1 Earliest Rome

1.0.3 Rebttions with foreign powers
(B) . . . and for the other athletic contests, assigning the right prizes to each; setting np
as prizes for dedication no fewer than three weapons, having inscribed on them the contest; in all these matters showing the greatest 'zeal, worthy of our
People's piety to the divine and of our gratitude towards the Romans. In the organization
and administration of these contests, the gymnasiarchs of the young men shall participate
as well as the priest, so the contests can be as splendid as possible. On the 28th day of
the same month he shall put on in the children's palaestra the
contest of the torch-race and the other athletic games, for which he shall provide suitable
organization. The supervisors of the children's education shall co-operate in the
organization and administration of this contest. The dedication of the arms set up as
prizes in the Roman Games shall take place for the present in the gymnasium of the
young men, but eventually, when the temple of Roma has been completed, in the
Romaion . 6
There shall take place on the first day of
each month the sacrifice by the priest of a fully grown victim to the Roman People and to
Roma; the priest shall receive from the treasurer of the prytany ten drachmae for this
sacrifice. 7
On 7th Thnrgelion , there shall be a sacrifice of a fully
grown ox by the aisymnetes 1
to the Roman People and to Roma and he shall give the
priest the perquisites as laid down; on 12th Metageitnion, he shall sacrifice in the same
way and give the perquisites. But should the office of aisymnetes be purchased by the god,
let the god's prosetairoi sacrifice the fully grown victims on both these days and give the
perquisites to the priests.'' On 18th Boedromion , the fifty archontes w
shall sacrifice a fullv grown pig and give the perquisites [to the priest. . . ]
1. It was common practice for a rich, patriotic citizen to purchase the right to nominate
the priest or priestess, acquiring honour and funding tiie culr.
2. Local officials.
3. The stephanepbonn (wreath-wearer) was the title of the annual official who gave his
name to the year. The date is not certain, but was probably around 130 B.C.
4. The ephebes were the young men undergoing training; the gymnasiarch was responsi­
ble for organizing and financing that training. See 12.6fn. 1.
5- The priests had the right to take certain choice curs from the sacrificial meat.
6. The uncompleted temple supports, but does not prove, the idea that the cult is new to
Miletus at this date.
7. A prytany is a division of the civil year, so this may be a different- treasurer from the one
who made the annual payment ol 60 drachmae above.
8. It is possible that the aisymnetes is another title for the stephanephoros.
9. If no patriotic purchaser came forward to pay for a religious office, temple-funds were
used instead and the god was said to have purchased the office himself. In this event,
other officials, prosetairoi- more junior officials attached to tribes (sub-divisions of the
citizens) - cany out the sacrifice on the god's behalf.
10. The fifry archontesare a Roman innovation at Miletus, intended to provide oligarchic
control of the city.
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