DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4327#0031
PRIENE.
23
These inscriptions, with one exception, were all found on the site of the temple of Athene Polias at Priene,
where two of them were copied by Chandler during his mission to Ionia, and were afterwards published by
Bockh. Others belonging to the same series were subsequently copied by Lebas, and are published in his Voyage
Archeologique, edited by M. Waddington.17
In the course of Mr. Pullan's excavations, many more fragments of the same text were discovered, and
together with most of those previously copied were transported to England, and are now in the British Museum
as stated in Mr. Pullan's Report. The original text of this series of inscriptions was engraved on the wall-stones
of the cella and on one of the anta3. The examination of the marbles and their arrangement according
to their original sequence has involved much time and study. Mr. E. L. Hicks, to whom the work of editing
these inscriptions has been confided by the Trustees of the British Museum, has now nearly completed his task,
and the result of his labours will shortly be published in Part 3 of the Corpus of Greek Inscriptions in the British
Museum now in the press. In the following account of the controversy between Samos and Priene I have had
the advantage of studying the unedited portions of the text as arranged by Mr. Hicks in combination with the
parts previously published, and have largely profited by his commentary.
The territory in question, as we learn from these inscriptions, comprised several small districts called Batinetos.
Dryussa, and a fort called Karion. Karion and Dryussa originally belonged to the people of Melia, a town in
Karia, which appears, at some period unknown, to have been conquered and its territory divided among neigh-
bouring states. According to the Prienians, Karion and Dryussa were then allotted to Priene, an assertion which
the Samians distinctly contradicted. Both parties cited the evidence of historians in support of their claim.
One of the most interesting inscriptions brought from Priene after Mr. Pullan's expedition is the dedication of
the temple of Athene Polias by Alexander the Great.18 It is to be inferred from this dedication that the temple
was at that time complete, or nearly so.
11. DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE OF ATHENE POLIAS BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
Height 1 foot 1\ inches, Width 4 feet.
Another fragmentary inscription19 seems to relate to some remission of tribute granted to the Prienians by
the same monarch. It is to be inferred from these two documents that he did not favour the Samians in their
claim to the territory then held by the Prienians. A passing mention of Alexander in one of the unpublished
fragments seems to indicate that some settlement of the dispute was made by him. But not long after his death
it revived, and, according to the usual habit of Greek cities at that time, an appeal was made to the most
powerful of the successors of Alexander in turn. We learn from one of the inscriptions as yet unpublished that
the first of these appeals was to Antigonos. This must have taken place between B.C. 306 and the death of that
king I5.c. 301. What his award was is only imperfectly recorded in a fragmentary inscription ; its purport, how-
ever, seems to have been that matters were to be left as they had been settled by Alexander.
From this time onwards we have in the inscriptions evidence of a succession of awards. The first of these
is the result of an appeal of both parties to Rhodes, to arbitrate between them as an ekkX^tos 7rd\ts.
The latter portion of this award is given in an inscription published by Bockh and Lebas,20 of which the
earlier part is still unedited; but the two together do not nearly make up the original text. We learn from
this document that, at the joint request of the Samians and Prienians, the Rhodians appointed certain com-
missioners, who heard the pleadings of delegates of both parties in the temple of Dionysos at Rhodes, and in the
Artemision at Ephesos. The commissioners also visited the territory and the fort called Karion, which were the
subject of dispute. The pleadings of the Samians are unfortunately wanting, but the part of the pleading of their
adversaries which has been preserved gives us interesting glimpses into the previous history of Priene. The
« Bockh, Corpus Inscr. Nos. 2,905, 2,254. Waddington-Lebas, pt. v. § 1, Nos. 189-207
18 Bockl], Corpus Inscr. 2,904. Waddington-Lebas, No. 187.
20 Bockh, Corpus, 2,905, E. 5. Waddington-Lcbas, No. 189.
19 Waddington-Lcbas, No. 188.
23
These inscriptions, with one exception, were all found on the site of the temple of Athene Polias at Priene,
where two of them were copied by Chandler during his mission to Ionia, and were afterwards published by
Bockh. Others belonging to the same series were subsequently copied by Lebas, and are published in his Voyage
Archeologique, edited by M. Waddington.17
In the course of Mr. Pullan's excavations, many more fragments of the same text were discovered, and
together with most of those previously copied were transported to England, and are now in the British Museum
as stated in Mr. Pullan's Report. The original text of this series of inscriptions was engraved on the wall-stones
of the cella and on one of the anta3. The examination of the marbles and their arrangement according
to their original sequence has involved much time and study. Mr. E. L. Hicks, to whom the work of editing
these inscriptions has been confided by the Trustees of the British Museum, has now nearly completed his task,
and the result of his labours will shortly be published in Part 3 of the Corpus of Greek Inscriptions in the British
Museum now in the press. In the following account of the controversy between Samos and Priene I have had
the advantage of studying the unedited portions of the text as arranged by Mr. Hicks in combination with the
parts previously published, and have largely profited by his commentary.
The territory in question, as we learn from these inscriptions, comprised several small districts called Batinetos.
Dryussa, and a fort called Karion. Karion and Dryussa originally belonged to the people of Melia, a town in
Karia, which appears, at some period unknown, to have been conquered and its territory divided among neigh-
bouring states. According to the Prienians, Karion and Dryussa were then allotted to Priene, an assertion which
the Samians distinctly contradicted. Both parties cited the evidence of historians in support of their claim.
One of the most interesting inscriptions brought from Priene after Mr. Pullan's expedition is the dedication of
the temple of Athene Polias by Alexander the Great.18 It is to be inferred from this dedication that the temple
was at that time complete, or nearly so.
11. DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE OF ATHENE POLIAS BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
Height 1 foot 1\ inches, Width 4 feet.
Another fragmentary inscription19 seems to relate to some remission of tribute granted to the Prienians by
the same monarch. It is to be inferred from these two documents that he did not favour the Samians in their
claim to the territory then held by the Prienians. A passing mention of Alexander in one of the unpublished
fragments seems to indicate that some settlement of the dispute was made by him. But not long after his death
it revived, and, according to the usual habit of Greek cities at that time, an appeal was made to the most
powerful of the successors of Alexander in turn. We learn from one of the inscriptions as yet unpublished that
the first of these appeals was to Antigonos. This must have taken place between B.C. 306 and the death of that
king I5.c. 301. What his award was is only imperfectly recorded in a fragmentary inscription ; its purport, how-
ever, seems to have been that matters were to be left as they had been settled by Alexander.
From this time onwards we have in the inscriptions evidence of a succession of awards. The first of these
is the result of an appeal of both parties to Rhodes, to arbitrate between them as an ekkX^tos 7rd\ts.
The latter portion of this award is given in an inscription published by Bockh and Lebas,20 of which the
earlier part is still unedited; but the two together do not nearly make up the original text. We learn from
this document that, at the joint request of the Samians and Prienians, the Rhodians appointed certain com-
missioners, who heard the pleadings of delegates of both parties in the temple of Dionysos at Rhodes, and in the
Artemision at Ephesos. The commissioners also visited the territory and the fort called Karion, which were the
subject of dispute. The pleadings of the Samians are unfortunately wanting, but the part of the pleading of their
adversaries which has been preserved gives us interesting glimpses into the previous history of Priene. The
« Bockh, Corpus Inscr. Nos. 2,905, 2,254. Waddington-Lebas, pt. v. § 1, Nos. 189-207
18 Bockl], Corpus Inscr. 2,904. Waddington-Lebas, No. 187.
20 Bockh, Corpus, 2,905, E. 5. Waddington-Lcbas, No. 189.
19 Waddington-Lcbas, No. 188.