This inscription shows how antiquarianism could drive the foreign policy of some Greek cities. By the time of this agreement, Pergamon was the capital of the wealthy Attalid kingdom and Tegea was an unimportant city in the Achaean League. But it is was important for the Pergamenes to have a connection with "old Greece", and this connection was provided by the legend of Telephos and his mother Augē, who travelled to Asia from Tegea, as illustrated by the impressive remains of the Telephos frieze at Pergamon. The Tegeans on the other hand, as modern writers have pointed out, no doubt looked on the new-found connection with a sense of pride and also a hope for generous donations from their wealthy kinsmen. See T.S.Scheer, in "A Companion to the Hellenistic World", pp. 224-6 ( Google Books ); and L.E.Patterson, "Kinship Myth in Ancient Greece", pp.137-141 ( Google Books ).
[A] . . . citizenship . . . of Pergamenes . . . [they shall be able to share in all the privileges] that the other Tegeans share . . . privileged seating at the Aleaia festival . . .
[B] . . . it is resolved by the people of Pergamon to praise the city of the Tegeans, because . . . kinship towards [our] city and their virtue . . . since it is right and fitting, [to crown] the city with a golden crown at the [Panathenaia] on account of its honourable conduct [and its goodwill] towards our people; and the generals shall make the announcement [of the crown]. Those Tegeans who wish to do so [shall be] able to become citizens in Pergamon, [sharing] in all the privileges [that] the other Pergamenes share. [In order that the arrangments in] pre-existing documents concerning [our] kinship [with] the Tegeans and this decree and the decree brought from the Tegeans may be apparent to future generations, and as far as possible none of these matters may be forgotten because of the length of [time], they shall be inscribed on a stele of white marble and the stele shall be set up in the temple of Athena, [which] was founded by Augē. [The generals shall take care of] the setting up and [inscribing] of the [stele]; [and the] treasurers [shall give money for the cost of this from the city's] revenues.
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