Letter of King Philip V

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system1988
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Letter of King Philip V

Post by system1988 »

Hi all!

As always my introduction remains the same: I do not know if anyone of you actually is aware of the existence of the particular inscription I am posting but I deem it worthy of your attention!

Back in 1931 the Archaeology Department was made aware of the existence of that particular inscription but in reality it was discovered even earlier because it was used by villagers as a halting device for water currents emerging from a fountain, hence the hole in its middle. It was found in central Macedonia where its researcher believes the ancient Eordea was located. The inscription is placed on marble (height 0.38cm – width 0.42) and only 18 lines of the text are currently saved since its surface has suffered damage. The text along with some adds in order to make sense is as following:

Ι. Β]ΑΣΙΛΕΥΣΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΣΑΡΧΙΠ]ΩΙΧΑΙ
Ρ]ΕΙΝΤΟΥΔΟΘΕΝΤΟΣΜΟΙΥΠΟΜΝΗΜΑΤΟΣΠ[ΑΡΑΤΩΝ
Π]ΕΡΙΝΙΚΑΝΟΡΑΤΟΝΤΕΤΡΑΡΧΗΝΕΚΠΕΠΟΜΦΑ[ΣΟΙΤΟ
Α]ΝΤΙΓΡΑΦΟΝΣΥΝΧΩΡΩΟΥΝΑΥΤΟΙΣ……Oι ΑΓΟΥ……[ΤΟΥ
5. ΠΕΡΔΙΚΟΥΤΩΝΕΓΓΡΗΙΑΙΜΕΤΟΙΚΩΝΧΩΡΑΝΨΙΛΗΝ[Α
Π]ΑΣΙΝΕΙΝΑΙΠΛΕΘΡΑΠΕΝΤΗΚΟΝΤΑΕΩΣΑΝΣΥΝΤΕ
ΛΩΣΙΝΤΑΣΘΥΣΙΑΣΕ[ΝΤΩΙΑΠ]ΕΛΛΑΙΩΙΜΗΝΙΚΑΙ
ΤΗΝΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗΝΔΕΑΝ[ΑΓΡΑΨ]ΑΣΕΧΘΕΣΠΡΟΤ[ΟΥ
ΕΠΙΣΤΑΣΙΟΥ…………………ΕΤ. Β ΚΑΙ Μ ΑΥΔΝΑΙΟΥ.
ΙΙ. 10. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΦΙΛΙΠΠΩΙΥΠ[ΟΜΝ]ΗΜΑΠΑΡΑΝΙΚΑΝΟ
ΡΟΣΤΟΥΦΙΛΩΤΟΥΤΕΤΡΑΡΧΟΥΚΑΙΘΕΟΞΕΝΟΥ
ΤΟ]ΥΚΛΕΙΤΙΝΟΥΥΠΑΣΠΙΣΤΟΥΚΑΙΒΙΛΟΥΤΟΥΝΙ
ΚΑ]ΝΟΡΟΣΛΟΧΑΓΟΥΚΑΙΤΩΝΕΝΤΗΙΠΡΩΤΟΛΟΧΙ
ΑΙΣΤΡ]ΑΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩΝΕΥΙΣΤΩΝΑΛΕΞΑΝΔ
ΔΡΟΥΤ]ΟΥΠΡΟΙΤΟΥΚΑΙΑΝΤΙΓΟΝΟΥΤΟΥΑ
ΑΛΕΞΑΝ]ΔΡΟΥΚΑΙΝΙΚΑΝΟΡΟΣΤΟΥΑΡΜΕΝ….
……………….]ΑΧΟΥΤΟΥΚΡΑΤΕΥΟΥΚΑΙ
……………………ΤΟΥΑ]ΝΤΙΓΟΝΟΥΚΑΙΑΝΤΙ……


Τhis is a letter of Philip the V that has as a subject the case of Nikanor the tetrarhes and some of his friends (also officials) sending a legend to the King with which they ask to be given to them a place to conduct their religious needs. Philip writes to his commander Arhipos a letter with which he allows the request, sends the copy of the legend and commands the publication of his decision. Thus the King’s letter starts from I. 1-9 and from II and then follows Nikanoro’s legend.

The translation of the text is as following:

King Philip salutes (commander) Arhipos. Considering the report tetrarch Nikanor
and his friends I am sending you its copy.
I grant them ……………… of Perdikas……the grassy flatland region (of the town) of Grie where metics (live) (from that area I grant them) 50 plethra (1 plethron is equal to 8740 square meters) to conduct their sacrifices (as long as
need) during the month of Apeleos and after you write the letter hang it in front of the building where the files are kept. Year B’ and M of Avdneos month
To the King Philip report of tetrarch Nikanor son of Filotas, of adjutant
Theoksenos son of Klitinos, and captain Vilos son of Nikanor and those who serve the first lines in battle the Euists (meaning) Alexander son of Pritos ,Antigonos son of Alexander, and 1 Nikanor son of Armen…..….. ahou son of Krateus and ……………. of Antigonos and Anti……….


I tried to translate the inscription from which I am sure is not so accurate and that simply transfers the core meaning of the text. The publisher of the research concerning the inscription has made a few observations from which I mention the following:
1) The king Philip mentioned in the text is without a doubt Philip the V due to the way the letters were carved and due to the date B and M (42nd from ascension to the throne). As it is known only Philip the V reigned for so many years.
2) The location name Grie (meaning old ladies) is found for the first time.
3) The month Avdneos is the third month in the ancient Macedonian calendar and is almost identical to our December.
4) The name “Evieste” is referred to T. Liv. XLII, 51, 4. It probably refers to one of the Macedonian peoples- population or Macedonian- Illyrian like Oreste, Ethneste, Peneste, Pirouste etc. It is possible for them to be connected to the city of Εύια (Evia) which is mentioned by Diodoros vaguely (Διοδ. XIX. 11) and more clearly by Claudius Ptolemy (III, 12, 29) who believes it to be located in Δασσαρήτιδα (Dassaritis) region.

Most of the names are known. However it is the first time we find the name Klitinos, Vilos and Armen… is possibly Armenidas in full.

I considered important to send to you the photo of the inscription even though the picture is really dark by itself (taken from a 1934 book) because this is the actual proof of that royal command and opinion. Too few papyri have been found intact in Greek soil.

Philip the V of Macedon had a full and adventurous life and he was so beautiful that he was named the darling of all Greece. He was very brave, intelligent and an exceptional diplomat, maybe the last king of Macedon of that proportion. If I remember correctly his son, Perseus was dragged to Rome in chains, the event that sealed the fate of Macedonia and its end.
My sources are Archaeological Efimeris (1934-1935 volume 50 and was written by Haralambos I. Makaronas page 117- 127 “Letter of King Philip V)

Best regards to all!

Last edit 3.17 PM 23-10-2011 ---> Forgot to translate the description of the land of Grie (flatland and grassy)
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Nikas
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Re: Letter of King Philip V

Post by Nikas »

Wow, I was not aware of this inscription, thank you for sharing! Fascinating, a letter from a reigning King of Macedon to his officials! Am I also safe in assuming that this letter/inscription would have been meant to be available to be viewed by the common inhabitants?
system1988
Hetairos (companion)
Posts: 740
Joined: Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:20 am
Location: Athens, Greece

Re: Letter of King Philip V

Post by system1988 »

Your answer comes a as delight, I suppose few are the people who would be interested in this kind of post! :mrgreen: Indeed as you claim this inscription was available for the eyes of the public since the king would have wanted his subjects to know that he valued the religion of the time and its "needs" that would be eventually rise from the mouths of his officers.The very sentece "and after you write the letter hang it in front of the building where the files are kept" is saying it all.

The interest that lies with this inscription apart from all that is that we have only a few inscriptions left from the Macedonian Kings. To elaborate, the Philip V's inscriptions that have been saved are 7 If I remember correctly and all of them have suffered considerable damage. We must also seperate the letters (epistolae) from the diagrams (diagrammata) for you see the diagrams where laws whereas the letters had a hint of internal governing character -just like this one. (but that is a rather big discussion).

Another interesting part of the inscription is that the soldiers who would serve in the frontlines and the battle frontiers were considered special from their communities since they should and would be the toughest most hardcore trained deadly soldiers of the entire Macedonian army. Who knows if during Alexander's reign the same thing applied?
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Nikas
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Re: Letter of King Philip V

Post by Nikas »

I am sure there are many on here who are interested in many of the archaeological highlights you bring up!

Interesting point you make about out that the special distinction between the "soldiery" and the "commoners". Macedon was a great frontier march and as Aristotle says earned by conquest by it's kings, and it seems that even to the sunset days of it's imperial glories it retained that societal distinction, although of course significantly spent after it's Diadochi debacles.
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