Alexanders and "Stephanephoroi" at Delphi

Abstract

191ALEXANDERS AND STEPHANEPHOROI AT DELPHI joshua d. sosin I n 159/58 b.c.e. A ttalos II gave Delphi 21,000 Alexander drachmas, of which 3 talents (18,000 dr.) were for the education of Delphic youth and !/2 a talent (3,000 dr.) was for the annual celebration of a new festival, the Attaleia. All three and a half talents were endowed. This was not an unprompted act of generosity by Attalos; Delphi had sent two separate embassies before the king agreed.2 This episode is famous and the inscription well studied, but little or no attention has been devoted to motives. Who had reason to press for the endowments' creation? Who were the beneficiaries? Teachers, for whom guaranteed salaries might have been attractive; the city, which was freed from standing or future obligations to meet the cost of instructors' salaries; the general population, which could enjoy the annual celebration of the Attaleia. But endowments functioned by offering credit and this too was a kind of benefit. We might learn a great deal about this chapter in Delphi's economic history if we could discern to whom this benefit was extended.As it happens, a largely ignored cluster of stipulations defined eligibility to borrow from the endowments and so allows us to ascertain the clientele with some precision (Bringmann et al. 1995, no. 94[E].21-27): ej gdaneisav ntw de; to; arguv rion o¥ a¥reqev nteÍ ej pimelhtaµ aß ndreÍ tre∂Í ou § Í ka o¥ polloµ e § lwnt[ai] tov kou pentekaidekav tou ej n tΩi mhnµ tΩi ÂmalÇwi ej pµ taÅ Í Âmfistrav tou arcaÅ Í: o¥ de; qev -24 lonteÍ daneÇsasqai potig[r]afev sqwsan potµ tou; Í katestamev nouÍ ej pimelhta; Í ej pµ uÒ poqev mati agrΩi: eß stw de; oJ agro; Í aß xioÍ touÅ didomev nou argurÇou diplasÇou: daneizov ntw de; mh; eß lasson mnaÅ n pev nte: kaqistav ntwn de; kaµ ej gguv ouÍ o¥ daneizov menoi ou § Í ka o¥ ej pimelhtaµ eudokev v wnti: o¥ de; autoµ [eß ]gguoi kaµ bebaiwthÅ reÍ eß stwsan tΩn ej necuv rwn.[21] Three men elected as overseers, whomever the people elect, shall lend the money at interest of one-fifteenth in the month Amalios in the archonship of Amphistratos. Those who wish to borrow shall register with the appointed overseers against security of a parcel of land; the land shall be worth twice the amount of the money being lent.1. I cite the recently revised text of , no. 94[E].7-9 [Laum 1914: apev steile taÅ i pov lei e√Í me; n ta; n tΩn paÇdwn didask[a]|lÇan argurÇou dracma; Í alexandreÇouÍ murÇaÍ kaµ oj ktakiscilÇaÍ, | e√Í de; ta; Í tima; Í kaµ qusÇaÍ dracma; Í triscilÇaÍ . Attaleia: 36, 56-57, 64-65. Date: SEG 48.583. 2. Bringmann et al. 1995, no. 94[E].2-5.