Evidences on Diplomatic Practices in some Important Ancient Greek Inscriptions Of the Classical Period
The article demonstrates the significance of the so-called Greek historical inscriptions for studying diplomatic practices. A number of characteristic examples are given from epigraphic monuments dated from the 5th century B.C., mainly of Athenian provenance. Among them, there are treaties as well as decrees of the Athenian assembly, and they contain important evidence of the Classical period diplomacy.
By the Hellenistic time, Greek law, including international one, already had its own history. In the sphere of diplomatic practices, such institutions emerged quite early as xenia and proxenia, changes of embassies, interstate treaties, leagues of
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various types, and so on. Those institutions are of course reflected in inscriptions. The most famous league of the period was the Delian League, which later developed into the Athenian Empire. Epigraphic data relating to this powerful organization are especially abundant. It is necessary to emphasize that relations between Athens and its allies should be treated exactly as external (that is diplomatic) and not internal ones, although not equal but with a dictate from one of the sides: the Athenian empire never became a united state.
As to concrete inscriptions, the “Decree of Themistocles” (the inscription is of the 4th century B.C., but it claims to reproduce the text of the famous Athenian decision initiated by the great statesman in 480 B.C.) gives information on the Hellenic League of 481 B.C. The “Serpent Column” of 479 B.C., erected in Delphi but now in Istanbul, cites all member states (31) of that league.
Several treaties between Athens and cities of Magna Graecia (Egesta, Rhegion, Leontinoi) are interesting in various aspects. First, they demonstrate Athens’ attempt to infiltrate into the sphere of geopolitical interests of the Peloponnesian League. Second, they have the form not of treaties as such but of assembly decrees. Third, they touch some details of diplomacy (importance of oaths, honorary dinner for envoys in the Prytaneion).
Documents on Athens’ relations with allied cities are also very informative. They differ very much by their tone: from a cold and dictating one (as in the case with Chalkis, which had rebelled against Athens’ domination but was defeated) to a much more sympathetic one (as in the cases of Methone, a loyal ally, or with the new colony Brea).
Of many historical consequences is a recently published new fragment of such a well-known document as the Athenian Standard Decree, which is cited and partly quoted in the article. The word συμμαχία (“alliance”, “league”) that now appears to have been used in the decree becomes a strong argument against its revisionist late dating by some scholars (H. Mattingly and others). If the decree had been published during the Peloponnesian war, it would have been highly unlikely to meet such a term in it. By the 420s B.C. cities of the Athenian Empire were perceived and treated already not as equal allies but as subjugated tributaries. So the traditional earlier date (the first half of the 440s B.C.) remains much more probable.
Inscriptions of similar interest are also abundant in the 4th century, but they could not be dealt with in the framework of this article.
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