Fri 23 Jan 2009
An ancient Sugar Ray Leonard, a deceased Cynic philosopher, and a colleague of Marcion at Sinope
Posted by Phil Harland. Categories: Epigraphy series[3] Comments
I’ve been making my way through The Inscriptions of Sinope, the latest in the series on Greek inscriptions of Asia Minor (bibliography below). Sinope was a Greek city on the northern coast of Turkey. Its location on the Black Sea made it important for sea trade, and the sailor and “heretic” Marcion was from this city. A few of the inscriptions stood out to me and I thought I’d share them with you.
The first is a very successful boxer of the first or second century who may well match or beat Sugar Ray:
M(arcus) Iutius Marcianus Rufus, outstanding boxer of Sinope, who won victories in the sacred triumphal competitions: at Rome in the Capitoline, 3 times in succession — at Neapolis, twice — at the Actian (games), twice, the first and only Sinopean (to do so) - at the Nemean (games), twice - at the Isthmian (games), twice - at the Pythian (games) - at the Olympic (games) - at the Panathenaic (games), the first and only Sinopean (to do so) - at Antiocheia (in Syria), 3 times, the first and only ever of the youth and men’s classes in one day, in the men’s class - in the Pythian games at Antiocheia - at Nicomedia, 3 times, the first and only ever in the under-age, youth and men’s classes - at the (Provincial) Community of Asia games at Smyrna, Pergamum, and Ephesus - at the Aspis at Argos, twice - at the (Provincial) Community of Asia games at Sardis, twice, at Philadelphia, twice, at Traelles, twice, at Hierapolis, twice, at Laodiceia, twice, at Thyateira, twice, at Mytilene, twice - at the (Provincial) Community of Pontus games, twice - at the (Provincial) Community of Galatia games, twice - at the (Provincial) Community of Macedonia games - at the (Provincial) Community of Bithynia games at Nicaea, twice - at the (Provincial) Community of Cappadocia games - and at other competitions in the half-talent class, 110 times. (In all) 150 victories. By decision of the Senate (ISinope 105; trans. by French with adaptations, see below).
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” I guess.
The second is the grave of a Cynic philosopher of the second or third century. This is the first grave of such a philosopher I have encountered, but there may well be others:
This then is (the) stone of a man whom, moreover, — an expounder of wisdom — this city has produced, [ - - ] of [ - - ] Perseus. Why does he have the name “wing”? Tell us! Because a raised wing too drew (him) through the air of Greece. This Perseus (was) [inclined] too towards Cynic thought, since he carried a wallet (and) a scimitar (small sword) in the place of a staff . . . (ISinope 171; trans. French, with adaptations).
The third involves the grave-stone of a shipper from Sinope (first-third century CE), the hometown of another more renowned shipper, named Marcion:
Hail, O passer-by! (I), Callinicus, having sailed (over) many waves, sailed (on) the last voyage of Lethe, (I) whom the sea in the deeps did not extinguish, but the earth destroyed by a heavy sickness; having lived two and thirty years, eager to come to (the) fate of (my) younger brother Calligonus, long dead, having lived nobly for fourteen years; thus are the plans of (the) fates arranged. Iulius Callinicus, ship-master (naukleros), lies here (ISinope 169).
This inscription also points to another reality of life in the ancient world, namely, the short life expectancy: Callinicus lived to the age of only 32 and his brother had died when he was only 14.
I plan to do more posts on interesting inscriptions I encounter.
David H. French, ed., The Inscriptions of Sinope (Inschriften griechischer Städte aus Kleinasien, vol 64; Bonn: Rudolf Habelt, 2004).
Walking through an ancient city such as Ephesus, one would encounter a plethora of monuments, inscriptions and statues on a scale not familiar to a modern person who is used to sky-scrapers and plain old pavement. Among these were dedications to Roman imperial authorities, such as an emperor or a governor, and monuments erected by or for local notables in the city, such as the monument for C. Vibius Salutaris which you see to your left. There were also many buildings and monuments relating to the gods at Ephesus, some of which I have discussed 
One might encounter a god like Hermes at various points in one’s travel through the city. Thus, for instance, archeologists have recovered a now headless statue of Hermes (above). But they have also found a bodiless head of Hermes (left). This messenger god Hermes also appears more than once at Ephesus in his other, less humanoid form as protector of those that travel (right).


This is an opportune time to mention some athletic related pieces in the museum.
Votive relief depicting the Thracian goddess Bendis with a number of torch-race victors approaching their goddess (c. 400-350 BCE, now in the British Museum, photo by Phil)








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