Chapter Four

The Victors Lists: IG II2 2325A–H

The inscriptions conventionally referred to as appears in IG II2; two additional fragments were the Victors Lists (IG II2 2325, divided here into published by Peppas-Delmousou in 1977. Our eight separate parts, which we label A–H) are reconstruction also incorporates SEG XLVIII 183, preserved on 43 fragments of a set of architrave which has not previously been associated with blocks of white “Pentelic” marble.1 Köhler (1878) this monument. 241 reported that most of the fragments known What must be the exterior face of fr. q of IG II2 to him had been found on the south slope of the 2325 preserves the badly battered remains of a Acropolis, a circumstance that has generally been commemorative agonistic inscription (IG II2 3080) taken to suggest that the building to which the for a year in which Deinon of Aegina (Stephanis blocks belonged stood in the sacred precinct of #590, where the inscription is mistakenly cited Dionysus. There can in any case be no question as “IG II2 308”) served as the pipe-player for the of any connection with the wall or structure on victorious tribe in the boys’ dithyramb, sc. at the which IG II2 2318 was inscribed, which dates to City Dionysia.3 Deinon is known to have com- the mid-340s BCE or earlier and probably stood peted in a festival in Delphi in either 260/59 or somewhere on the Acropolis.2 39 fragments of 256/5 BCE (SGDI 2563.28 = Nachtergael, Galates the Victors Lists were known in Kirchner’s time no. 7.28), and Reisch (1907) 303 argued that the and are included in the version of the text that structure on which IG II2 2325 and 3080 appeared should in addition be associated with IG II2 2853 (also white “Pentelic” marble and from the 1 Of the 43 fragments, one (SEG XLVIII 183) was once south slope of the Acropolis), in which an ago- seen and copied, but no longer exists. Fundamental treat- nothete announces a dedication to Dionysus in ments of the material include Wilhelm (1906a) 89–166; the archonship of Anaxicrates (279/8 BCE).4 The Capps (1899) and (1900b); Reisch (1907). Also important, and generally more accessible, are O’Connor (1908) 45–66; latter date is compatible with what we know of Pickard-Cambridge (1988) 112–20 (omitting some of the the history of IG II2 2325, the original portions more badly damaged sections of the lists); Ghiron-Bistagne of which seem to break off around 280 BCE; see (1976) 53–62 (with particular attention to victorious actors); Mette (1977) 159–88. For convenience’s sake, we follow the below. standard convention of using Wilhelm’s designations for The blocks on which IG II2 2325 appeared were the stones (see [1906a] 99), which run from a to z, and inscribed with eight separate lists, offering the then again from a´ to o´, but with j and j´ excluded (hence names of the poets and actors who took the prize presumably the miscount “41” in Pickard-Cambridge [1988] 116), with the order of the letters reflecting Wilhelm’s self- at the City Dionysia and Lenaea, in the order in consciously eccentric division of the material (considerably which these men achieved their first victory at improved since then; see below): a–b = tragic poets vic- torious at the Dionysia; c = tragic poets victorious at the Lenaea; d–h = comic poets victorious at the Dionysia; i–o = comic poets victorious at the Lenaea; p–q = tragic actors 3 IG II2 3080 a.3–5 [᾿Ακαμ]αντὶς π[αίδων ἐνίκα] / [Δ]είνων victorious at the Dionysia; r–w = tragic actors victorious at Αἰγινή[της ηὔλει] / Κλεάριτος ᾿Αρκὰς [ἐδίδασκε]. the Lenaea; x–c´ = victorious comic actors, not differenti- 4 IG II2 2853 [ὁ δεῖνα - - - δ]ώρου Φρεά[ρ]ριος [Διονύ]σωι ated by festival; d´–o´ = unassigned. ἀ[ν]έθηκεν / [ - - - καὶ ἀγω]νοθέτης [γενόμενος· ’Αναξ]ικράτης 2 For Reisch’s theory that the Didascaliae (IG II2 2319– ἦρχεν. Summa (2003), esp. 299–302, argues for a connection 23a, etc.) were inscribed on the walls of the buildings whose with the pride resulting from a general revival in Athens’ architrave blocks displayed the Victors Lists, see below. political fortunes in the 280s BCE. 134 chapter four the festival in question, and with the individual’s • comic poets victorious at the City Dionysia name followed by his lifetime-total number of (2325C; remains of seven columns, one restored, victories at that festival. The headings of the lists probably representing the full extent of the of tragic actors victorious at both contests (IG II2 catalogue) 2325B.1 and H.1) and of comic poets victorious • comic actors victorious at the City Dionysia at the Lenaea (IG II2 2325C.1–2) are preserved, (2325D; remains of four columns, one restored, and suggest that the material was divided in the with most likely one column lost at the end) first instance by festival, with the name of the • comic poets victorious at the Lenaea (2325E; festival omitted after the first mention of it, and remains of eight columns, probably represent- that poets were listed before actors within each ing the full extent of the catalogue) festival-genre group.5 The original stone-cutter, • comic actors victorious at the Lenaea (2325F; at least, presented the material in columns of remains of seven columns, three restored, 17 lines apiece, with a few lines occasionally left probably representing the full extent of the blank at the foot of a column (e.g., in the list of catalogue) comic poets victorious at the Lenaea at IG II2 • tragic poets victorious at the Lenaea (2325G; 2325C.33–4). Although many columns have been remains of three columns, one restored, with lost completely, the number that are missing can three to four columns lost at the end) generally be determined; the overall total appears • tragic actors victorious at the Lenaea (2325H; to have been around 60. Kirchner numbered the remains of eight columns, probably represent- columns (both preserved and restored) of each ing the full extent of the catalogue) section independently but maintained continu- ous line-numbers throughout, while excluding The surviving portions of three of the eight lists vacats and lost columns and lines from his count (IG II2 2325A, B and G) preserve material that even when the precise number of such columns dates exclusively to 300 BCE or earlier and is or lines could be known. The result is a text that entirely in the hand of the original stone-cutter. is both difficult to understand and incapable The remaining lists feature additions by other of accommodating new fragments when they hands, consistent with a series of updatings: appear, as has happened in the last generation and may happen again. We accordingly pres- • The first hand ends at IG II2 2325C.83 and F.83, ent these instead as eight separate inscriptions, and a new hand begins in both cases in the each with its own set of line-numbers. We have next line. This must represent the end of the nonetheless retained the order of the sections original lists, inscribed most likely in 279/8 BCE proposed by Reisch (1907) 301–2, and followed, (see above) but in any case, on the prosopo- in his own way, by Kirchner in IG II2: graphical evidence, sometime in the 280s–270s BCE or so, and the beginning of the first set • tragic poets victorious at the City Dionysia of updatings. The original hand also breaks (2325A; remains of four columns, one restored, off at points compatible with this date within with two to three columns lost at the end) missing portions of the lists in IG II2 2325D • tragic actors victorious at the City Dionysia (between lines 30 and 43), E (between lines 67 (2325B; remains of four columns, one restored, and 86) and H (between lines 75 and 94). with approximately four columns lost at the • The second hand ends at IG II2 2325F.95 (line end) 96 is lost), and a third hand appears at IG II2 2325F.97; the prosopographical evidence sug- gests that the entries at this point date to the 260s­–250s BCE or so. This date is compatible 5 Thus Wilhelm (1906a) 96. with changes of hand within missing portions