DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47233#0138
122
INSCRIPTIONS OF MEGALOPOLIS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.
[CHAP. VII.
CHAPTER VII.
INSCRIPTIONS OF MEGALOPOLIS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.
The majority of these inscriptions are published here for the first time. Some of them
are the fruit of excavation; others have been found in various places, built into walls or in the
possession of peasants in the modern village, and have been copied and in most cases removed
to the Museum of local antiquities, which has been instituted chiefly in consequence of our
excavations. As the villagers are extremely chary of allowing the stranger to see their treasured
‘ γρ ' μματα’ which are of unknown value in their eyes, lest he reveal their secret to the attendant
Ephor of antiquities, it is quite possible that there may be others in existence in the village
which do not appear here. The excavators have however been at work so long, that there is
a probability that this list represents nearly all that is preserved which has as yet been yielded
up by the soil. It should be mentioned here that the fragment of the Edict of Diocletian
published by Air. W. Loring in Volume xi. No. 2 of the Journal belongs to this series.
Inscriptions previously published from Megalopolis, of which we have been unable to find any
trace, are C.I.G. 1537 = Lebas-Waddington 332, LB. 333, LB. 334, C.I.G. 1538, C.I.G. 1539,.
C.I.G. 1536 = LB. 331, epitaph Annali 1861, p. 32.
It seemed unnecessary to divide these inscriptions into two parts, those found in excavation
and those seen and copied elsewhere. In this publication the inscriptions of the Theatre-seats
are together and head the list, while the inscribed tiles are also by themselves at the end;
the rest are in an order which is roughly chronological, though exactitude where so many date
from the same period is hardly to be attained. It is disappointing that only one instance (the
inscription of Antiochos) can be assigned to as early a date as the fourth century. The majority
belong to the second and first centuries b.c., while a considerable number of Roman inscriptions
show a long continuity of civic life for the Great City even in the days of its decay and
insignificance. Air. E. A. Gardner has given me much help in the way of criticism and suggestion r
for which I wish here to thank him.
I.—The Theatre-seats.
The front row of seats in the Theatre, as described elsewhere, consists of nine long benches
with backs, and arms at the two ends, fronting each of the wedges of seats. The inscriptions here
given are of three classes: (1) the dedicatory inscription of Antiochos on the front of the first
seat-back (counting from east to west), and repeated in part on Nos. 5 and 9, the middle and
last ‘throne’; (2) on the backs of Nos. 2 to 7 (inclusive) tribal names; (3) on the fronts of
Nos. 3 to 7 a different set of tribal names. (1) is in lettering of the fourth century, and one
would be inclined to say before the end of the first half; (2) date in all probability from the
second century B.c.; (3) were inscribed probably in the second century a.d., if it be true that C
does not occur on stone before Hadrian. A facsimile is given below.
(1) (α) Άρτ/οχο? άηωνοθε | τήσας ανέβηκε τού? θρο | τους παντας
καϊ τον οχετόν.
(ύ) Αντίο . . <? άγωνοθετησας ά | νέθηκε.
(c) Άρτ/οχος ευγωνοθετ I! ήσας ανέβηκε.
INSCRIPTIONS OF MEGALOPOLIS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.
[CHAP. VII.
CHAPTER VII.
INSCRIPTIONS OF MEGALOPOLIS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD.
The majority of these inscriptions are published here for the first time. Some of them
are the fruit of excavation; others have been found in various places, built into walls or in the
possession of peasants in the modern village, and have been copied and in most cases removed
to the Museum of local antiquities, which has been instituted chiefly in consequence of our
excavations. As the villagers are extremely chary of allowing the stranger to see their treasured
‘ γρ ' μματα’ which are of unknown value in their eyes, lest he reveal their secret to the attendant
Ephor of antiquities, it is quite possible that there may be others in existence in the village
which do not appear here. The excavators have however been at work so long, that there is
a probability that this list represents nearly all that is preserved which has as yet been yielded
up by the soil. It should be mentioned here that the fragment of the Edict of Diocletian
published by Air. W. Loring in Volume xi. No. 2 of the Journal belongs to this series.
Inscriptions previously published from Megalopolis, of which we have been unable to find any
trace, are C.I.G. 1537 = Lebas-Waddington 332, LB. 333, LB. 334, C.I.G. 1538, C.I.G. 1539,.
C.I.G. 1536 = LB. 331, epitaph Annali 1861, p. 32.
It seemed unnecessary to divide these inscriptions into two parts, those found in excavation
and those seen and copied elsewhere. In this publication the inscriptions of the Theatre-seats
are together and head the list, while the inscribed tiles are also by themselves at the end;
the rest are in an order which is roughly chronological, though exactitude where so many date
from the same period is hardly to be attained. It is disappointing that only one instance (the
inscription of Antiochos) can be assigned to as early a date as the fourth century. The majority
belong to the second and first centuries b.c., while a considerable number of Roman inscriptions
show a long continuity of civic life for the Great City even in the days of its decay and
insignificance. Air. E. A. Gardner has given me much help in the way of criticism and suggestion r
for which I wish here to thank him.
I.—The Theatre-seats.
The front row of seats in the Theatre, as described elsewhere, consists of nine long benches
with backs, and arms at the two ends, fronting each of the wedges of seats. The inscriptions here
given are of three classes: (1) the dedicatory inscription of Antiochos on the front of the first
seat-back (counting from east to west), and repeated in part on Nos. 5 and 9, the middle and
last ‘throne’; (2) on the backs of Nos. 2 to 7 (inclusive) tribal names; (3) on the fronts of
Nos. 3 to 7 a different set of tribal names. (1) is in lettering of the fourth century, and one
would be inclined to say before the end of the first half; (2) date in all probability from the
second century B.c.; (3) were inscribed probably in the second century a.d., if it be true that C
does not occur on stone before Hadrian. A facsimile is given below.
(1) (α) Άρτ/οχο? άηωνοθε | τήσας ανέβηκε τού? θρο | τους παντας
καϊ τον οχετόν.
(ύ) Αντίο . . <? άγωνοθετησας ά | νέθηκε.
(c) Άρτ/οχος ευγωνοθετ I! ήσας ανέβηκε.