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Translations of Hellenistic Inscriptions: 139


THE MOGOREIS HONOUR MOSCHION

Greek text:     (B) TitCal_8
Provenance:   (A) Xystis , Caria ,   (B) Kalymna
Date:   274 B.C.
Format:   see key to translations

Inscription A was published in 2021 by A. Bresson, R. Descat & E. Varinlioglu in "L'Asie mineure occidentale au IIIe siècle ", pp.141-171. Because the Greek text is not easily accessible, it is reproduced here.

The historical background to the inscription is described by C. Fischer-Bovet, "Ptolemaic Imperialism in Southern Anatolia: Caria, Lycia, Pamphylia and Cilicia", pp.16-17 & pp.24-25 ( academia.edu ).   Moschion was already known from inscription B, which probably refers to mercenaries from Kalymna who were serving as the garrison of a fort in Caria.



[A]   With good fortune. In the reign of Ptolemy son of Ptolemy, in the twelfth year, in the month of Apellaios, when Dionysokles son of . . . was archon, in full assembly, it was resolved by the community of the Mogōreis:   since Moschion of Thera, son of Moirichos, who has been appointed strategos of the city and the surrounding territory, after restoring to the king the fortress of Xystis saw to it that they themselves and their property were preserved from all harm, and he has never ceased in all matters to do good both publicly to the community and in his private capacity to each one of them;   therefore it is resolved by the community to praise him and to crown him with a crown of gold in the assembly, on account of his virtue and his goodwill; and to assign to him a special portion, free of taxes, at the sacrifices which they perform in common; and also that he shall be made a citizen; and that these same privileges shall be granted also to his descendants. The hierotamiai {"sacred treasurers"} in office shall ensure that this decree is inscribed on a stone stele and placed in the sanctuary of Zeus Mogōreus; and the hierotamiai and the archon shall pay for the cost of the stele from the public revenues.

ἀγαθῆι [τύχηι]· βασιλεύοντο[ς Πτολ]εμαίου τοῦ Πτολεμαίου, ἔτο[υς δω]δεκάτου, μηνὸς Απελλαίου, [ἐπὶ ἄρ]χοντος Διονυσοκλέους [....ο]υ, ἐκκλησίας κυρίας γεν[ομένης], ἔδοξε Μογωρέων τῶι κοιν[ῶι· ἐπει]δὴ Μοσχίων Μο[ι]ρίχου Θηραῖος [στρα]τηγὸς κατασταθεὶς ἐπὶ τῆς [πόλεως κ]αὶ τῆς περιχώρου ἀποκαταστ[ήσας τῶ]ι βασιλ[εῖ Ξ]ύστ[ι]ν τὸ χωρίον π[ρόνοιαν ἐ]ποιήσατο τοῦ περιποιήσασ[θαι ἑαυτο]ὺς τε καὶ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτ[ῶν, ἐμ πᾶσι]ν εὐεργετῶν διατελεῖ τό τε [κοινὸν καὶ] ἰδίαι ἕκαστον, δεδόχθαι τῶι κοιν[ῶι, ἐπαι]νέσαι τε αὐτὸν κ[αὶ στε]φανῶσαι στεφάνωι χρυσέωι ἐν τῆι ἐκκλησίαι [ἀρετῆς] ἕνεκεν κα[ὶ εὐ]νοίας, δίδοσθ[αι δὲ αὐ]τῶι καὶ μερίδα [ἐ]ξαίρετον ἀτ[ελῆ ἁπά]ντων τῶ[ν θυσίω]ν ὧν ἂν κοινῆ[ι συντελῶ]σιν, εἶναι δὲ [καὶ] πολίτην αὐ[τόν, κατὰ] ταὐτὰ δὲ καὶ [τοῖς] ἐγγόνοις αὐ[τοῦ ὑπάρ]χειν, τοὺς δὲ ἱ[ερο]ταμίας τοὺ[ς ἐνεστῶτ]ας ἐπιμεληθῆναι ὅπως τὰ [δεδογμέ]να ἀναγράψωσιν [ἐν] στήληι λιθίν[ηι καὶ στή]σωσιν ἐν τῶι το[ῦ Δ]ιὸς Μογωρέ[ως ἱερῶι], τὸ δὲ ἀνάλωμα [δό]τωσαν οἱ ἱε[ροταμίαι κ]αὶ ὁ ἄρχων ἐκ τ[ῶν κοι]νῶν πρ[οσοδῶν].

[B]   It was resolved by the council and the people, as proposed by the presidents: since Nikostratos son of Nikophantos has declared that Moschion of Thera, son of Moirichos, shows himself benevolent towards our people, and that now he provides assistance to those of our fellow citizens who are stationed at Mōgla, when they make requests to him, with great eagerness and without hesitation;   therefore so that the people may be seen to render suitable gratitude to men who lack nothing in their zeal for the people, and so that many other men may choose to be benefactors of the people, because they know that they will receive from the people rewards that are commensurate with the favours they bestow, it is resolved that in Kalymna he shall have citizenship and the right to own property and equivalent taxation and privileged seating, both for himself and for his descendants; and the presidents shall assign him to a tribe and a deme:   he was allotted to the tribe of Periphidai and the deme of Pothaia. This decree shall be inscribed on a stone stele and set up in the temple of Apollo . . .

inscription 140


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