IG IV 1.2 73 (Moretti nr. 48). List of nomographoi from Epidaurus (between 210 and 207/6 BC)

At Epidaurus, one of the inscriptions from the sanctuary of Asclepius contains a law of the Achaean confederation relating to the cult of Hygieia, the goddess of health, dating from the late third century BC.

The inscription consists of two mismatched fragments (A and B). Fragment B concerns provisions on sacrifices to Hygieia addressed to the priests of Asclepius, with whose cult Hygieia is apparently associated in these regulations (B, ll. 31-36). The preamble (A, ll. 1-3) makes it clear that the law was drafted by federal magistrates, the nomographoi, of whom the inscription preserves a list in this order: origin, name of the magistrate, patronymic (ll. 4-30). There is no indication that the nomographoi, known from other documents of the Achaean league (I.Magnesia 38; SEG 58.417; Syll.³ 684) and attested elsewhere in the Greek world (Chios, Rhodes-Osborne, GHI 84; Teos, Welles RC 3/4), had legislative authority; rather, they were responsible for drafting legislation and including the deliberations of the league Assembly in the body of federal laws. Epidaurus’ list of nomographoi provides a valuable insight into the functioning of the Achaean league, attesting to the activity of 24 nomographoi and one secretary in a federal context, selected from 17 cities of the league based on proportional representation. Although this criterion has been questioned in favour of other methods of selection (selection ek panton; rotation principle; selection from 5 administrative districts), the discovery of an epigraphic document from Aigion (SEG 58.417, 191-182 BC), which has been interpreted as a federal law followed by a list of the nomographoi who drafted it, led A. Rizakis to confirm that there appears to have been applied a principle of proportional representation, taking into account the demographic factor in accordance with logic 3.2.1: the largest cities express 3 nomographoi, medium-sized cities 2, smaller cities only 1 nomographos.

Translation

God. Good fortune. The Achaian lawgivers establish this law regarding Hygieia. The representative of Epidauros was Archelochos son of Timais; of Hermione, Amphainetos son of Mnamon; of Argos, Lysippos son of Damokritos, Timokrates son of Timon, and Philodamos son of Philarchos; of Kleonai, Nikias son of Xenokles; of Sikyon, Dexias son of Dexis and Pythokles son of Pythodoros; of Phleious, Archeas son of Euteleidas; of Pheneos, Pantainetos son of Diophanes; of Pellene, Aischylos son of Archimedes; of Boura, Diphilos son of Damokrates; of Aigion, Teisias son of Echekrates and Neolaidas; of Patrai, Aganoridas son of Timanoridas; of Dyme, Thyion son of Lykon and Samophanes son of Theuxenos; of Pharai, Xenon son of Satyros; of Tritaia, Aristeas son of Aristes; of Lousoi, Akragas son of Kleïs; of Megalopolis, Pyrranthos son of Hieronymos, Lysimachos son of Lysip[os], and Kallidamos son of Kallima[chos]; of Ascheion, Aristobou[los son of Leont]ichos. The secretar[y . . . ]leus[i]. . . . Let [the priests of] Asklepios [sa]crifice to Hygiei[a] at the festival a cow . . . and bu[rn] the skin. Let [the priests] of As[klepios] [pre]side [over all the] sacrifices (translated by E. Mackil).

• T. Corsten, Vom Stamm zum Bund. Gründung und territoriale Organisation griechischer Bundesstaaten, München 1999
• F. Gschnitzer, Die Nomographenliste von Epidauros (IG IV 12, 73) und der Achäische Bund im späten 3. Jh. v. Chr., ZPE 58, 1985, 103-116
• G.A. Lehmann, Erwägungen zur Struktur des Achaiischen Bundesstaates, ZPE 51, 1983, 237-261
• A.D. Rizakis, Achaie III. Les Cités achéennes: épigraphie et histoire, Athènes 2008
• A.D. Rizakis, Achaians and Lykians: A Comparison of Federal Institutions, in H. Beck, K. Buraselis, A. McAuley (eds.), Ethnos and Koinon: Studies in Ancient Greek Ethnicity and Federalism, Stuttgart 2019, 219-242
• S.K. Sizov, Two Lists of the Achaian Nomographoi, ZPE 198, 2016, 101-109