Increased number of workmen--Further uncovering of the great
buttress--Traces of a supposed small temple--Objects found on its
site--Terra-cotta serpents’ heads: great importance attached to the
serpent--Stone implements: hammers of a peculiar form--Copper
implements: a sickle--Progress of the works at the south-east
corner--Remains of an aqueduct from the Thymbrius--Large jars, used
for cellars--Ruins of the Greek temple of Athena--Two important
inscriptions discussed--Relations of the Greek Syrian Kings
Antiochus I. and III. to Ilium.
Pergamus of Troy, March 1st, 1873.
[Illustration: No. 163. One of the largest marble Idols, found in the
Trojan Stratum (8 M.).]
Since Monday morning, the 24th of last month, I have succeeded in
increasing the number of my workmen to 158, and as throughout this week
we have had splendid weather, I have been able to accomplish a good
stroke of work in the six days, in spite of the many hindrances and
difficulties which I had at first to struggle against. Since the 1st of
February I have succeeded in removing more than 11,000 cubic yards of
_débris_ from the site of the temple. To-day, at last, I have had the
pleasure of uncovering a large portion of that buttress, composed of
large unhewn white stones, which at one time covered the entire
north-eastern corner of the declivity, whereas, in consequence of its
increase in size during the course of many centuries by the ashes of the
sacrificed animals, the present declivity of the hill is 131 feet
distant from it to the north, and 262½ feet distant to the east. To
my surprise I found that this buttress reaches to within 26 feet of the
surface, and thus, as the primary soil is elsewhere always at from 46 to
52½ feet below the surface, it must have covered an isolated hill
from 20 to 26 feet high, at the north-east end of the Pergamus, where
at one time there doubtless stood a small temple. Of this sanctuary,
however, I find nothing but red wood-ashes, mixed with the fragments of
brilliant black Trojan earthenware, and an enormous number of unhewn
stones, which seem to have been exposed to a fearful heat, but no trace
of sculpture: the building must therefore have been very small. I have
broken through the buttress of this temple-hill at a breadth of 13 feet,
in order to examine the ground at its foundation. I dug it away to a
depth of 5 feet, and found that it consists of the virgin soil, which is
of a greenish colour. Upon the site of the small and very ancient
temple, which is indicated by the buttress, I find in two places pure
granular sand, which appears to extend very far down, for after
excavating it to a depth of 6½ feet I did not reach the end of the
stratum. Whether this hill consists entirely, or but partially, of earth
and sand, I cannot say, and must leave it undecided, for I should have
to remove thousands more of cubic yards of rubbish. Among the _débris_
of the temple we found a few, but exceedingly interesting objects, for
instance, the largest marble idol that has hitherto been found, which is
5¼ inches long and 3 inches broad. Further, the lid of a pot, which
is divided into twelve fields by roughly engraved lines. Ten of the
fields are ornamented with little stars, one with two signs of
lightning, and another with six lines. There was also a small idol of
terra-cotta with the owl’s head of the Ilian tutelary goddess, with two
arms and long hair hanging down at the back of the head; but it is so
roughly made that, for instance, the eyes of the goddess are above the
eyebrows. I also found among the _débris_ of the temple a vase with the
owl’s face, two female breasts and a large navel; of the face only one
eye and an ear is preserved. I must draw especial attention to the fact
that both upon the vases with owls’ heads two female breasts and a
navel, and upon all of the others without the owl’s face and adorned
only with two female breasts and a navel, the latter is always ten times
larger than the breasts. I therefore presume that the navel had some
important significance, all the more so as it is frequently decorated
with a cross, and in one case even with a cross and the marks of a nail
at each of the four ends of the cross.[220] We also discovered among the
ruins of the small and very ancient building some pretty wedges
(battle-axes), and a number of very rude hammers made of diorite;
besides a quantity of those small red and black terra-cotta whorls, with
the usual engravings of four or five 卐, or of three, four, or five
triple rising suns in the circle round the central sun, or with other
extremely strange decorations.
[Illustration: No. 164. Terra-cotta Pot-lid, engraved with symbolical
marks (6 M.).]
[Illustration: No. 165. A curious Terra-cotta Idol of the Ilian Athena
(7 M.).]
At a depth of 7 to 8 meters (23 to 26 feet), we also came upon a number
of vases having engraved decorations, and with three feet or without
feet, but generally with rings at the sides and holes in the mouth for
suspension by strings; also goblets in the form of a circular tube, with
a long spout at the side for drinking out of, which is always connected
with the other side of the tube by a handle; further, smaller or larger
jars with a mouth completely bent backwards; small terra-cotta funnels;
very curious little sling-bullets made of diorite, from only ¾ of an
inch to above 1 inch long. The most remarkable of all the objects found
this year is, however, an idol of very hard black stone above 2½
inches long and broad, discovered at a depth of 9 meters (29½ feet).
The head, hands, and feet have the form of hemispheres, and the head is
only recognised by several horizontal lines engraved below it, which
seem to indicate necklaces. In the centre of the belly is a navel, which
is as large as the head, but, instead of protruding as in the case of
the vases, it is indicated by a circular depression. The back of the
middle of the body is arched, and has the appearance of a shield, so
that in looking at the idol one is involuntarily led to believe that it
represents Mars, the god of war.
[Illustration: No. 166. Pretty Terra-cotta jug, with the neck bent back
(7 M.).]
[Illustration: No. 167. Remarkable Trojan Idol of Black Stone (7 M.).]
[Illustration: Nos. 168, 169. Heads of Horned Serpents (4 M.).]
[Illustration: No. 170. A Serpent’s Head, with horns on both sides, and
very large eyes (6 M.).]
At a depth of from 4 to 7 meters (13 to 23 feet) we also met with
fragments of terra-cotta serpents, whose heads are sometimes represented
with horns. The latter must certainly be a very ancient and significant
symbol of the greatest importance, for even now there is a superstition
that the horns of serpents, by merely coming in contact with the human
body, cure a number of diseases, and especially epilepsy; also that by
dipping them in milk the latter is instantly turned into cheese, and
other notions of the same sort. On account of the many wholesome and
useful effects attributed to the horns of serpents, they are regarded as
immensely valuable, and on my return here at the end of January one of
my last year’s workmen was accused by a jealous comrade of having found
two serpents’ horns in an urn at a depth of 52½ feet, and of having
made off with them. All my assurances that there are no such things as
serpents horns could not convince the men, and they still believe that
their comrade has robbed me of a great treasure. The serpents’ heads not
ornamented with horns generally represent the poisonous asp; above the
mouth they have a number of dots, and the head and back are divided by
cross lines into sections which are filled with dots.[221] These flat
serpents’ heads have on the opposite side lines running longitudinally
like female hair. We also found terra-cotta cones an inch and a half
high, with three holes not pierced right through. At a depth of from
3¼ to 6½ feet we have discovered several more terra-cotta vases
without the owl’s face, but with two female breasts and a large navel,
and with two small upright handles in the form of arms. In all the
strata below 13 feet we meet with quantities of implements of diorite,
and quoits of granite, sometimes also of hard limestone. Hammers and
wedges (battle-axes) of diorite and of green stone were also found, in
most cases very prettily wrought. The hammers do not all possess a
perforated hole; upon many there is only a cavity on both sides, about
1/5 to 2/5 of an inch deep.
[Illustration: No. 171. Head of an Asp in Terra-cotta (both sides) (4
M.).]
Of metals, copper only was met with. To-day we found a copper sickle
5½ inches long; of copper weapons we have to-day for the first time
found two lances at a depth of 23 feet, and an arrow-head at 4 meters
(13 feet) deep. We find numbers of long, thin copper nails with a round
head, or with the point only bent round. I now also find them repeatedly
at a depth of from 5 to 6 meters (16½ to 20 feet), whereas since the
commencement of my excavations in the year 1871, I only found two nails
as far down as this.[222]
I am now also vigorously carrying forward the cutting which I made on
the south-eastern corner of the Pergamus, for uncovering the eastern
portion of the Great Tower as far as my last year’s cutting, to a length
of 315 feet and a breadth of from 65½ to 78¾ feet. The work
advances rapidly, as this excavation is near the southern declivity of
the hill, and the rubbish has therefore not far to be carted off. I have
made eight side passages for removing it. Experience has taught me that
it is far more profitable not to have any special men for loading the
wheel-barrows, but to let every workman fill his own barrow. Experience
has also shown me that much precious time is lost in breaking down the
earthen walls with the long iron levers driven in by a ram, and that it
is much more profitable and less dangerous to the workmen always to keep
the earthen walls at an angle of 55 degrees, to dig as occasion
requires, and to cut away the rubbish from below with broad pickaxes. In
this new excavation I find four earthen pipes, from 18¾ to 22¼
inches long, and from 6½ to 11¾ inches thick, laid together for
conducting water, which was brought from a distance of 1½ German mile
(about 7 English miles) from the upper Thymbrius. This river is now
called the Kemar, from the Greek word καμάρα (vault), because an
aqueduct of the Roman period crosses its lower course by a large arch.
This aqueduct formerly supplied Ilium with drinking water from the upper
portion of the river. But the Pergamus required special aqueducts, for
it lies higher than the city.
In this excavation I find an immense number of large earthen wine-jars
(πίθοι) from 1 to 2 meters (3¼ to 6½ feet) high, and 29½ inches
across, as well as a number of fragments of Corinthian pillars and other
splendidly sculptured blocks of marble. All of these marble blocks must
certainly have belonged to those grand buildings whose southern wall I
have already laid bare to a length of 285½ feet. It is composed of
small stones joined with a great quantity of cement as hard as stone,
and rests upon large well hewn blocks of limestone. The direction of
this wall, and hence of the whole building, is E.S.E. by E.
Three inscriptions, which I found among its ruins, and in one of which
it is said that they were set up in the “ἱερόν,” that is, in the temple,
leave no doubt that this was the temple of the Ilian Athena, the
“πολιοῦχος θεά,” for it is only this sanctuary that could have been
called simply “τὸ ἱερόν,” on account of its size and importance, which
surpassed that of all the other temples of Ilium. Moreover the position
of the building, which is turned towards the rising sun, corresponds
exactly with the position of the Parthenon and all the other temples of
Athena. From the very commencement of my excavations I have searched for
this important sanctuary, and have pulled down more than 130,000 cubic
yards of _débris_ from the most beautiful parts of the Pergamus in order
to find it; and I now discover it exactly where I should have least
expected to come upon it. I have sought for this _new_ temple, which was
probably built by Lysimachus, because I believed, and still believe,
that in its depths I shall find the ruins of the primeval temple of
Athena, and I am more likely here than anywhere to find something to
throw light upon Troy. Of the inscriptions found here, as mentioned
above, one is written upon a marble slab in the form of a tombstone,
5¼ feet long, 17½ inches broad, and 5¾ inches thick, and runs
as follows:--
ΜΕΛΕΑΓΡΟΣΙΛΙΕΩΝΤΗΙΒΟΥΛΗΙΚΑΙΤΩΙΔΗΜΩΙΧΑΙ
ΡΕΙΝΑΠΕΔΩΚΕΝΗΜΙΝΑΡΙΣΤΟΔΙΚΙΔΗΣΟΑΣΣΙΟΣΕΠΙ
ΣΤΟΛΑΣΠΑΡΑΤΟΥΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥΩΝΤΑΝΤΙΓΡΑ
ΦΑΥΜΙΝΥΠΟΓΕΓΡΑΦΑΜΕΝΕΝΕΤΥΧΕΝΔΗΜΙΝΚΑΙΑΥ
ΤΟΣΦΑΜΕΝΟΣΠΟΛΛΩΝΑΥΤΩΙΚΑΙΕΤΕΡΩΝΔΙΑΛΕ 5
ΓΟΜΕΝΩΝΚΑΙΣΤΕΦΑΝΟΝΔΙΔΟΝΤΩΝΩΣΠΕΡΚΑΙΗ
ΜΕΙΣΠΑΡΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΟΥΜΕΝΔΙΑΤΟΚΑΙΠΡΕΣΒΕΥΣΑΙΑ
ΠΟΤΩΝΠΟΛΕΩΝΤΙΝΑΣΠΡΟΣΗΜΑΣΒΟΥΛΕΣΘΑΙΤΗΝ
ΧΩΡΑΝΤΗΝΔΕΔΟΜΕΝΗΝΑΥΤΩΙΥΠΟΤΟΥΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣΑΝ
ΤΙΟΧΟΥΚΑΙΔΙΑΤΟΙΕΡΟΝΚΑΙΔΙΑΤΗΝΠΡΟΣΥΜΑΣΕΥΝΟΙ 10
ΑΝΠΡΟΣΕΝΕΓΚΑΣΘΑΙΠΡΟΣΤΗΝΥΜΕΤΕΡΑΝΠΟΛΙΝΑ
ΜΕΝΟΥΝΑΞΙΟΙΓΕΝΕΣΘΑΙΑΥΤΩΙΠΑΡΑΤΗΣΠΟΛΕΩΣΑΥ
ΤΟΣΥΜΙΝΔΗΛΩΣΕΙΚΑΛΩΣΔΑΝΠΟΗΣΑΙΤΕΨΗΦΙΣΑΜΕ
ΝΟΙΤΕΠΑΝΤΑΤΑΦΙΛΑΝΘΡΩΠΑΑΥΤΩΙΚΑΙΚΑΘΟΤΙΑΝ
ΣΥΓΧΩΡΗΣΗΙΤΗΝΑΝΑΓΡΑΦΗΝΠΟΗΣΑΜΕΝΟΙΚΑΙΣΤΗ 15
ΛΩΣΑΝΤΕΣΚΑΙΔΕΝΤΕΣΕΙΣΤΟΙΕΡΟΝΙΝΑΜΕΝΗΙΥΜΙΝ
ΒΕΒΑΙΩΣΕΙΣΠΑΝΤΑΤΟΓΧΡΟΝΟΝΤΑΣΥΓΧΩΡΗΘΕΝΤΑ
ΕΡΡΩΣΘΕ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΣΜΕΛΕΑ
ΓΡΩΙΧΑΙΡΕΙΝΔΕΔΩΚΑΜΕΝΑΡΙΣΤΟΔΙΚΙΔΗΙΤΩΙΑΣΣΙΩΙ
ΓΗΣΕΡΓΑΣΙΜΟΥΠΛΕΘΡΑΔΙΣΧΙΛΙΑΠΡΟΣΕΝΕΓΚΑΣΘΑΙ 20
ΠΡΟΣΤΗΝΙΛΙΕΩΝΠΟΛΙΝΗΣΚΗΨΙΩΝΣΥΟΥΝΣΥΝΤΑΞΟΝ
ΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΞΑΙ ΑΡΙΣΤΟΔΙΚΙΔΗΙΑΠΟΤΗΣΟΜΟΡΟΥΣΗΣΤΗΙ
ΓΕΡΓΙΘΙΑΙΗΤΗΙΣΚΗΨΙΑΙΟΥΑΝΔΟΚΙΜΑΖΗΙΣΤΑΔΙΣΧΙΛΙΑ
ΠΛΕΘΡΑΤΗΣΓΗΣΚΑΙΠΡΟΣΟΡΙΣΑΙΕΙΣΤΗΝΙΛΙΕΩΝΗΤΗΝ
ΣΚΗΨΙΩΝ ΕΡΡΩΣΟ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΣΜΕΛΕ 25
ΑΓΡΩΙΧΑΙΡΕΙΝΕΝΕΤΥΧΕΝΗΜΙΝΑΡΙΣΤΟΔΙΚΙΔΗΣΟ
ΑΣΣΙΟΣΑΞΙΩΝΔΟΥΝΑΙΑΥΤΩΙΗΜΑΣΕΝΤΗΙΕΦΕΛΛΗΣ
ΠΟΝΤΟΥΣΑΤΡΑΠΕΙΑΙΤΗΝΠΕΤΡΑΝΗΜΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝ
ΕΙΧΕΝΜΕΛΕΑΓΡΟΣΚΑΙΤΗΣΧΩΡΑΣΤΗΣΠΕΤΡΙΔΟΣ
ΕΡΓΑΣΙΜΟΥΠΕΘΡΑΧΙΛΙΑΠΕΝΤΑΚΟΣΙΑΚΑΙΑΛΛΑ 30
ΓΗΣΠΛΕΘΡΑΔΙΣΧΙΛΙΑΕΡΓΑΣΙΜΟΥΑΠΟΤΗΣΟΜΟ
ΡΟΥΣΗΣΤΗΙΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝΔΟΘΕΙΣΗΙΑΥΤΩΙΜΕΡΙΔΙΩΙ
ΚΑΙΗΜΕΙΣΤΗΝΤΕΠΕΤΡΑΝΔΕΔΩΚΑΜΕΝΑΥΤΩΙΕΙ
ΜΗΔΕΔΟΤΑΙΑΛΛΩΙΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝΚΑΙΤΗΓΧΩΡΑΝΤΗΝ
ΠΡΟΣΤΗΙΠΕΤΡΑΙΚΑΙΑΛΛΑΓΗΣΠΛΕΘΡΑΔΙΣΧΙΛΙΑ 35
ΕΡΓΑΣΙΜΟΥΔΙΑΤΟΦΙΛΟΝΟΝΤΑΗΜΕΤΕΡΟΝΠΑΡΕΣ
ΧΗΣΘΑΙΗΜΙΝΤΑΣΚΑΤΑΥΤΟΝΧΡΕΙΑΣΜΕΤΑΠΑΣΗΣ
ΕΥΝΟΙΑΣΚΑΙΠΡΟΘΥΜΙΑΣΣΥΟΥΝΕΠΙΣΚΕΨΑΜΕΝΟΣ
ΕΙΜΗΔΕΔΟΤΑΙΑΛΛΩΙΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝΑΥΤΗΗΜΕΡΙΣΠΑ
ΡΑΔΕΙΞΟΝΑΥΤΗΝΚΑΙΤΗΝΠΡΟΣΑΥΤΗΙΧΩΡΑΝΑΡΙΣ 40
ΤΟΔΙΚΙΚΙΔΗΙΚΑΙΑΠΟΤΗΣΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗΣΧΩΡΑΣΤΗΣΟΜΟ
ΡΟΥΣΗΣΤΗΙΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝΔΕΔΟΜΕΝΗΙ ΧΩΡΑΙΑΡΙΣΤΟΔΙ
ΚΙΔΗΙΣΥΝΤΑΞΟΝΚΑΤΑΜΕΤΡΗΣΑΙΚΑΙΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΞΑΙ
ΑΥΤΩΙΠΛΕΘΡΑΔΙΣΧΙΛΙΑΚΑΙΕΑΣΑΙΑΥΤΩΙΠΡΟΣΕΝΕΓ
ΚΑΣΘΑΙΠΡΟΣΗΝΑΜΒΟΥΛΗΤΑΙΠΟΛΙΝΤΩΝΕΝΤΗΙΧΩΡΑΙ 45
ΤΕΚΑΙΣΥΜΜΑΧΙΑΙΟΙΔΕΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΟΙΛΑΟΙΟΙΕΚΤΟΥΤΟ
ΠΟΥΕΝΩΙΕΣΤΙΝΗΠΕΤΡΑΕΑΜΒΟΥΛΩΝΤΑΙΟΙΚΕΙΝΕΝΤΗΙ
ΠΕΤΡΑΙΑΣΦΑΛΕΙΑΣΕΝΕΚΕΣΥΝΤΕΤΑΧΑΜΕΝΑΡΙΣΤΟ
ΤΟΔΙΚΙΔΗΙΕΑΝΑΥΤΟΥΣΟΙΚΕΙΝ ΕΡΡΩΣΟ
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΣΜΕΛΕΑΓΡΩΙΧΑΙΡΕΙΝΕΝΕΤΥΧΕΝΗ 50
ΜΙΝΑΡΙΣΤΟΔΙΚΙΔΗΣΦΑΜΕΝΟΣΠΕΤΡΑΝΤΟΧΩΡΙΟΝΚΑΙΤΗΜ
ΧΩΡΑΝΤΗΝΣΥΓΚΥΡΟΥΣΑΝΠΕΡΙΗΣΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝΕΓΡΑΨΑΜΕΝ
ΔΙΔΟΝΤΕΣΑΥΤΩΙΟΥΔΕΤΙΚΑΙΝΥΝΠΑΡΕΙΛΗΦΕΝΑΙΔΙΑΤΟΑΘΗ
ΝΑΙΩΙΤΩΙΕΠΙΤΟΥΝΑΥΣΤΑΘΜΟΥΕΠΙΚΕΧΩΡΗΣΘΑΙΚΑΙΗΞΙ
ΩΣΕΝΑΝΤΙΜΕΝΤΗΣΠΕΤΡΙΤΙΔΟΣΧΩΡΑΣΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΧΘΗΝΑΙ 55
ΑΥΤΩΙΤΑΙΣΑΠΛΕΘΡΑΣΥΓΧΩΡΗΘΗΝΑΙΔΕΚΑΙΑΛΛΑΠΛΕ
ΘΡΑΔΙΣΧΙΛΙΑΠΡΟΣΕΝΕΓΚΑΣΘΑΙΠΡΟΣΗΝΑΜΒΟΥΛΗΤΑΙ
ΤΩΜΠΟΛΕΩΝΤΩΝΕΝΤΗΙΗΜΕΤΕΡΑΙΣΥΜΜΑΧΙΑΙΚΑΘΑ
ΠΕΡΚΑΙΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝΕΓΡΑΨΑΜΕΝΟΡΩΝΤΕΣΟΥΝΑΥΤΟΝ
ΕΥΝΟΥΝΟΝΤΑΚΑΙΠΡΟΘΥΜΟΝΕΙΣΤΑΗΜΕΤΕΡΑΠΡΑΓΜΑ 60
ΤΑΒΟΥΛΟΜΕΘΑΠΟΛΥΩΡΕΙΝΤΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΥΚΑΙΠΕΡΙ
ΤΟΥΤΩΝΣΥΓΚΕΧΩΡΗΚΑΜΕΝΦΗΣΙΝΔΕΕΙΝΑΙΤΗΣ
ΠΕΤΡΙΤΙΔΟΣΧΩΡΑΣΤΑΣΥΓΧΩΡΗΘΕΝΤΑΑΥΤΩΙ
ΠΛΕΘΡΑΧΙΛΙΑΠΕΝΤΑΚΟΣΙΑΣΥΝΤΑΞΟΝΟΥΝΚΑΤΑ
ΜΕΤΡΗΣΑΙΑΡΙΣΤΟΔΙΚΙΔΗΙΚΑΙΠΑΡΑΔΕΙΞΑΙΓΗΣ 65
ΕΡΓΑΣΙΜΟΥΤΑΤΕΔΙΣΧΙΛΙΑΚΑΙΠΕΝΤΑΚΟΣΙΑΠΛΕ
ΘΡΑΚΑΙΑΝΤΙΤΩΝΠΕΡΙΤΗΝΠΕΤΡΑΝΑΛΛΑΕΡΓΑ
ΣΙΜΟΥΧΙΛΙΑΠΕΝΤΑΚΟΣΙΑΑΠΟΤΗΣΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗΣΧΩ
ΡΑΣΤΗΣΣΥΝΟΡΙΖΟΥΣΗΣΤΗΙΕΝΑΡΧΗΙΔΟΘΕΙΣΗΙ
ΑΥΤΩΙΠΑΡΗΜΩΝΕΑΣΑΙΔΕΚΑΙΠΡΟΣΕΝΕΓΚΑΣΘΑΙ 70
ΤΗΝΧΩΡΑΝΑΡΙΣΤΟΔΙΚΙΔΗΝΠΡΟΣΗΝΑΝΒΟΥΛΗΤΑΙ
ΠΟΛΙΝΤΩΝΕΝΤΗΙΗΜΕΤΕΡΑΙΣΥΜΜΑΧΙΑΙΚΑΘΑ
ΠΕΡΚΑΙΕΝΤΗΙΠΡΟΤΕΡΟΝΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗΙΕΓΡΑΨΑ
ΜΕΝ ΕΡΡΩΣΟ
Μελέαγρος Ἰλιέων τῆι βουλῆι καὶ τῶι δήμωι χαί-
ρειν. Ἀπέδωκεν ἡμῖν Ἀριστοδικίδης ὁ Ἄσσιος ἐπι-
στολὰς παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀντιόχου, ὧν τἀντίγρα-
φα ὑμῖν ὑπογεγράφαμεν· ἐνέτυχεν δ’ ἡμῖν καὶ α(ὐ)-
τὸς φάμενος, πολλῶν αὐτῶι καὶ ἑτέρων, διαλε- 5
γομένων καὶ στέφανον διδόντων, ὥσπερ καὶ ἡ-
μεῖς παρακολουθοῦμεν διὰ τὸ καὶ πρεσβεῦσαι ἀ-
πὸ τῶν πόλεων τινὰς πρὸς ἡμᾶς, βούλεσθαι τὴν
χώραν τὴν δεδομένην αὐτῶι ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀν-
τιόχου καὶ διὰ τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ διὰ τὴν πρὸς ὑμᾶς εὔνοι- 10
αν προσενέγκασθαι πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν πόλιν. Ἃ
μὲν οὖν ἀξιοῖ γενέσθαι αὐτῶι παρὰ τῆς πόλεως, αὐ-
τὸς ὑμῖν δηλώσει· καλῶς δ’ ἂν ποήσαιτε ψηφισάμε-
νοί τε πάντα τὰ φιλάνθρωπα αὐτῶι καὶ καθ’ ὅτι ἂν
συγχωρήσηι τὴν ἀναγραφὴν ποησάμενοι καὶ στη- 15
λώσαντες καὶ θέντες εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν, ἵνα μένηι ὑμῖν
βεβαίως εἰς πάντα τὸγ χρόνον τὰ συγχωρηθέντα.
ἔῤῥωσθε. Βασιλεὺς Ἀντίοχος Μελεά-
γρωι χαίρειν. Δεδώκαμεν Ἀριστοδικίδηι τῶι Ἀσσίωι
γῆς ἐργασίμου πλέθρα δισχίλια προσενέγκασθαι 20
πρὸς τὴν Ἰλιέων πόλιν ἢ Σκηψίων. Σὺ οὖν σύνταξον
παραδεῖξαι Ἀριστοδικίδηι ἀπὸ τῆς ὁμορούσης τῆι
Γεργιθίαι ἢ τῆι Σκηψίαι, οὗ ἂν δοκιμάζηις τὰ δισχίλια
πλέθρα τῆς γῆς καὶ προσορίσαι εἰς τὴν Ἰλιέων ἢ τὴν
Σκηψίων. ἔῤῥωσο. Βασιλεὺς Ἀντίοχος Μελε- 25
άγρωι χαίρειν. Ἐνέτυχεν ἡμῖν Ἀριστοδικίδης ὁ
Ἄσσιος ἀξιῶν δοῦναι αὐτῶι ἡμᾶς ἐν τῆι ἐφ’ Ἑλλησ-
πόντου σατραπείαι τὴν Πέτραν, ἣμ πρότερον
εἶχεν Μελέαγρος καὶ τῆς χώρας τῆς Πετρίδος
ἐργασίμου πέθρα[223] χίλια πεντακόσια καὶ ἄλλα 30
γῆς πλέθρα δισχίλια ἐργασίμου ἀπὸ τῆς ὁμο-
ρούσης τῆι πρότερον δοθείσηι αὐτῶι μεριδίωι (;)
καὶ ἡμεῖς τήν τε Πέτραν δεδώκαμεν αὐτῶι, εἰ
μὴ δέδοται ἄλλωι πρότερον καὶ τὴγ χώραν τὴν
πρὸς τῆι Πέτραι καὶ ἄλλα γῆς πλέθρα δισχίλια 35
ἐργασίμου, διὰ τὸ φίλον ὄντα ἡμέτερον παρεσ-
χῆσθαι ἡμῖν τὰς καθ’ αὑτὸν χρείας μετὰ πάση(ς)
εὐνοίας καὶ προθυμίας. Σὺ οὖν ἐπισκεψάμενος
εἰ μὴ δέδοται ἄλλωι πρότερον αὕτη ἡ μερίς (;), πα-
ράδειξον αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν πρὸς αὐτῆι χώραν Ἀρισ- 40
τοδικικίδηι[224] καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς χώρας τῆς ὁμο-
ρούσης τῆι πρότερον δεδομένηι χώραι Ἀριστοδι-
κίδηι σύνταξον καταμετρῆσαι καὶ παραδεῖξαι
αὐτῶι πλέθρα δισχίλια καὶ ἐᾶσαι αὐτῶι προσενέγ-
κασθαι πρὸς ἣν ἂμ βούληται πόλιν τῶν ἐν τῆι χώραι 45
τε καὶ συμμαχίαι· οἱ δὲ βασιλικοὶ λαοὶ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ τό-
που, ἐν ὧι ἐστὶν ἡ Πέτρα, ἐὰμ βούλωνται οἰκεῖν ἐν τῆ(ι)
Πέτραι ἀσφαλείας ἕνεκε, συντετάχαμεν Ἀριστο-
τοδικίδηι[225] ἐᾶν αὐτοὺς οἰκεῖν. ἔῤῥωσο.
Βασιλεὺς Ἀντίοχος Μελεάγρωι χαίρειν. Ἐνέτυχεν ἡ- 50
μῖν Ἀριστοδικίδης, φάμενος Πέτραν τὸ χωρίον καὶ τὴ(γ)
χώραν τὴν συγκυροῦσαν, περὶ ἧς πρότερον ἐγράψαμεν
διδόντες αὐτῶι, οὐδ’ ἔτι καὶ νῦν παρειληφέναι, διὰ τὸ Ἀθη-
ναίωι τῶι ἐπὶ τοῦ ναυστάθμου ἐπικεχωρῆσθαι, καὶ ἠξί-
ωσεν ἀντὶ μὲν τῆς Πετρίτιδος χώρας παραδειχθῆνα(ι) 55
αὐτῶι τὰ ἴσα πλέθρα, συγχωρηθῆναι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα πλέ-
θρα δισχίλια προσενέγκασθαι πρὸς ἣν ἂμ βούληται
τῶμ πόλεων τῶν ἐν τῆι ἡμετέραι συμμαχίαι, καθά-
περ καὶ πρότερον ἐγράψαμεν. Ὁρῶντες οὖν αὐτὸν
εὔνουν ὄντα καὶ πρόθυμον εἰς τὰ ἡμέτερα πράγμα- 60
τα, βουλόμεθα πολυωρεῖν τἀνθρώπου, καὶ περὶ
τούτων συγκεχωρήκαμεν. Φησὶν δὲ εἶναι τῆς
Πετρίτιδος χώρας τὰ συγχωρηθέντα αὐτῶι
πλέθρα χίλια πεντακόσια. Σύνταξον οὖν κατα-
μετρῆσαι Ἀριστοδικίδηι καὶ παραδεῖξαι γῆς 65
ἐργασίμου τά τε δισχίλια καὶ πεντακόσια πλέ-
θρα καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν περὶ τὴν Πέτραν ἄλλα ἐργα-
σίμου χίλια πεντακόσια ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς χώ-
ρας τῆς συνοριζούσης τῆι ἐν ἀρχῆι δοθείσηι
αὐτῶι παρ’ ἡμῶν· ἐᾶσαι δὲ καὶ προσενέγκασθαι 70
τὴν χώραν Ἀριστοδικίδην πρὸς ἣν ἂν βούληται
πόλιν τῶν ἐν τῆι ἡμετέραι συμμαχίαι, καθά-
περ καὶ ἐν τῆι πρότερον ἐπιστολῆι ἐγράψα-
μεν. ἔῤῥωσο.
This inscription, the great historical value of which cannot be denied,
seems certainly to belong to the third century B.C., judging from the
subject as well as from the form of the letters, for the king Antiochus
repeatedly mentioned must either be Antiochus I., surnamed Soter (281 to
260 B.C.), or Antiochus III., the Great (222 to 186). Polybius, who was
born in 210 or 200 B.C., and died in 122 B.C., in his History (XXVIII.
1, and XXXI. 21) speaks indeed of a Meleager who lived in his time, and
was an ambassador of Antiochus Epiphanes, who reigned from 174 to 164,
and it is quite possible that this Meleager afterwards became satrap of
the satrapy of the Hellespont, and that, in this office, he wrote to the
Ilians the first letter of this inscription. But in the first letter of
Antiochus to his satrap Meleager, he gives him the option of assigning
to Aristodicides the 2000 plethra of land, either from the district
bordering upon the territory of Gergis or upon that of Scepsis. The town
of Gergis, however, according to Strabo, was destroyed by king Attalus
I. of Pergamus, who reigned from 241 to 197 B.C., and who transplanted
the inhabitants to the neighbourhood of the sources of the Caïcus in
Mysia. These sources, however, as Strabo himself says, are situated very
far from Mount Ida, and hence also from Ilium. Two thousand plethra of
land at such a distance could not have been of any use to the Ilians;
consequently, it is impossible to believe that the inscription can be
speaking of the new town of Gergitha, which was rising to importance at
the sources of the Caïcus. I now perfectly agree with Mr. Frank
Calvert,[226] and with Consul von Hahn,[227] that the site of Gergis is
indicated by the ruins of the small town and acropolis at the extreme
end of the heights behind Bunarbashi, which was only a short time ago
regarded by most archæologists as the site of the Homeric Troy. This
site of Gergis, in a direct line between Ilium and Scepsis, the ruins of
which are to be seen further away on the heights of Mount Ida, agrees
perfectly with the inscription. Livy (XXXV. 43) gives an account of the
visit of Antiochus III., the Great. I also find in the ‘Corpus
Inscriptionum Græcarum,’ No. 3596, that the latter had a general called
Meleager, who may subsequently have become satrap of the Hellespont. On
the other hand, Chishull, in his ‘Antiquitates Asiaticæ,’ says that
Antiochus I., Soter, on an expedition with his fleet against the King of
Bithynia, stopped at the town of Sigeum, which lay near Ilium, and that
the king went up to Ilium with the queen, who was his wife and sister,
and with the great dignitaries and his suite. There is, indeed, nothing
said of the brilliant reception which was there prepared for him, but
there is an account of the reception which was arranged for him in
Sigeum. The Sigeans lavished servile flattery upon him, and not only did
they send ambassadors to congratulate him, but the Senate also passed a
decree, in which they praised the king’s actions to the skies, and
proclaimed that public prayers should be offered up to the Ilian Athena,
to Apollo (who was regarded as his ancestor), to the goddess of Victory
and to other deities, for his and his consort’s welfare; that the
priestesses and priests, the senators and all the magistrates of the
town should carry wreaths, and that all the citizens and all the
strangers settled or temporarily residing in Sigeum should publicly
extol the virtues and the bravery of the great king; further, that a
gold equestrian statue of the king, standing on a pedestal of white
marble, should be erected in the temple of Athena in Sigeum, and that it
should bear the inscription: “The Sigeans have erected this statue to
King Antiochus, the son of Seleucus, for the devotion he has shown to
the temple, and because he is the benefactor and the saviour of the
people; this mark of honour is to be proclaimed in the popular
assemblies and at the public games.” However, in this wilderness it is
impossible for me to find out from which ancient classic writer this
episode has been taken.
It is very probable that a similar reception awaited Antiochus I. in
Ilium, so that he kept the city in good remembrance. That he cherished
kindly feelings towards the Ilians is proved also by the inscription No.
3595 in the ‘Corpus Inscriptionum Græcarum.’ But whether it is he or
Antiochus the Great that is referred to in the inscription I do not
venture to decide.
Aristodicides, of Assos, who is frequently mentioned in the inscription,
is utterly unknown, and this name occurs here for the first time; the
name of the place Petra also, which is mentioned several times in the
inscription, is quite unknown; it must have been situated in this
neighbourhood, but all my endeavours to discover it in the modern
Turkish names of the localities, or by other means, have been made in
vain.
The other inscription runs as follows:--
ΩΝΙΟΥΤΟΥΕΥΔ
ΟΣΜΕΝ ΟΥΚΑΜΕΝΑΧΟΣΓΛΑΥΚΟ
ΕΠΕΓΡΑΨΑΜΕΝΕΙΣΣΤΗΛΗΝΚΑΤΑΤΟΝΝΟΜΟΝΕΡΓΟΦΙΛΟΝΠΑΤΡΟΣΟΥ
ΧΡΗΜΑΤΙΣΖΗΕΖΗΜΙΩΜΕΝΟΝΥΠΟΤΩΝΠΡΟΤΑΝΕΩΝΤΩΝΠΕΡΙΔΙΟ
ΦΑΝΗΝΗΓΗΣΙΔΗΜΟΥΟΦΙΛΟΝΤΑΤΟΥΣΚΑΤΑΤΟΝΝΟΜΟΝΣΤΑΤΗΡΑΣΔΥΟ 5
ΚΑΙΜΗΝΟΓΕΝΗΝΜΝΗΣΑΡΧΟΥΚΑΙΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΩΡΟΝΦΑΝΙΑΚΑΙΔΙΟΜΗΔΗΝ
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΟΥΕΖΗΜΙΩΜΕΝΟΥΣΥΠΟΤΩΝΠΡΥΤΑΝΕΩΝΤΩΝΠΕΡΙΔΙΟΦΑΝΗΝ
ΗΓΗΣΙΔΗΜΟΥΥΠΟΗΜΕΡΑΣΤΡΕΙΣΟΦΙΛΟΝΤΑΣΕΚΑΣΤΟΝΑΥΤΩΝΣΤΑΤΗΡΑΣΔΥΟ
ΜΗΝΟΔΟΤΟΝΜΗΝΟΔΟΤΟΥΚΑΙΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗΝΚΑΙΜΗΝΟΔΟΤΟΝΤΟΥΣΗΡΑΚΛΕΙ
ΔΟΥΕΖΗΜΙΩΜΕΝΟΥΣΥΠΟΤΩΝΠΕΡΙΦΑΙΝΩΝΑΚΤΑΕΥΔΗΜΟΥΠΡΥΤΑ 10
ΝΕΩΝΟΦΙΛΟΝΤΑΕΚΑΣΤΟΝΑΥΤΩΝΣΤΑΤΗΡΑΣΔΥΟ
ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΩΡΟΝΜΗΝΟΦΑΝΤΟΥΕΖΗΜΙΩΜΕΝΟΝΥΠΟΤΩΝΝΟ
ΜΟΦΥΛΑΚΩΝΤΩΝΠΕΡΙΙΠΠΑΡΧΟΝΗΓΗΣΙΔΗΜΟΥΟΦΙΛΟΝ
ΤΑΣΤΑΤΗΡΑΣΔΥΟ
........................
...................ωνίου τοῦ Εὐδ....
......οσμεν.........ουκαμεναχος γλαυκο..
ἐπεγράψαμεν εἰς στήλην κατὰ τὸν νόμον Ἐργόφιλον Πατρόσου (;)
Χρήματις[228] ζη[229] ἐζημιωμένον ὑπὸ τῶν προτάνεων[230] τῶν περὶ Διο-
φάνην Ἡγησιδήμου, ὀ(φ)ίλοντα τοὺς κατ(ὰ) τὸν νόμον στατῆρας δύο 5
καὶ Μηνογένην Μνησ(άρχ;)ου καὶ Ἀρτεμίδωρον Φανία καὶ Διομήδην
Ἀπολλωνίου, ἐζημιωμένους ὑπὸ τῶν πρυτάνεων τῶν περὶ Διοφά(νην)
Ἡγησιδήμου ὑπὸ ἡμέρας τρεῖς ὀφίλοντας ἕκαστον αὐτῶν στατῆρας δύο.
Μηνόδοτον Μηνοδότου καὶ Ἡρακλείδην καὶ Μηνόδοτον τοὺς Ἡρακλεί-
δου ἐζημιωμένους ὑπὸ τῶν περὶ Φαινώνακτα Εὐδήμου πρυτά- 10
νεων, ὀφείλοντα ἕκαστον αὐτῶν στατῆρας δύο.
Ἀρτεμίδωρον Μηνοφάντον ἐζημιωμένον ὑπὸ τῶν νο-
μοφυλάκων τῶν περὶ Ἵππαρχον Ἡγησιδήμου, ὀφίλον-
τα στατῆρας δύο.
In the inscription quoted in the ‘Corpus Inscriptionum Græcarum’ under
No. 3604, which is admitted to belong to the time of Augustus
Octavianus, Hipparchus is mentioned as a member of the Ilian Council,
and as on line 13 the same name occurs with the same attribute, I do not
hesitate to maintain that the above inscription belongs to the same
period.