Ancient Greek Inscriptions

from Bulgaria

Klada Bg

Honorary inscription for the phylarch Aemilius Bithys by the village community of Eitriza

Monument III.1474
Editor(s)
Georgi Mihailov.
Type of monument
stele
Material
limestone
Find place
Hissar, re-used in the foundations of the Western Gate of the Late Antique fortifications
Origin
ancient settlement near Hissar
Observed in
Institution and inventory
Dimensions
height 97 cm, width 60 cm, depth 29 cm
Letter size
height 3-4 cm
Layout description
stele with pediment and acroteria; the epigraphic field is within a relief frame
Decoration description
Text
Category of inscription
honorary inscription for local magistrate - prose
Date
III c. AD
Dating criteria
lettering
Images
Text

Ἀγαθῆι τύχηι
κωμαρχίας Ει-
τριζηνης.
κωμῆται Ε⸢ιτ⸣ρι-
5ζηνοι καὶ κω-
μῆται Γειζαγη-
ρηνοι καὶ κω-
μῆται Βδεκυ-
ρηνοι εὐχαρι-
10στοῦσιν Αἰμιλί-
ῳ Βειθυϊ φυλαρ-
χήσαντι κατὰ
τοὺς νόμους
ἁγνῶς καὶ δ[ι]-
15καίω[ς ---]

AΓΑΘHΙΤYΧΗΙ
ΚΩMΑΡΧIΑΣΕΙ
ΤΡΙΖΗNΗΣ
ΚΩMHΤΑΙΕΠΡΡΙ
5ΖΗNΟΙΚΑIΚΩ
MHΤΑΙΓΕΙΖΑΓΗ
ΡΗNΟΙΚΑIΚΩ
MHΤΑΙΒΔΕΚΥ
ΡΗNΟΙΕYΧΑΡΙ
10ΣΤΟYΣΙNΑIMΙΛI
ΩΒΕΙΘΥIΦΥΛΑΡ
ΧHΣΑNΤΙΚΑΤA
ΤΟYΣNOMΟΥΣ
AΓNΩΣΚΑIΔΙ
15....Σ---
To the Good Fortune of the rural district of Eitriza. The villagers of Eitriza, the villagers of Geizagera, and the villagers of Bdecyra express their gratitude to Aemilius Bithys, who performed the office of phylarch according to the laws, honourably and justly...
⤦ n: 1

tag: lb
Ἀγαθῆι

lemma: ἀγαθός
tag: w
τύχηι

lemma: τύχη
tag: w
⤦ n: 2

tag: lb
κωμαρχίας

lemma: κωμαρχία
tag: w
Ει τριζηνης

ref: Eitrizene
tag: placeName
Ει

tag: #text
⤦ n: 3

break: no
tag: lb
τριζηνης

tag: #text
.

tag: #text
⤦ n: 4

tag: lb
κωμῆται

lemma: κωμήτης
tag: w
Ειτπρρι ζηνοι

type: ethnic,unattested
tag: placeName
Ε

tag: #text
ιτπρ

tag: choice
ιτ

tag: corr
πρ

tag: sic
ρι

tag: #text
⤦ n: 5

break: no
tag: lb
ζηνοι

tag: #text
καὶ

tag: w
κω μῆται

lemma: κωμήτης
tag: w
κω

tag: #text
⤦ n: 6

break: no
tag: lb
μῆται

tag: #text
Γειζαγη ρηνοι

type: ethnic,unattested
ref: Geizagera
tag: placeName
Γειζαγη

tag: #text
⤦ n: 7

break: no
tag: lb
ρηνοι

tag: #text
καὶ

tag: w
κω μῆται

lemma: κωμήτης
tag: w
κω

tag: #text
⤦ n: 8

break: no
tag: lb
μῆται

tag: #text
Βδεκυ ρηνοι

type: ethnic,unattested
ref: Bdekura
tag: placeName
Βδεκυ

tag: #text
⤦ n: 9

break: no
tag: lb
ρηνοι

tag: #text
εὐχαρι στοῦσιν

lemma: εὐχαριστέω
tag: w
εὐχαρι

tag: #text
⤦ n: 10

break: no
tag: lb
στοῦσιν

tag: #text
Αἰμιλί ῳ Βειθυϊ

ref: AT028
type: official
nymRef: Αἰμίλιος Βειθυς
tag: persName
Αἰμιλί ῳ

ref: Aemilius
nymRef: Αἰμίλιος
type: gentilicium
tag: name
Αἰμιλί

tag: #text
⤦ n: 11

break: no
tag: lb

tag: #text
Βειθυϊ

nymRef: Βειθυς
ref: Beithus
type: cognomen
tag: name
φυλαρ χήσαντι

lemma: φυλαρχέω
tag: w
φυλαρ

tag: #text
⤦ n: 12

break: no
tag: lb
χήσαντι

tag: #text
κατὰ

lemma: κατά
tag: w
⤦ n: 13

tag: lb
τοὺς

tag: w
νόμους

lemma: νόμος
tag: w
⤦ n: 14

tag: lb
ἁγνῶς

lemma: ἁγνῶς
tag: w
καὶ

tag: w
δι καίως

lemma: δικαίως
tag: w
δ

tag: #text
ι

tag: supplied
⤦ n: 15

break: no
tag: lb
καίω

tag: unclear
ς

tag: supplied
< GAP >

extent: unknown
unit: character
Apparatus
Apparatus:
The text of the inscription is given according to the edition of Mihailov after a comparison through personal observation by N. Sharankov.
4-5The stone reads ΕΠΡΙ/ΖΗΝΟΙ instead of ΕΙΤΡΙ-, compare the rendition of the name on lines 2-3.
Commentary

The phylarch was a Roman citizen, his name consists of a Roman nomen and a Thracian cognomen.

The three villages mentioned bear Thracian names. They were organized in a rural community (komarchia) named after the main village. In the inscription, the names are represented by ethnics derived by the usual suffix -ηνός.

There is one more inscription from Hissar dedicated by rural communities to a phylarch - IGBulg 1473.

Bibliography
Mihailov, Georgius. Inscriptiones Graecae in Bulgaria repertae. Vol. III.1, 1961.

Dobruský, Václav. Materials. In: Сборник за народни умотворения, наука и книжнина Vol. XIII, 1896, p. 398-442.

текуща версия 1 / 2024-07-15