The inscription, dated to 394/3 BC, consists of two decrees, issued a short distance apart, in favour of Sthorys, a soothsayer from Thasos. The first decree, enacted by the council, orders, at Sthory’s request, the erection of two stelae inscribed with the deliberations of the people concerning him, to be placed on the Acropolis and in the temple of Apollo Pythius (ll. 8-11). It also mentions an earlier provision of the Assembly conferring Athenian citizenship upon Sthorys and his descendants, as a reactivation of the citizenship granted to his ancestors, who were also proxenoi and benefactors of the Athenian people (ll. 5-8; for similar cases in which the naturalisation decree acknowledges previous grants of citizenship see, e.g., IG II3.1 316, ll. 15-21). The second decree, which lacks its prescript, likely represents the original deliberation of the Assembly on Sthorys’ naturalisation, which is referenced in the council’s decree (so Osborne, but see Gauthier’s perplexity).
Both decrees honouring Sthorys should be placed within the same chronological context. Probably after his exile from Thasos, Sthorys found refuge in Athens. Although the inscription does not contain any explicit reference to the honoured man’s status as a phygas (exile), it is possible that Sthorys was forced to flee his homeland due to constitutional instability, in light of the climate of political turmoil in Thasos after 411 BC.
In particular, his expulsion (or voluntary decision to leave the island) should be placed at the time of Lysander’s conquest of the island in 405 BC after the battle of Aegospotamoi. On that occasion, the Spartan navarch massacred the pro-Athenians and established a decarchy in Thasos, while his colleague Eteonikos established pro-Spartan governments on the coast of Thrace (Xenoph. HG 2.2.5; Polyaen. 1.45.4). The supporters of Athens who escaped the massacre took shelter as refugees in Attica, where a large community of Thasian exiles was established (IG II2 24; IG II2 25; IG II2 33; Demosth. 20.59; Agora Inv. No. I 7534; cf. also the decree reaffirming citizenship in IG II2 336). The inscription also provides some information on the personal history of the honoured and the reasons for awarding him public honours.
The event mentioned in the decree – a naval battle (περὶ τῆς ναυμαχίας, ll. 26-27) – is most likely the battle of Knidos (395 BC). Sthorys, who had joined Conon’s fleet as a soothsayer (mantis) before the battle, likely played a pivotal role in the successful outcome of the military operations, forecasting the results of the clash and taking care of the inaugural sacrifices. His expertise as a mantis and his demonstration of loyalty to the Athenians earned him citizenship, a state salary, and an invitation to dine at the Prytaneion. Sthorys is a perfect example of an Athenian supporter, who, through family ties and political orientation, was able to rise from the misfortune of exile and gain the highest honours through the title of benefactor bestowed on him by the Athenians. Sthorys’ prestigious position as soothsayer for the generals also enabled him to restore relations with his homeland, evidence of which is provided by a naturalisation decree for two Thasian exiles, Archippos and Hipparchos. When political circumstances in Thasos shifted with the establishment of a pro-Athenian democratic regime, Sthorys was elected archon in Thasos by the Athenian Assembly at the Thasians’ explicit request (IG II2 24, ll. 28-31). The decree conferring him the archon’s role notably includes a specific reference to his position as a mantis (l. 30), which is indicative of Sthorys’ prestige and fame, evidencing that his professional skills were sufficient to identify him with the community. It is noteworthy that the decree features an entrenchment clause, a rarity in proxenia decrees – as they typically appear in cases of contested concessions related to the granting of citizenship rather than proxenia (the few comparable cases date to the 3rd century BC: I.Priene 12; IG XII.8 267 and IG XII Suppl. 358 from Thasos; I.Ilion 24).
ἔδοξεν τῆι βολῆι· Αἰγηὶς [ἐπρυτάνευε, Ἀριστοκρ]-
άτης ἐγραμμάτευε, Ἀμειψ̣[ίας ἐπεστάτε, – – – – 7 – 8 – – -]
εἶπε· ἐπαινέσαι Σθόρυν [τὸν μάντιν (?), ὅτι πρόθυμό]-
ς ἐστι ποε͂ν ὅ τι δύναται [ἀγαθὸν – – – – – – – 12 – 14 – – – – – -]
5 τὴν πόλιν τὴν Ἀθηναίων [- – – – – – – – – – 18 – 20 – – – – – – – – -]
ἐπειδὴ αὐτο͂ ἦσαν οἱ πρόγον̣[οι πρόξενοί τε καὶ εὐ]-
εργέται τῆς πόλεως τῆς Ἀθη[ναίων, αὐτὸν δὲ καὶ πο]-
λίτην ἐποιήσαντο Ἀθηναῖοι, [ἀναγράψαι – – – – 6 – 8 – – -]
τὸν γραμματέα τῆς βολῆς ἐν σ[τήλαιν λιθίναιν ἐν]
10 πόληι καὶ ἐν Πυθίο τὰ ἐψηφι[σμένα περὶ Σθόρυος]
τ̣[ῶ]ι δήμωι. καλέσαι δὲ Σθόρυ[ν ⟦καὶ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον⟧]-
[εἰς α]ὔριον ⟦ἐς τὸ πρυτανεῖο[ν]⟧. vacat
[Ἀρι]στοκράτης Αἰσχίνο Κεφ[αλῆθεν ἐγραμμάτευε],
[Εὐ]β̣ολίδης Ἐ̣[λ]ευσίνιος ἦρ[χεν (394/3) ἐπὶ τῆς Αἰγηίδος]
15 [πρυτα]νε̣ία̣[ς. vv] vacat
[vacat]
[vacat]
[vacat]
[- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -]
20 [. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]ν
[. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . εἶ]πε·
[. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ἐψη]φισμέ-
[ν . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .] καὶ τὸ
[. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . . ἐπει]δὴ πρότε-
25 [ρόν . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . .] Ἀθηναίοις
[καὶ ὅ]τ̣ι προ[εῖπε? . . . . 8 . . . . τὰ γενόμ(?)]ενα περὶ τῆς
ν̣αυμαχίας [μαντευσάμενος? ἐκ τῶν ἱ]ε̣ρῶν τῶν εἰσι-
τητηρίων Ω[. . . . . 10 . . . . . καὶ τὰ] ἄ̣λ̣[λα ἐσ]τὶ ἀνὴρ ἀγα-
θὸς περὶ τὴ[ν πόλιν τὴν Ἀ]θ̣ην[αί]ων κ̣[αὶ ο]ἱ πρόγονο[ι]
30 πρότερον, κα̣[ὶ ἐ͂ναι αὐ]τὸν Ἀθ[ην]αῖο[ν, γρά]⟨ψ⟩ασθαι δ[ὲ]
αὐτὸν εἰς φυ[λὴν κα]ὶ δῆμον ἵ[ν’ ἂ]ν βόλ̣[ηται]· τὸς δὲ [στ]-
ρατηγὸς τὸς [ἐνθ]άδε ἀποδο͂να[ι] αὐτῶ[ι τὸν μι]σθ̣ὸ̣ν̣ [ὅ]-
σομπερ πέρυ[σι]ν ἔφερε· τὸν δὲ [γ]ραμμ[ατέα τ]ῆ̣ς βολ[ῆ]-
ς ἀναγράψαι τὸ ψήφισμα τόδε [τέ]λε̣[σι τοῖ]ς Σθόρυ[ο]-
35 ς ἐν στήληι [ἵ]ναπερ αὐτῶι τὰ π̣[ρ]ό̣τερ[α ψηφί]σματα [ἀ]-
ναγέγραπται· ἐὰν δέ τις ταῦ̣[τ]α ἄκυρ[α ποι]ῆι, ὀφε[λέ]-
τω χιλίας [δ]ρ̣α̣χμὰ̣ς ἱε̣ρ̣[ὰς τῆ]ι Ἀθηναία[ι καὶ] τῶι Ἀ[πό]-
λλωνι τῶ[ι] Πυθίωι ἑτέρα̣[ς]· ἐ͂ναι δὲ ταῦ[τα κ]αὶ τοῖς [ἐ]-
κγόνοις τοῖς Σθόρυος· καλέσαι δὲ αὐ[τὸν] ἐπὶ δε[ῖπ]-
40 νον εἰς [τ]ὸ πρυτανεῖον εἰς αὔριον. vacat
IDecree 1
The Council decided. Aigeis was in prytany. Aristokrates was secretary. Ameipsias was chairman – proposed: to praise Sthorys [the seer? because he is keen] to do whatever good he can … the city of the Athenians … since his ancestors were [proxenoi and] benefactors of the city of the Athenians, and the Athenians made [him] a citizen, the secretary of the Council [shall inscribe] … what the People have voted [about Sthorys on two stone stelai] on the acropolis and in the Pythion; and to invite Sthorys also to dinner tomorrow in the city hall.
Aristokrates son of Aischines of Kephale was secretary. Euboulides of Eleusis was archon. In the prytany [of Aigeis]. At least 3 lines uninscribed.
Decree 2
proposed: . . . voted . . . and the . . . since previously . . . for the Athenians [and] because he predicted (?) . . . what happened (?) concerning the sea battle [divining from?] the inaugural sacrifices . . . and in other respects is a good man concerning [the city] of the Athenians, and his ancestors before him, and he shall be an Athenian; and he shall be enrolled in the tribe and deme that he wishes; and the generals there shall pay him his salary, the same as he received last year; and the secretary of the Council shall inscribe this decree at the expense of Sthorys on a stone stele where the previous decrees for him have been inscribed; and if anyone makes these things invalid, he shall owe a thousand drachmas, sacred to Athena and another thousand to Apollo Pythios; and these things shall also apply to the descendants of Sthorys; and to invite him to dinner in the city hall tomorrow (translated by S. Lambert).
- M. Dillon, Omens and Oracles: Divination in Ancient Greece, London, New York 2017
- S. Lambert, Inscribed Athenian Laws and Decrees in the Age of Demosthenes, Leiden, Boston 2017
- Ph. Gauthier, L’octroi du droit de cite à Athènes, REG 99, 1986, 119-133
- L. Loddo, Forced Migrations, Self-imposed Exile and Opportunities for Social Promotion in Classical Athens: Prospects for Groups and Individuals, RaRe 13.1, 2019, 79-110
- L. Loddo, Ἕως ἂν κατέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν αὐτῶν: Did the Athenians Reduce their Reception of Refugees in the Fourth Century B.C.?, Pallas 112, 2020, 199-230
- W. Mack, Proxeny and Polis: Institutional Networks in the Ancient Greek World, Oxford 2015
- M.J. Osborne, Honours for Sthorys (IG ii2 17), ABSA 65, 1970, 151-174
- M.J. Osborne, Naturalization in Athens, Volume II. Commentaries on the Decrees Granting Citizenship, Brussel 1982