Ephesos (Ionia, Asia Minor — Pleiades map), 138-161 CE
IEph 1162
= PHI 248245
= AGRW ID# 8264
Block of marble (28 x 43 cm; letter height: 1.3 cm). This inscription, along with several others (IEph 1161-1167), records results of practical and theoretical contests among physicians. It seems that the P. Aelius Menandros mentioned here as a chief-physician is also a member on the board of Kuretes (IEph 1038, line 4). The physicians at Ephesos formed an association. One grave of a physician at Ephesos (IEph 2304; undated) assigns care of grave to the "sanhedrin of physicians that meet in the Mouseion" (τὸ συνέδριον, οἱ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ Μουσείου ἰατροί). Two other inscriptions refer to "the instructors in the Mouseion," perhaps medical instructors (IEph 2065, 3068). Another honorary inscription from the early second century (roughly contemporary with our contests) speaks of "the physicians who sacrifice to ancestor Asklepios and to the Augusti" (IEph 719). Tiberius Claudius Demostratos Caelianus appears in that inscription and is reconstructed by the editors in our present inscription (see IEph 278, 719, 4101B).
… when Tiberius Claudius Demostratos Caelianus, the Asiarch, was priest of Asklepios, … Name was the leader (archōn) of the … physicians (iatroi) (?), … Publius Vedius Rufinus (?)…, chief–physician for the fourth time, was director of contests for the great … Asklepeian contests (?) …
Here are the winners … of the contests of physicians (?) … :
Theoretical contest: Publius Vedius Rufinus … the younger (?)…
Surgery contest: Publius Aelius Menandros, the chief–physician (archiatros).
Problem–solving contest: Publius Aelius Menandros, chief–physician.
Surgical instrument contest: Publius Aelius Menandros, chief–physician.
To good fortune! Of the Ephesian physicians who meet in the Mouseion (10) … our leader (hēgemon) Asklepios … the sacrifices pleased … Polythallos (?) the younger was head of the gymnasium … for the two days of the contests (?).
Translation by: Harland
[— — —]ῳ, ἐπ̣ὶ ἱερέως τοῦ Ἀσκλ[η]ǀ[πιοῦ Τι(βερίου) Κλαυδίου Δημοστράτου Καιλια]νοῦ ἀσιάρχου, ἄρχοντος τῶν ǀ [ἰατρῶν — — ἀγ]ωνοθετοῦντος τῶν μεγάλων ǀ [Ἀσκληπείων Πο(πλίου) Οὐη(δίου) ? Ῥουφε]ίνου ἀρχιατροῦ τὸ δʹ· οἵδε ἐνείǀǀ[κησαν τὸν ἀγῶνα τῶν ἰατρ]ῶν· συντάγματος· Πό(πλιος) Οὐή(διος) Ῥουφεῖνος ǀ [νε(ώτερος) ? χειρουργίας· Πό(πλιος) Αἴλιο]ς Μένανδρος ἀρχιατρός, προǀ[βλήματος· Πό(πλιος) Αἴλ(ιος) Μένανδρο]ς ἀρχιατρός, ὀργάνων· Πό(πλιος) Αἴλιǀ[ος Μένανδρος ἀρχ(ιατρός)· ἀγαθῇ] τύχῃ ǀ [— — — Ἐφ]εσίων τοῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ Μουσείου ǀǀ [ἰατροῖς — — —]ν̣η[․ ἡ]μ̣ῶν ἡγεμὼν Ἀσκληπιός ǀ [— — —]προ[. . . ca.5 . .] τὰς θυσίας ἡδέως προσǀ[— — —]χομ[. . ca.4 . .] ἐγυμνασιάρχησεν ǀ [ταῖς δυσὶ τοῦ ἀγῶνος ἡμέραις? Πολύ]θαλλος νε(ώτερος).
IEph 1162: Drawing by Josef Keil, “Ärtzteinschriften Aus Ephesos,” JÖAI 8 (1905) 128.
Public domain.
Item added: December 19, 2012
Item modified: December 7, 2015
ID number: 8264
Short link address:
http://www.philipharland.com/greco-roman-associations/?p=8264