Aphrodisias (Caria, Asia Minor — Pleiades map), 117-138 CE
GRA 142 = IAph 12.719 = PPA 89 = PHI 265181 = AGRW ID# 5574
Copenhagen Inventory info: 1717

It was resolved by the sacred, pious and reverent traveling … athletic synod (?) … and the whole athletic meeting gathered around both … Herakles (?) … and the emperor Caesar Trajan Hadrian Augustus to send this decree to the most sacred Council and People (dēmos) of the Aphrodisians. Since Kallikrates son of Diogenes from Aphrodisias, kick–boxer (pankratiastēs), sacred victor, … multiple (?) (10) victor, who has turned to the ways of excellence from the youngest age, obtained by sweat and labour his glorious reputation, and came to be … admired (?) by all men throughout the inhabited world for the complete wisdom which he obtained through his love of labour.  For, having excelled all the ancients in his physical stature, he was admired … for his physical stature (?), and, taking care of his soul, he was congratulated on his conduct. On account of all these things, malicious (20) Envy crept towards his glorious reputation and, resenting our common good, took it away by tying up the part of the body most useful to kick–boxers: the shoulders. For this reason it was resolved, with good fortune, to ask the city of the Aphrodisians for suitable locations to set up images of the great sacred victor and to set up a statue, as we have also done in Ephesos—the metropolis of Asia—with the honorific images having appropriate inscriptions concerning Kallikrates. (30) This was done in order that, through this decree, these gifts of honours may alleviate our fellow–athlete’s (synathlētēs) sadness due to inevitable destiny.

IAph 12.719: An Athletic synod honours Kallikrates the injured kickboxer.
© 2007 King’s College London.
(Reproduced under a Creative Commons license).

Item added: November 8, 2012
Item modified: November 6, 2020
ID number: 5574
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