος δωρεὰν καὶ ἀναδόντα τοῖς γερουσιασταῖς τὰς ἐκκειμέ|νας ἰς τὸ ἔλαιον, πατρὸς καὶ προγόνων χειλιάρχων ἀρχιερέων στε||φανηφόρων γυμνασιάρχων ξένων αὐτοκρατόρων βασιλέων ἀνθυ|πάτων ἡγεμόνων, ὑπὸ τῆς πατρίδος πολλάκις τετειμημένον καὶ ὑπὸ ἑτέρων | δήμων ἐλευθέρων καὶ πόλεων ἀνδριᾶσιν καὶ ψηφίσμασιν καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ Λυκίων | ἔθνους ψηφίσματι καὶ προεδρείᾳ, ὁμοίως τειμηθέντα καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀπὸ ||τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀθλητῶν ἱερονεικῶν στεφανειτῶν καὶ τούτων ἀδελφῶν καὶ | πατέρων καὶ ἐπιστατῶν καὶ νεανίσκων, πρεσβεύσαντα καὶ πρὸς τοὺς αὐτοκράτορας | δωρεάν, τελέσαντα δὲ καὶ ἑτέρας πρεσβείας πλείστας πρὸς ἀνθυπάτους καὶ ἡγεμόνας | καὶ ὑπ’ αὐτῶν τετειμημένον, γραμματεύσαντα τῆς πόλεως καὶ εὐθηνίαν παρασχόντα, ἀγω||νοθετήσαντα πολυτελῶς, ἱερατεύσαντα Διὸς Πολιέως καὶ Λητοῦς τῆς πρὸς τοῖς θερμοῖς, | ἔν τε ἐπιδόσεσιν καὶ ἐπαγγελίαις καὶ ἑστιάσεσιν καὶ παραπώλαις αἰεὶ φιλοτειμηθέντα ὡς δι|ηνεκῆ λειτουργὸν καὶ ἄρχοντα, πολειτευόμενον σεμνῶς καὶ ἐναρέτως καὶ δικαίως | καὶ φιλανθρώπως τῷ τε παντὶ δήμῳ συνφερόντως καὶ τοῖς κατ’ ἄνδρα || vac. ἀπροσκόπως ἀρετῆς ἕνεκεν καὶ εὐνοίας τῆς εἰς αὑτόν.

Item added: February 10, 2016
Item modified: November 6, 2020
ID number: 22518
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=22518

 

[του υἱοῦ Καπίτωνος, στεφανηφόρου Βασιλέως]

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