The Priene Inscription is a dedicatory inscription by
Alexander the Great, which was discovered at the
Temple of Athena Polias
The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. Th ...
in
Priene (modern
Turkey), in the nineteenth century. It now forms an important part of the
British Museum's
Ancient Greek epigraphic
Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
collection and provides a direct link to one of the most famous persons in ancient history.
This inscription (circa 330 BC) about the dedication of a temple by Alexander to Athena Polias, which has been held at the British Museum in London, should not be confused with the
Calendar Inscription of Priene
The Priene Calendar Inscription (''IK Priene'' 14) is an inscription in stone recovered at Priene (an ancient Greek city, in Western Turkey) that records an edict by Paullus Favius Maximus, proconsul of the Roman province of Asia and a decree of ...
(circa 9 BC) also found at Priene in Turkey, which is about
Augustus Caesar
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
, and about redefining the calendar around the birthdate of Augustus.
Discovery
The inscription was found in the precincts of the temple in 1868–9 by the architect
Richard Pullan, who at the time was leading an archaeological exploration of
Priene on behalf of the
Society of Dilettanti
The Society of Dilettanti (founded 1734) is a British society of noblemen and scholars that sponsors the study of ancient Greek and Roman art, and the creation of new work in the style.
History
Though the exact date is unknown, the Society is b ...
. The dedicatory inscription was found at the end of one of the temple's walls, together with records of the Prienean Civic Codes. Pullan brought back inscriptions, sculptures and architectural remains from the site to England, where they were immediately deposited in the national collection.
Background
Alexander the Great's army crossed the
Hellespont
The Dardanelles (; tr, Çanakkale Boğazı, lit=Strait of Çanakkale, el, Δαρδανέλλια, translit=Dardanéllia), also known as the Strait of Gallipoli from the Gallipoli peninsula or from Classical Antiquity as the Hellespont (; ...
in 334 BC and defeated the Persian army at the
Battle of the Granicus; he then proceeded along the
Ionia
Ionia () was an ancient region on the western coast of Anatolia, to the south of present-day Izmir. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements. Never a unified state, it was named after the Ionian ...
n coast, touring cities and expelling Persian garrisons as he did so. At Priene he generously supported the completion of the
temple of Athena Polias
The Acropolis of Athens is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, the most famous being the Parthenon. Th ...
, which is recorded for posterity on this large marble block.
Description
The marble wall block is inscribed on both sides in the
ancient Greek language. Part of the inscription records the gift of funds provided by Alexander to build the temple. Another part refers to a resolution of land disputes between different neighbouring kingdoms following the expulsion of the
Persians.
British Museum Collection
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Translation of the Inscription
Inscription:
ΒΑΣΙΛΕΥΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ ΑΝΕΘΗΚΕ ΤΟΝ ΝΑΟΝ ΑΘΗΝΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΑΔΙ
Translation:
King Alexander dedicated the Temple to Athena Polias
References
Further reading
*F. Frances (Ed), Treasures of the British Museum, London, 1972
*B.F. Cook, Greek inscriptions (London, The British Museum Press, 1987)
*I. Jenkins, Greek Architecture and its Sculpture, The British Museum Press, 2006
Ancient Greek and Roman objects in the British Museum
Greek epigraphy
Greek inscriptions
Wars of Alexander the Great
Archaeological discoveries in Turkey
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