DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49262#0213
CH. VIII]
COIN-INSCRIPTIONS
193
These inscriptions do not occur always singly. In fact we
find the various titles combined in such groups as Αύγούστίΐα
"Αριστα ’Ολύμπια, 'lepos Άτταλύωυ ’Ολυμπία Οικουμενικός, Ccrtamina
Sacra Capitolina Oecumenica Iselasiica Heliopolitana. A combina-
tion such as ’ολύμπια Πύ6ια may imply that some of the contests
were ordered after the Olympian, the rest after the Pythian
model; but the piling on of epithets was as a rule a mere
advertisement, intended to attract competitors or satisfy local
ambitions.
The titles of the games are not infrequently written on the
spheroidal vases which were given as prizes, or on the edge of
the table on which the prizes were preserved in the temple of
the presiding deity until the time came to distribute them.
Besides the titles of the games, a few inscriptions must be
mentioned here as having an agonistic significance. Such are
αγωι/οββσία, γυμι/ασιαρ^ία, the offices of agonothetes or president of
the games, and gymnasiarch, the director of the gymnasium.
The inscription γυμνασιαρχια is usually associated with a large
basin, from which the oil was supplied to athletes 1—an illus-
tration of the fact that the chief duty of the gymnasiarch in
imperial times was to supply oil to the people.
The earliest inscription on a Greek coin having direct refer-
ence to games is probably the ΑΘΛΑ of the Syracusan
decadrachms of Cimon and Evaenetus (Pl. VI. 4, 6). These
coins, as recent researches tend to show 2 *, are to be connected
with the victory of the Syracusans over the Athenians at the
Assinarus. The word 5Α(9λα is written below the panoply (two
greaves, helmet, shield, and cuirass) displayed on the basis of the
chariot group, which may be taken to represent either victory
in general, or the chariot-race which would form the chief event
at the games celebrated in commemoration of the victory.
Indirectly connected with games may be a series of names
of boats which occur on the bronze coinage of Corcyra in
1 As at Syedra, Anazarbus, and Colybrassus in Cilicia. These are not
prize-vases. Pick (Journ. Intern, i. 1898, p. 459, note 1) points out that
TYMNACIAPXI A cannot be the name of a festival. As regards form,
compare LYNAPXI A at Antiochia in Caria (Head, Brit. Mus. Calal., Caria,
p. 18, nos. 27, 28) where, apparently, the coins are issued by all, or a
number, of the magistrates in combination.
2 A. J. Evans, Syracusan Medallions and their Engravers in Num. Chr.
1891, pp. 205 If.
O
COIN-INSCRIPTIONS
193
These inscriptions do not occur always singly. In fact we
find the various titles combined in such groups as Αύγούστίΐα
"Αριστα ’Ολύμπια, 'lepos Άτταλύωυ ’Ολυμπία Οικουμενικός, Ccrtamina
Sacra Capitolina Oecumenica Iselasiica Heliopolitana. A combina-
tion such as ’ολύμπια Πύ6ια may imply that some of the contests
were ordered after the Olympian, the rest after the Pythian
model; but the piling on of epithets was as a rule a mere
advertisement, intended to attract competitors or satisfy local
ambitions.
The titles of the games are not infrequently written on the
spheroidal vases which were given as prizes, or on the edge of
the table on which the prizes were preserved in the temple of
the presiding deity until the time came to distribute them.
Besides the titles of the games, a few inscriptions must be
mentioned here as having an agonistic significance. Such are
αγωι/οββσία, γυμι/ασιαρ^ία, the offices of agonothetes or president of
the games, and gymnasiarch, the director of the gymnasium.
The inscription γυμνασιαρχια is usually associated with a large
basin, from which the oil was supplied to athletes 1—an illus-
tration of the fact that the chief duty of the gymnasiarch in
imperial times was to supply oil to the people.
The earliest inscription on a Greek coin having direct refer-
ence to games is probably the ΑΘΛΑ of the Syracusan
decadrachms of Cimon and Evaenetus (Pl. VI. 4, 6). These
coins, as recent researches tend to show 2 *, are to be connected
with the victory of the Syracusans over the Athenians at the
Assinarus. The word 5Α(9λα is written below the panoply (two
greaves, helmet, shield, and cuirass) displayed on the basis of the
chariot group, which may be taken to represent either victory
in general, or the chariot-race which would form the chief event
at the games celebrated in commemoration of the victory.
Indirectly connected with games may be a series of names
of boats which occur on the bronze coinage of Corcyra in
1 As at Syedra, Anazarbus, and Colybrassus in Cilicia. These are not
prize-vases. Pick (Journ. Intern, i. 1898, p. 459, note 1) points out that
TYMNACIAPXI A cannot be the name of a festival. As regards form,
compare LYNAPXI A at Antiochia in Caria (Head, Brit. Mus. Calal., Caria,
p. 18, nos. 27, 28) where, apparently, the coins are issued by all, or a
number, of the magistrates in combination.
2 A. J. Evans, Syracusan Medallions and their Engravers in Num. Chr.
1891, pp. 205 If.
O