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Two common categories of benefactions depend upon each other and com- nent upon the geopolitical situation in Pontic Greek cities. Embassies and mili- ary efforts often went hand in hand in the pre-Roman period, with these two ypes of munificence amounting to ca. 32% of all registered examples. As men- ioned previously, the hold of the Greek Black Sea colonies on the neighbour- ng lands was often tenouous. The examples of Protagenes and Nikeratos from IIbia, the defenders of Mesambria, Akornion from Dionysopolis or Diogenes ind Agathokles from Istros reveal that neighbouring barbarian rulers attacked -ontic Greek poleis, negotiated with Greek envoys about the ransom of hostages ind, finally, demanded tribute from defeated city-states**. This kind of public nunificence grew in significance in Hellenistic times, as a successful diplomatic nission could save a city from destruction, an example in point being the case yf Dionysopolis during Burebista’s invasion. De sien ee ee a oe eS ees CO ee eet Se a eb Se a eee

Figure 5 Two common categories of benefactions depend upon each other and com- nent upon the geopolitical situation in Pontic Greek cities. Embassies and mili- ary efforts often went hand in hand in the pre-Roman period, with these two ypes of munificence amounting to ca. 32% of all registered examples. As men- ioned previously, the hold of the Greek Black Sea colonies on the neighbour- ng lands was often tenouous. The examples of Protagenes and Nikeratos from IIbia, the defenders of Mesambria, Akornion from Dionysopolis or Diogenes ind Agathokles from Istros reveal that neighbouring barbarian rulers attacked -ontic Greek poleis, negotiated with Greek envoys about the ransom of hostages ind, finally, demanded tribute from defeated city-states**. This kind of public nunificence grew in significance in Hellenistic times, as a successful diplomatic nission could save a city from destruction, an example in point being the case yf Dionysopolis during Burebista’s invasion. De sien ee ee a oe eS ees CO ee eet Se a eb Se a eee

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Fig. 1. Chronology of 313 honorific inscriptions from the northwest Pontic region* Approximately 55% of the pieces of evidence stud period. The bulk of the body of several stones from Olbia dated in the second and early third c. yond: in Roman Asia Minor, the average number of bene ied predate the Roman evidence dates from the Hellenistic period, with to the fifth and the fourth c. BC’. The remainder of the evidence comes from the Roman period, with the majority (65%) issued AD. Recorded acts of public munificence rise sharply in number in the second c. AD in the Black Sea communities and be- factions commemorated per annum in the second c. AD rose fivefold in comparison to the preceding century’. Nevertheless, the data the region, not always accounting for local trends and divergences. ple, the city of Tomis, established after other colonies, never equal importance in the Hellenistic period, a disparity reflected in the rela number of inscriptions dated to that period periods, Tomis entered a period mentioned above shows the general endency in For exam- ed them in ively small 8. In the late Hellenistic and Roman of growth and prosperity, developed into being a prominent member of the Pontic League and proceeded to issue what would become the majority of its surviving honorific inscriptions’.
Fig. 1. Chronology of 313 honorific inscriptions from the northwest Pontic region* Approximately 55% of the pieces of evidence stud period. The bulk of the body of several stones from Olbia dated in the second and early third c. yond: in Roman Asia Minor, the average number of bene ied predate the Roman evidence dates from the Hellenistic period, with to the fifth and the fourth c. BC’. The remainder of the evidence comes from the Roman period, with the majority (65%) issued AD. Recorded acts of public munificence rise sharply in number in the second c. AD in the Black Sea communities and be- factions commemorated per annum in the second c. AD rose fivefold in comparison to the preceding century’. Nevertheless, the data the region, not always accounting for local trends and divergences. ple, the city of Tomis, established after other colonies, never equal importance in the Hellenistic period, a disparity reflected in the rela number of inscriptions dated to that period periods, Tomis entered a period mentioned above shows the general endency in For exam- ed them in ively small 8. In the late Hellenistic and Roman of growth and prosperity, developed into being a prominent member of the Pontic League and proceeded to issue what would become the majority of its surviving honorific inscriptions’.
privileges were involved in trade, yet the bestowal of these special rights would probably mean much more to merchants than to other social groups. The inten- tions behind issuing a proxenic decree almost always remain obscure, though in all cases its bestowal was officially described as a prize publicly granted by a polis to a benefactor. In the body of the inscriptions that were examined, 166 (53%) speak of grant- ed privileges. In 96 cases the honours bestowed are proxenic; for the 70 remain- ing inscriptions, the honorands were citizens of the polis which commissioned he inscription, since there is no proxenia on record. The stelas that were exam- ined record the bestowal of 56 wreaths and the erection of 41 statues. Privileges of this type were certainly the most sought after, although benefactors of the Pontic cities could also expect other kinds of rewards for their civic-minded efforts, such as invitations to the prvtaneion or the temple for a meal, issuing private inscriptions from the public funds or the covering of funeral expenses”. 39 inscriptions explicitly grant the title of ewergetes, bestow the title upon an individual or refer to his activity as euergetic**. Roughly two-thirds of these
privileges were involved in trade, yet the bestowal of these special rights would probably mean much more to merchants than to other social groups. The inten- tions behind issuing a proxenic decree almost always remain obscure, though in all cases its bestowal was officially described as a prize publicly granted by a polis to a benefactor. In the body of the inscriptions that were examined, 166 (53%) speak of grant- ed privileges. In 96 cases the honours bestowed are proxenic; for the 70 remain- ing inscriptions, the honorands were citizens of the polis which commissioned he inscription, since there is no proxenia on record. The stelas that were exam- ined record the bestowal of 56 wreaths and the erection of 41 statues. Privileges of this type were certainly the most sought after, although benefactors of the Pontic cities could also expect other kinds of rewards for their civic-minded efforts, such as invitations to the prvtaneion or the temple for a meal, issuing private inscriptions from the public funds or the covering of funeral expenses”. 39 inscriptions explicitly grant the title of ewergetes, bestow the title upon an individual or refer to his activity as euergetic**. Roughly two-thirds of these
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Greek EpigraphyAncient Greek HistoryClassics: Ancient History and ArchaeologyHonorific HabitHonorific Inscriptions
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