Laconia Survey Inscriptions

Between 1983 and 1989 a joint team from the British School at Athens and the Universities of Amsterdam and Nottingham carried out an intensive survey of a 70 sq. km. area of Laconia across the Eurotas river to the east of the ancient site of Sparta. In the course of the survey new and previously- known inscriptions were recorded. This site is intended to serve as a complement to G. Shipley's catalogue of epigraphical finds in the survey publication by offering digitised images of squeezes and published photographs of the inscriptions.

Laconian landscape scene within the survey area, to the east of Sparta

The Laconia Survey Inscriptions site was designed and created by Frédérique Landuyt; funding was supplied by a British Academy Small Grant and a grant from the University of Leicester's Faculty of Arts to Graham Shipley .

1 Laconia Survey Inscriptions: Introduction

Th e Laconia Survey was carried out between 1983 and 1989 by a team from the British School at Athens and the Universities of Amsterdam and Nottingham. The survey area comprised a group of koinotites (communes) east of Sparta on the other side of the river Evrotas (ancient Eurotas). Within these communes, an area of some 70 sq km, was intensively field-walked with the aim of recovering data for all periods up to the early nineteenth century ad. The results of the survey form two Supplementary Volumes of the Annual of the British School at Athens (Cavanagh et al. 1996, 2002).

More than four hundred sites were located, and seventy-seven items of epigraphic material were recorded and published (or re-published) in Shipley 1996. Thirty-two of these ( 46 -77 ) are from the modern period, including the period of Greek independence, such as inscribed dates on houses, threshing-floors, chapels, and bridges. A further nineteen ( 27 -45 ) are from monasteries and church es of late Byzantine and early modern dates, mainly from the still functioning monastery complex of Agioi Saranda (Moni Agion Tessarakonta Martyron) a few kilometres east of Sparta (LS site L534). Some of the Agioi Saranda texts had already been published by Sakellaropoulos (1929). Two catalogue numbers ( 15 - 16 ) were reserved for lists of earlier finds within the survey area not rediscovered by the Survey.

The remaining twenty-four items ( 1-14 , 17 -26 ) date from the Roman period and earlier. They are numbered in approximate chronological sequence within the the following categories: 1-14 inscriptions on stone, 17 -21 stamped tiles and bricks, 22 -26 inscriptions on pottery. Our selection of images comprises most of the last group ( 1-2, 4, 6-14 , 18 -24 ). Several of these finds had been published earlier, notably three ancient inscriptions built into structures at Agioi Saranda ( 4; 5, not illustrated here because too poorly preserved; and 7); a fourth ancient stone at Agios Saranda ( 12 ) had not been seen by earlier scholars. Other stone inscriptions no longer in situ are 3 (not illustrated; masons' marks from classical blocks reused in an Ottoman bridge), 6 and 13 (both from a church at Kokkinorrachi just north of Sparta; 6 published in Shipley and Spawforth 1995), 8 and 11 (both in material from a building site, perhaps in Sparta, that was dumped in the river Kelephina), 9 (from a chapel near Aphysou), and 10 (from a ruined spring-house near Agioi Saranda). The stamped tile 18 comes from another dump of building rubble and may have originated in Sparta.

Stone inscriptions associated with archaeological sites proper numbered only two: 1 (a fragment of a late archaic votive stele from the top of Phagia hill, several kilometres east of Sparta) and 2 (classical gravestone from the foot of Palaiogoulas hill, the probable site of the ancient perioikic polis of Sellasia). No. 14 , a semi-literate boundary marker of uncertain date, was found near a late field wall with no associated artefacts. Two tile-stamps ( 17 , 19 ) were found on a low spur near Aphysou, a third ( 20 ) on a hellenistic and Roman site near the river Evrotas. A stamped brick ( 21 ) on a Byzantine and Ottoman site in the hills near the Kelephina had originally been used in the late hellenistic and Roman theatre of Sparta, and so is a stray. Inscribed potsherds - several, so to speak, in situ, though strictly speaking not as they were, of course, surface finds - comprised a very small archaic sherd ( 23 ) from a probable cult site, a fourth-century bc bowl from a field near Aphysou ( 24 ), a poorly preserved lekythos from a hellenistic site near Kokkinorachi ( 25 , not illustrated here), and a pithos sherd with a cross found on a Roman site ( 26 , not illustrated).

The most interesting ceramic find was part of a sixth-century bc vase with a fragmentary inscription from Tsakona ridge, recognized by Graham Shipley as a dedication to Zeus Messapeus ( 22 ; R. W. V. Catling

2 and Shipley 1989). This was the first indication that a shrine of this deity stood on the east side of the Eurotas; the one mentioned by Pausanias (3.20.3) as being 'in the plain' was on the west side of the Sparta valley, at Anthochori. Our inscribed sherd was found below an archaic to Roman cult site (N415) where many terracotta figurines, mainly ithyphallic, were found (Overbeek 1996: 190-1, nos 59 -69 and pls 11 c-13 a) and a cult building was subsequently excavated (H. W. Catling 1990).

The distribution of the epigraphic finds from the Laconia Survey is very strongly centred on Sparta - though the two stone inscriptions found in situ were also at the greatest distance from the town. (See map.) Many of the epigraphic finds within the survey area were transported to the places where they found from their original places of use in or near Sparta. To the in situ finds, however, should be added in situ finds made by earlier explorers within the survey area. These include ancient gravestones, votive bases and stelae, and a variety of other votive objects. Their findspots are either in the neighbourhoods of three villges, Chrysapha ( 15 a, 16 a), Kephalas ( 15 n), and Sellasia (formerly Vourlia; 15 b-d), or on the Menelaion ridge with its sanctuary of Menelaos and Helen ( 15 e-j, o, 16 b-e; also a tile-stamp, 16 f). In addition, the Tsakona excavations produced two stone inscriptions and a tile-stamp relating to the cult of Messapian Zeus ( 15 l-m, 16 g). Thus the use of literacy within the survey area in ancient times was sparse; most finds are archaic or classical, and all are from cultic or funerary contexts.

Graham Shipley, January 2002 University of Leicester

References

Catling, H. W. 1990. A sanctuary of Zeus Messapeus: excavations at Aphyssou, Tsakona , 1989. Annual of the British School at Athens, 85: 15-35.

Catling, R. W. V., and Shipley, D. G. J. 1989. Messapian Zeus: an early sixth-century inscribed cup from Lakonia . Annual of the British School at Athens, 84: 187-200.

Cavanagh, W., Crouwel, J., Catling, R. W. V., and Shipley, G. 1996. Continuity and Change in a Greek Rural Landscape: The Laconia Survey . Vol. ii: Archaeological Data. London: British School at Athens.

Cavanagh, W., Crouwel, J., Catling, R. W. V., and Shipley, G. 2002. Continuity and Change in a Greek Rural Landscape: The Laconia Survey . Vol. i: Results and Interpretation. London: British School at Athens.

Overbeek, M. 1996. The small finds. In Cavanagh et al. 1996, 183-98.

Sakellaropoulos, M. 1929. I iera moni ton Tessarakonta [in Greek]. Athinai.

Shipley, G. 1996. The epigraphic material. In Cavanagh et al. 1996, 213-34.

Shipley, G., and Spawforth, A. 1995. New imperial subscripts to the Spartans. Annual of the British School at Athens , 90: 429-34.

3 Laconia Survey Inscriptions: Location Map

Location Map of Inscriptions within Laconia Survey Area (© A. Sackett and D. Miles-Williams, 2002)

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 4

Letter from Hellenistic or Roman ruler (?)

Fragment of letter from hellenistic or Roman ruler (?), built into wall at monastery of Agioi Saranda (site L534). Ed. pr. H. J. W. Tillyard, BSA 13 (1906-7), 191, no. 47; IG v. 1. 10; LS ii. 213-14, no. 4 and pl. 18 c. (reprinted in SEG 47. 355) Marble, 0.24 x 0.17 x more than 0.04. Approx. late 2nd or 1st cent. BC. Images: LS ii, pl. 18 c + digital scan of squeeze.

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 4

5 Laconia Survey Inscription No. 6

Imperial subscript to the Spartans

Fragment of imperial subscript to the Spartans, built into church of Agios Nikolaos at Kokkinorachi (site J4007). Ed. pr. G. Shipley and A. Spawforth, 'New imperial subscripts to the Spartans', BSA 90 (1995), 429-34; SEG 45. 282; summary at LS ii. 214 no. 6 and pl. 18 d = BSA 90, pl. 43 a; SEG 46. 398 Marble, 0.36 x 0.25 x more than 0.02. Reign of Claudius? Image: unpublished photograph (. . .); BSA pl. 43 b is a photograph of the squeeze).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 6

Scanned image of squeeze of inscription no. 6

Greek Text

Translation

" [. . . S]igned. [. . .] to me and my house will be [. . .] if you ever give up (or 'desist from') the [. . .] to be of like mind and show good will, hear[. . . ] into the ancestral upbringing of the [Lakedaimonians? . . . m]anaging, to conduct civic affairs of which [. . .] do not ruin (your) reputation di[. . . engaging in st]asis. Petition. [. . .]ar ia. [. . .] your obligation in respect of military affairs [. . .]imos. Signed. . . .]etos for the mil[it- (?) . . .]tych[ "

The text printed in LS inadvertently omitted the ninth and tenth letters of line 2 (tau, omega; there is no

7 iota, despite SEG 45. 282).

The author of one section (Claudius?) reproves the Spartans after a period of civil unrest, perhaps associated with the rule of the Euryclids. The document is taken by Spawforth as evidence that communication between cities and emperors by 'petition and response' was more widespread than in the post-Hadrianic era.

For the suggestion that 'Signed' in each case should be taken with what follows, see P. Gauthier, Bull. ép. 1996, no. 204.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 7

Subscript of imperial official (?)

Fragment of subscript of imperial official, built into church at monastery of Agioi Saranda (site L534). IG v. 1. 16; SEG 42. 309; N. M. Kennell, 'IG V 1, 16 and the gerousia of Roman Sparta', Hesperia, 61 (1992), 193-202 and pl. 46; LS ii. 216-17, no. 7 and pl. 19 a. (reprinted in SEG 47. 356) Marble, 0.30 x 0.21 x more than 0.02. Approx. AD 61 (Kennell). Image: unpublished photograph (Y84.i.15a).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 7

Scanned image of squeeze of inscription no. 7

Greek Text

Translation (based on Kennell's text and commentary)

"(col. i) [N]e[ro Claudius Caesar? . . .] (col. ii) But for the future, nothing ille[gal . . .] to request from you. By this section [. . .] For these (men?) Augus[tus . . .] But [the] people [in obedience to?] many of our [letters? . . .] . . . expelled . . . has been written [in the?] l[aw about these matters? . . .] the 28 regi[stered? . . .]"

Kennell's text is for the most part more accurate than that in LS ii. 216-17. In particular, in line 6 the last letter, upsilon, was misprinted as nu in LS, while the first letter of line 7, mu, should have been dotted, as should the sixth, seventh, and eighth (gamma, epsilon, gamma) of line 8 (which Kennell reads as epsilon, gamma, and gamma, all dotted). Kennell restores the name of the emperor Nero in a rasura

10 in lines 1-2 of column i (the rasura can be seen clearly at the top left of our image). In line 3, however, Kennell misses the probable upsilon before the delta; and the last letter of line 8 (which Kennell dots) is certainly rho.

The Augustus whose act or judgement is cited in line 4 could be the emperor of that name or a successor. The expulsion mentioned in line 6 probably involved a member of the Euryclid dynasty of Sparta (Kennell 196). The 'twenty-eight' of the last line, rather than being a date (as assumed in LS), is a reference to the twenty-three gerontes and five ephors of first-century AD Sparta. The chief importance of the document, as shown by Kennell, lies in its implicit confirmation that the membership of the Gerousia remained at twenty-three.

]

11 Laconia Survey Inscription No. 8

Fragment of public inscription

Fragment of public inscription, found in the bed of the river Kelephina (site j67). LS ii. 217, no. 8 and pl. 91 b. (reprinted in SEG 47. 366) Marble, c.0.28 x 0.16 x 0.25. 1st cent. BC or 1st cent. AD. Image: unpublished photograph (. . .).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 8

12 Scanned image of squeeze of inscription no. 8

Greek Text

Untranslatable.

13 Laconia Survey Inscription No. 9

Fragment of career inscription (?)

Fragment of career inscription (?), built into chapel of Agios Georgios near Aphisiou (site J369). LS ii. 217-18, no. 9 and pl. 19 c. (reprinted in SEG 47. 358) Marble, c.0.20 x 0.12; depth unknown. Second half of 1st cent. BC? Images: LS ii, pl. 19 c + colour photograph of Graham Shipley with the squeeze in place (R. Leenheer) + colour slide of the squeeze in position (R. Leenheer).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 9

Digitised slide of inscription no. 9: Graham Shipley making a paper squeeze of the inscription

Digitised slide of inscription no. 9: Paper squeeze drying on stone

Scanned image of squeeze of inscription no. 9

Greek Text

Translation

"Lachar]es (son of) Heraklei[das, having held the super]intendency [in the year of . . . Colleagues: . . .]"

For the office of epimelete, cf. IG v. 1. 133-5. For Lachares son of Herakleidas, see SEG 28. 410 (cf. Spawforth, BSA 73 (1978), 257), referring to a partly preserved attestation in IG v. 1. 94 and another in an unpublished Spartan decree of the 1st cent. BC.

17 Laconia Survey Inscription No. 10

Fragment of public inscription

Fragment of public inscription, built into ruined fountain-house near Agioi Saranda (site L477). LS ii. 218, no. 10 and pl. 19 d. (reprinted in SEG 47. 359) Marble, 0.15 x 0.16 x more than 0.28. Date: Antonine or Severan. Image: LS ii, pl. 19 d.

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 10

Greek Text

18 Laconia Survey Inscription No. 11

Votive stele to Antoninus Pius

Votive stele to Antoninus Pius, found in the bed of the river Kelephina (site j68). LS ii. 218, no. 11 and pl. 20 a. (reprinted in SEG 47. 360) Marble, 0.20 x 0.36 x 0.08. AD 138-61. Image: LS ii, pl. 20 a (monochrome print from colour transparency reproduced below).

Digitised slide of inscription no. 11

Greek Text

Translation

"To [Ze]us Eleu[th]erios Antoneino[s] Saviour".

For numerous Spartan expressions of gratitude to Antoninus Pius (on stones of very varied forms), see e.g. IG v. 1. 407-45; SEG 36. 359; LS ii. 221-2, no. 16. IG v. 1. 419 is perhaps most similar.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 12

Metrical grave-epigram of Lykos

Metrical grave-epigram of Lykos, built into interior wall at monastery of Agioi Saranda (site L534). LS ii. 219, no. 12 and pl. 20 b. (reprinted in SEG 47. 370) Marble, c.0.22 x 0.21 x more than 0.03. 2nd or 3rd cent. AD. Image: LS ii, pl. 20 b.

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 12

Scanned image of squeeze of inscription no. 12

Greek Text

Translation

"Here Lykos lies with Pratousa, (his) bedf[e]llow. Three decades."

For synomeunos in funerary epigrams, see e.g. Anth. Gr. appendix: Carm. sep. 620, 644, 724, and in the dative nos 228, 339; IG xiv. 684; Inscr. Gr. Urbis Romae iii. 1352 (close to Anth. Gr. app. 228), 1358. Does 'three decades' perhaps refer to the length of their marriage?

21 Laconia Survey Inscription No. 13

Gravestone of Damatrios

Gravestone of Damatrios, built into church of Agios Nikolaos at Kokkinorachi (site J4007). LS ii. 219, no. 13 and pl. 20 c. (reprinted in SEG 47. 369) Marble, 0.25 x 0.28 x more than 0.03. 2rd or 3rd cent. AD. Image: LS ii, pl. 20 c.

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 13

Scanned image of squeeze of inscription no. 13

Greek Text

Translation

"Damatrios [farewell], having lived [. . . years]."

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 14

Semi-literate boundary marker (?)

Semi-literate boundary marker (?), found near Aphisiou (site M348). LS ii. 219-20, no. 14 and pl. 20 d. (reprinted in SEG 47. 349) Limestone, roughly spherical with flat inscribed face, 0.19 x 0.19 x 0.10. Post-classical? Image: unpublished photograph (film 8.20).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 14

Scanned image of squeeze of inscription no. 14

Greek Text

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 18

New tile-stamp of the 'Synod in the Aliteion'

New tile-stamp of the 'Synod in the (h)Aliteion', found near Aphisiou (site n318, a dump). LS ii. 223 no. 18 and pl. 21 b. (reprinted in SEG 47. 372 bis) Fragment of curved roof-tile, 0.18 x 0.18 x 0.019-0.222 thick; stamped panel 0.091 x 0.033 x 0.002 deep. Approx. 3rd cent. BC. Image: LS ii, pl. 21 b or possibly a close-up taken at same time [GS to check].

Digitised slide of inscription no. 18

Greek Text

Translation

"Of the synod in the Aliteion (or Haliteion)."

For synodos cf. A. J. B. Wace, 'The stamped tiles', BSA 13 (1906-7), 17-43, at p. 41, no. 50 with fig. 7 d; 51, fig. 7 e. For (h)Aliteion cf. ibid. 42-3, no. 63 (IG v. 1. 884), where Wace reads 'Alpeion' on the basis of Paus. iii. 18. 2 (Alpion). Both Wace and Pausanias, however, should be emended so as to refer to the Alit(e)ion or Halit(e)ion.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 19

Tile-stamp of the lodging-house of the Romans

Tile-stamp of the lodging-house of the Romans, found near Aphisiou (site M342, where no. 17 was also found). LS ii 223-4, no. 19 (not illustrated); (reprinted in SEG 47. 373) Fragment of roof-tile, 0.15 x 0.11 x 0.02.

25 Hellenistic (post-146 BC? cf. Cartledge and Spawforth 94). Image: unpublished photograph (. . .).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 19

Greek Text

Translation

"[L]od[ging house of the Ro]mans and [jurors]."

Cf. a drawing of the same stamp in Wace, BSA 13 (1906-7), 39-40, no. 46 (IG v. 1. 869), with fig. 7 b. For the 'Roman katalyma' cf. IG v. 1. 7 and p. 301.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 20

New tile-stamp of Kal-

New tile-stamp of Kall-, found north of Aphisiou (site J222). LS ii. 224, no. 20 and pl. 21 c. (reprinted in SEG 47. 373 bis) Fragment of tile, 0.12 x 0.10 x c.0.02. Late hellenistic. Image: unpublished photograph (. . .).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 20

Greek Text

Discussion

Only the start of a name, Kall-, is preserved. Tile stamps of Kallikrates (Tillyard, BSA 13 (1906-7), 191- 5, cf. IG v. 1. 856, 877-81; Wace, BSA 13 (1906-7), 33, esp. no. 41 e with fig. 5 c, cf. IG v. 1. 873-4) and Kallikratidas (Wace, ibid. 38; IG v. 1. 871-4), are known from Sparta.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 20

Stamped brick originally from the theatre, Sparta

Stamped brick originally from the theatre, Sparta, found on the slopes north of the Kelephina valley (site K253). LS ii. 224, no. 21 and pl. 21 d-e. (reprinted in SEG 47. 374) Broken corner of flat brick, max. preserved diagonal c.0.22, height 0.046. Height of stamped panels (preserved) 0.02. Late hellenistic. Images: probably = LS ii, pl. 21 d-e.

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 21 A

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 21 B

Greek Text

Translation

"(A) [Pub]lic. (B) Of the stage[-building]."

The two stamps may have been cut by different hands: note the different sigmas. The grain of the wooden stamp is visible on face A.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 22

Fragments of vase dedicated to to Zeus Messapeus, from Tsakona

Fragments of vase dedicated to Messapeus, from below the Tsakona ridge, where stood the sanctuary of Zeus Messapeus (site N413), now excavated by H. W. Catling. Ed. pr. R. W. V. Catling and D. G. J. Shipley, 'Messapian Zeus: an early sixth-century inscribed cup from Lakonia', BSA 84 (1989), 187-200 and pl. 37 a-b (drawings at p. 189 fig. 1 a-c); SEG 39. 376; 40. 358; summary, LS ii. 225 and pl. 22 a (different photograph from that in BSA); SEG 47. 379. Four fragments of a Laconian cup. Rim diameter 0.27, preserved H. 0.07, max diameter of bowl 0.25. Estimated H. of bowl 0.09. c.600-550 BC. Images: two unpublished photographs (no. 24; no. 6).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 22

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 22 (close-up)

Translation

". . . Mesapeus."

Graham Shipley recognized the sherd as containing the cult epithet of Zeus which is also mentioned by Pausanias (iii. 20. 3). Pausanias's shrine, however, is on the other side of the Spartan plain (see SEG 26. 460 = 39. 373, tile-stamp from Anthochori). Our sherd was the first evidence of a second sanctuary of Messapian Zeus in Laconia. The identity of the Tsakona cult has been confirmed by stamped tiles from the excavation (H. W. Catling, BSA 85 (1990), 32; SEG 40. 358). On the Laconian character of the cult, see L. Dubois, Bull. ép. 1991. 297.

The viewer will be able to judge from the images whether Stroud's comments at SEG 39. 376, suggesting that the last letter has a cross-bar and is an upside-down alpha, are cogent. In the view of the edd. prr. the apparent cross-bar was no more than a light scratch.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 23

Fragment of votive vase, from J215

Fragment of votive vase, found north of Aphisiou (site J215, probable cult site). LS ii. 225, no. 23 and pl. 22 b; cited at SEG 47. 354. Body sherd of archaic open vessel with well-preserved black glaze. 0.016 x 0.010 x 0.005. Letters incised after firing (rho? epsilon, iota?). Image: unpublished photograph (. . .).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 23

Greek Text

Untranslatable.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 24

Bowl inscribed with a letter

Bowl inscribed with a letter, found near Aphisiou on spoil-heap of new ditch (and so perhaps nearly in situ). LS ii. 225, no. 24; drawing at fig. 14.6, no. 10; cited at SEG 47. 354. Small echinus bowl. Max. D. 0.068, H. 0.034. Black glaze in and out, mostly lost. 4th cent. BC. Image: unpublished photograph (. . .).

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 24

A single letter epsilon with an 'archaic' descender.

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 31

Construction of north range, AD 1697

Digitised photograph of inscription no. 31

Greek Text

Laconia Survey Inscription No. 37

Construction of east range, AD 1794

Inscribed marble block, built into inward-facing wall above archway leading to E gate (11481705). Sakellaropoulos 27

33 Marble, 0.35 x 0.30. Vacat 0.11 below, 0.02-0.04 elsewhere. Inscribed surface smooth. Whitewashed AD 1794 Image: digital scan of squeeze.

Scanned image of squeeze of inscription no. 37

Greek Text

Records the construction of the east range at Agioi Saranda in AD 1794, when Martinianos of Chrysapha was abbot.