Support: Stele, probably of white marble with a simple upper moulding on three sides, already chipped off above in Pacho's time, broken off below (dimensions unknown).

Layout: Inscribed on front face, aligned along the left margin, with some gaps between lines.

Letters: Height unknown; slanting sigma, small omicron, often above the line, as well as some omegas.

Date: Probably between 340 and 300 BC (Rosamilia) (prosopography, lettering).

Findspot: Copied by P. Della Cella (1817) at Cyrene ➚: probably in the Enclosed sanctuary of Demeter and Kore.

Place of origin: Findspot.

Last recorded location: Copied by J.-R. Pacho in 1825 at Shahat. Now lost.

Text constituted from: Transcription from previous editors (CDL).

Apparatus

French translation

Aristis fils de Philôn, Gorgos fils de Kômarkhos, Bimbôn fils de [---], Arisitis fils de Laiadas, Stratôn fils d'Aristéas, Hèrophantos fils d'Hermodôros, Philôn fils de Theutimos, Patallos fils d'Aristiôn, Damostratos fils d'Hagèsarkhos, (10) Epinikos fils de Pratolas, Sôsias fils de Pratis, Philôn fils d'Agathôn, Ekhthati(.)n fils d'Autophilos, Alexandros fils de Ménandros, Alexandros fils d'Hagèsis, Theuterpès fils de Pratolas, Iasôn fils de Khirauras, Damis fils de Leukaspis, Dexis fils de Pherengyos, (20) Aleximakhos fils de Kômatas, Philokômos fils d'Arsitarkhos, [------], Synnaiôn fils d'Aiskhrôn, Kephaliôn fils d'Autoklès, Thémisôn fils d'Aristoménès, Sthénôn fils de Khariklès, Euèthidas fils d'Epigénès, Krinippos fils de Philokômos, Neikippos fils de Thal[---], (30) [---]énôn fils d'Hippomakhos, [---].

Aristis son of Philon, Gorgos son of Komarchos, Bimbon son of [---], Arisitis son of Laiadas, Straton son of Aristeas, Herophantos son of Hermodoros, Philon son of Theutimos, Patallos son of Aristion, Damostratos son of Hagesarchos, (10) Epinikos son of Pratolas, Sosias son of Pratis, Philon son of Agathon, Echthati(.)n son of Autophilos, Alexandros son of Menandros, Alexandros son of Hagesis, Theuterpes son of Pratolas, Iason son of Chirauras, Damis son of Leukaspis, Dexis son of Pherengyos, (20) Aleximachos son of Komatas, Philokomos son of Arsitarchos, [------], Synnaion son of Aischron, Kephalion son of Autokles, Themison son of Aristomenes, Sthenon son of Charikles, Euethidas son of Epigenes, Krinippos son of Philokomos, Neikippos son of Thal[---], (30) [---]enon son of Hippomachos, [---].

Italian translation

Aristis figlio di Philon, Gorgos figlio di Komarchos, Bimbon figlio di [---], Arisitis figlio di Laiadas, Straton figlio di Aristeas, Herophantos figlio di Hermodoros, Philon figlio di Theutimos, Patallos figlio di Aristion, Damostratos figlio di Hagesarchos, (10) Epinikos figlio di Pratolas, Sosias figlio di Pratis, Philon figlio di Agathon, Echthati(.)n figlio di Autophilos, Alexandros figlio di Menandros, Alexandros figlio di Hagesis, Theuterpes figlio di Pratolas, Iason figlio di Chirauras, Damis figlio di Leukaspis, Dexis figlio di Pherengyos, (20) Aleximachos figlio di Komatas, Philokomos figlio di Arsitarchos, [------], Synnaion son of Aischron, Kephalion son of Autokles, Themison son of Aristomenes, Sthenon figlio di Charikles, Euethidas figlio di Epigenes, Krinippos figlio di Philokomos, Neikippos figlio di Thal[---], (30) [---]enon figlio di Hippomachos, [---].

Commentary

It has been argued that Ἄριστις Φίλωνος (l. 1) and Σθένων Χαρικλεῦς (l. 26) could be the victorious dedicants of IGCyr016900², here probably officers of lower rank. Whence a date about 340 BC (Laronde 1987, pp. 67-68, 132, also citing Oliverio). However, Fraser – Matthews 1987 (probably upon J.M. Reynolds’ opinion) gives IV/III as date for all names, except that of l. 1. One argument against a higher date could be the non-dialectal endings –ου at ll. 2, 3 and 13, but O in both copies might also be misread for Ω. Dobias-Lalou 2016, pp. 251-252 gives some arguments against the mentioned identification of Sthenon and suggested cautiously that this might be a list of priests.

Rosamilia 2023 shares the idea of a list of priests. Taking into account the place where both Della Cella and Pacho reported their copying the inscription (erroneoulsy given in IGCyr), he suggests convincingly that the names are those of priests of a male deity whose cult was related to that of Demeter, i.e. Dionysos.

Names Βίμβων (l. 3) and Πάταλλος (l. 8), which were read by both travellers, are not known elsewhere.

At l. 13 Pacho's copy produces another problematic name. Dobias-Lalou first suggested a wholly Libyan name Εχθαπαν (Dobias-Lalou 2000). Minon (Minon 2020) was able to compare it to the Beotian name Ἐχθάτιος, related to ἔχθος and supposed that the Cyrenaean name was rebuilt with a Libyan ending, as in for example Ἀρίμμαν. However, we know of such alterations only for Greek names ending with -ας. Another possibility might be that an omega was misread as an alpha, the suffix -ων being very usual, the more so that in the copy some omegas are of small size and cut high above the line and their summits might have been taken as those of alpha.

At l. 17, it seems possible to suspect a Libyan name behind the mysterious Χιραυρα, but no parallel exists up to now.

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Images

Fig. 1. Drawing of igcyr006800 List of names

Maps