Supplementum Epigraphicum Graecum: 25.501

ACCOUNTS OF THE SARAPIEIA AT TANAGRA

By the time of this inscription, the cult of the Egyptian god Sarapis was so well established in Tanagra that he had his own festival, including musical and dramatic contests; see F. Dunand, "Le culte d'Isis en Grèce", pp.36-7 (  Google Books ). The financial accounts of the festival, which was funded by a private foundation, were recorded in unusual detail.

The foundation and its management have been discussed by A. Schachter, in "Nile Into Tiber: Egypt in the Roman World", pp. 376-378 ( Google Books ). There is a summary of the financial figures in the annexe to L. Migeotte, "Le financement des concours dans la Béotie hellénistique" ( Persée ).

The translation of parts A and B is adapted from E. Csapo & W.J. Slater, "The Context of Ancient Drama", no. 161 ( Google Books ). The word 'obol' is used for both gold and silver currency; in gold it is a twelfth of a stater, and in silver it is a sixth of a drachma. The conversion rate between silver and gold is indicated in lines 21-22:   30 drachmas to 1 stater.

[A]   The work of Glaukos, son of Boukattes: these won the contest of the Sarapieia:

 
• trumpeter :   Antandros, son of Eredamos, of Aigira  
• herald :   Praxiteles, son of Theogenes, of Athens  
• rhapsode :   Boukattes, son of Glaukos, of Tanagra  
• poet :   Athanias, son of Phrynon, of Tanagra  
• piper :   Artemon, son of Myrton, of Thebes  
• singer to the pipes :   Parmenion, son of Parmenion, of Athens  
• citharist :   Philon, son of Philon, of Tarentum   
• 10 citharode :   Timokles, son of Herodotos, from Aeolian Kyme  
• poet of satyr plays :   Alexander, son of Glaukos, of Tanagra  
• poet of tragedies :   Asklepiades, son of Hikesios, of (?) Thebes  
• [actor] :   Diogenes, son of Antigon, of Thebes  
• poet of comedies :   Poses, son of Ariston, of Athens  
• actor :   Demetrios, son of Demetrios, of Athens  
• the old tragedy :   Silanos, son of Demetrios, of Thebes  
• the old comedy :   Hipparchos, son of Apollodoros, of Thebes  
• the epinician {i.e. overall winner} :   Asklepiades, son of Hikesios, of Athens

[B]   Accounting of Glaukos, son of Boukattes, agonothete of the Sarapieia. 20 I received from the office  of Kaphisios, son of Boukattes, a total of 3,000 Attic silver [drachmas], from which I purchased 69 gold staters, each being Attic gold. [Total] : 2,070 Attic silver drachmas. To Sotades for construction of crowns 4 silver obols per Attic gold stater: in total 46 [Attic] silver drachmas. I gave to the victors:

 
• to Antandros the trumpeter and Praxiteles the herald :   each a crown, @ 3 gold staters 4 obols 6 chalkoi   
• to Boukattes the rhapsode :   a crown @ [3] gold staters 4 obols 6 chalkoi;   
  to Aristodikos, son of Demokrates, of Opous :    a second prize of 40 Attic silver drachmas  
• to Athanias the poet :   a gold crown @ 4½ gold staters;   
  to Diogenes, son of Leonidas, of Thebes :   a second prize of 40 Attic silver drachmas  
• to Artemon the piper :   a crown @ 5½ gold staters 1½ obols;   
  to Kleitophon, son of Athenodotos, of Athens :   the second prize of [50] Attic silver drachmas  
• to Parmenion the singer to the pipes :   a crown @ 3½ gold staters 3 obols  
• 30 to Philon the citharist :   a crown @ 4½ gold staters;   
  to Metrodoros, son of Dionysios, of Smyrna :   second prize of 40 Attic silver drachmas  
• to Timokles, son of Herodotos, the citharode :   a crown @ 5½ gold staters 1½ obols  
• to Alexander poet of satyr plays :   a crown @ 3 gold staters 4½ obols;   
  to Athenion, son of Nikarchos, of Anthedon :   second prize of 40 Attic silver drachmas  
• to Asklepiades poet of tragedies :   a crown @ 4½ gold staters;   
  to Publius, son of Publius, of Rome :   second prize of [50] Attic silver drachmas  
• to Diogenes the actor {of tragedy} :   a crown @ 3 gold staters 4 obols 6 chalkoi  
• to Poses poet of comedies :   a crown @ 4½ gold staters.  
• to Demetrios the actor  {of comedy} :   a crown @ 3 gold staters 4½ obols  
• to the tragedian [Silanos] who won the old tragedy :   a crown @ 5½ gold staters 1½ obols;   
  to Praxiteles, son of Theogenes, of Athens :   a second prize of 50 Attic silver drachmas  
• 40 to Hipparchos the comedian {who won the old comedy} :   a crown @ 4½ gold staters;  
  to Demetrios, son of Demetrios, the Athenian :   a second prize of 40 Attic silver drachmas  
• to Asklepiades poet of tragedies :   the epinician crown @ 5½ gold staters 1½ obols;   
  to Philon, son of Philon, of Tarentum, {the citharist} :   second prize of 50 Attic silver drachmas

Costuming : [? 230 Attic] silver drachmas

For the chorusmen (?) of tragedies and satyr plays 100 Attic silver drachmas, and for the comic chorusmen (?) along with their chorus directors 40 Attic silver drachmas. For the chorus directors who produced the new tragedies [and] satyr plays 50; for the pipers who [? played for] the tragedy 28; and for the comic pipers 12 Attic silver drachmas.

Sacred sacrifices for Sarapis and Isis and the other gods, [and the] feasting of those specified in the decree :   300 Attic silver drachmas.

I gave back to Kaphisias for the second prizes that were uncontested, 50 namely the singer to the pipes 40, the citharode 50, and the second prize for the poet of [? tragedy] 50 Attic silver drachmas. 

Total: 3,276 silver drachmas.

The other expenses for the daily oaths [and the] feasting of the daily participants, judges [and (?) directors of] choruses and victors, and for the incense and [sprinkling] I do [not] account, since I paid the money from my own resources.

[C]   Statement of accounts of Kaphisias son of Boukattes, of the commission set up for the investment of the funds dedicated by Charilaos. During the year of Kaphisias, I received from the commission preceding my own, that of Mnasikon son of . . ., 10,555 Attic silver drachmas, 5 obols, 1 chalkous.

60 Interest from these funds during the year of Kaphisias' presidency: . . . 6 chalkoi. Total: 11,640 drachmas, 4 obols, 3 chalkoi.

Interest from these funds during the [year] of Glaukos: 1,161 drachmas, 3 obols, 3 chalkoi. Total: 12,470 drachmas.

Interest from these funds during the year of Xenon: 1,386 drachmas, 4 obols, 9 chalkoi. Total: 10,030 drachmas.

Interest from these funds during the year of [Boukattes], from the month of Boukatios until Thyios, 472 drachmas.

I [gave] to Glaukos the agonothete 3,000 Attic silver drachmas, and from the remaining drachmas . . . 9 and 3 chalkoi the interest in the month of Homoloïos was 103 drachmas. Total: 11,252 drachmas 3 chalkoi.

Expenses for the phratries : 1,627 drachmas. To Eunikos the architect: 20 drachmas. 

Interest from the remaining drachmas, from the month of Thēlouthios until Alalkomenios: 560 drachmas 9 chalkoi. Total of the whole amount: 10,637 drachmas 2 obols 3 chalkoi.

Expenses paid to Dionysios [for the inscribing] and engraving of the victors 70 and of the accounts of the [contest] and the commission: 40 drachmas. Remainder: 10,597 drachmas 1 chalkous.

And from the agonothete Glaukos I [received] the amount remaining from his accounts: 140 Attic silver drachmas. Total: 10,737 Attic silver drachmas.

I handed over the entire amount to the commission following my own, that is to Thorakides son of Herakleides.

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