Tuesday, May 12, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org

Inscriptions and Dedications

Greek inscriptional witnesses for Olbia, Hylaea, Achilles Pontarches, the Mother of the Gods, and North Black Sea sacred geography.

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Texts

Achilles Pontarches in Olbian InscriptionsA source-language translation of fifteen Olbian inscriptions to Achilles Pontarches, the Black Sea civic protector honored by archons, strategoi, and priests.Achilles, Protector of Scythia — A Tyras GraffitoA one-line Greek graffito from Tyras dedicating a vessel fragment to Achilles as the restored protector or ruler of Scythia.Aphrodite Apatouros at Phanagoria -- A Bosporan DedicationA short Greek dedication from Phanagoria to Aphrodite Ourania of Apatouros, naming Pairisades, Bosporos, Theodosia, the Sindi, and the Maeotians.Aphrodite Nauarchis at Gorgippia — A Bosporan Temple InscriptionA short Bosporan Greek temple inscription from Gorgippia under King Sauromates, presented with source text and historical notes.Aspurgus and the Subdued Scythians — A Bosporan Royal DedicationA damaged Bosporan Greek dedication to King Aspurgus, naming Scythians and Taurians among peoples subdued under his rule, presented with source text and historical notes.Aspurgus, Menestratos, and the Scythians — A Bosporan Honorific InscriptionA Bosporan Greek honorific inscription for King Aspurgus, naming Scythians and Taurians among peoples subdued under his rule, presented with source text and historical notes.Bosporan Greek Inscriptions under Sauromates -- Theos Hypsistos and Aphrodite Apatourias -- Good Works TranslationA Good Works Translation of three Bosporan Greek inscriptions under Sauromates: a Tanais Theos Hypsistos synod inscription, a Gorgippia Theos Hypsistos dedication, and a Hermonassa Aphrodite Apatourias stoa dedication.Bosporan Proxeny across Phanagoria and Pantikapaion -- Four Greek FragmentsFour fragmentary Greek proxeny decrees from Phanagoria and Pantikapaion preserving Bosporan fiscal privilege, citizenship, landholding, and safe movement in war and peace.Bosporan Victory Dedications Against the ScythiansTwo short Bosporan Greek victory dedications from Pantikapaion mentioning victories from the Scythians, presented with source text and historical notes.Chersonesos and the Bosporan Royal House — Three Greek InscriptionsThree Greek inscriptions from Chersonesos preserving the Maiden's epiphanies, Bosporan royal diplomacy, Queen Dynamis, and King Polemon.Chersonesos and the Sarmatian Attack — A Greek Decree FragmentA fragmentary Chersonesite Greek decree honoring the Maiden after danger from neighboring barbarians and a Sarmatian force.Chersonesos Fire-Ravaged Land and the Sauromatai -- A Greek Decree FragmentA fragmentary Chersonesite Greek decree or military inscription naming the Sauromatai and a fire-ravaged countryside.Demarchos, Son of Skythes, and Aphrodite OuraniaA short Bosporan Greek dedication by Demarchos, son of Skythes, to Aphrodite Ourania as protectress of Apatouron, presented with source text and historical notes.Diophantos of Sinope and the Scythian Wars -- Good Works TranslationA Good Works Translation of the Chersonesite decree for Diophantos of Sinope, preserving Mithradates Eupator, Palakos king of the Scythians, Scythian Neapolis, Kalos Limen, the Maiden, and Saumakos.Early Bosporan Cult Dedications under Leukon and Pairisades -- Four Greek InscriptionsFour early Bosporan Greek cult dedications from Pantikapaion and Phanagoria, preserving Demeter, Apollo Ietros, Artemis Ephesia, Aphrodite Ourania, and royal formulas over Bosporos, Theodosia, Sindi, Maeotians, Thateans, and Doschi.Gorgippian Thiasoi Under Sauromates and Rhescuporis — Four Bosporan InscriptionsFour fragmentary Greek inscriptions from Gorgippia under Sauromates II and Rhescuporis III, preserving Bosporan royal formulas, civic bodies, and thiasos associations.Hekataios in Scythian Land — A Bosporan Verse EpitaphA short Bosporan Greek verse epitaph for Hekataios, saying that Scythian land covered him far from his dear fatherland, presented with source text and historical notes.Hymnos, Son of Skythas at Delphi — A Chersonesite Proxeny EntryA short Delphic Greek proxeny-list entry naming Hymnos, son of Skythas, a Chersonesite, presented with source text and historical notes.Hymnos, Son of Skythas in a Chersonesos Land-Sale ListA Greek land-sale list from Chersonesos preserving repeated entries for Hymnos son of Skythas, presented with source text and historical notes.Kerkinitis Letter to Neomenios and the Scythian Dues — A Greek GraffitoA short Greek letter-graffito from Kerkinitis, preserving salt-fish storage, cattle care, and dues connected with the Scythians.Leoxos Far from the City — An Archaic Olbian Verse InscriptionA short archaic Greek verse inscription from Olbia for Leoxos son of Molpagores, with source variants and source notes.Leukon in Sindike -- Labrys and Nymphaion DedicationsTwo early Bosporan Greek dedications under Leukon, preserving Apollo at Labrys, Dionysus at Nymphaion, Sindike, the Sindi, and neighboring peoples.Olbia and the Kings of Sarmatia -- A Greek Honorific FragmentA fragmentary Greek honorific inscription from Olbia naming the kings of Sarmatia and civic service on the north Black Sea frontier.Olbia Between Sarmatian War and the Kings of AorsiaA fragmentary Olbian Greek decree from Mangup mentioning Sarmatian war pressure and embassies to the greatest kings of Aorsia, as a Scythian-Sarmatian source dossier.Olbia, City of Scythia — An Olbian Verse EpitaphA short Greek verse epitaph from Olbia that names Olbia as a city of Scythia, presented with source text and historical notes.Olbian Scythia and Myrmekion Skytha -- Two Greek FragmentsTwo small Ancient Greek inscription witnesses from Olbia and Myrmekion preserving Scythia or the name Skytha in north Black Sea contexts.Pantikapaion Honours for Sauromates and Rhescuporis — Four Bosporan Royal InscriptionsFour Greek inscriptions from Pantikapaion honoring Marcus Aurelius, Sauromates, and Rhescuporis, preserving Bosporan royal titulature and north Pontic diplomatic formulas.Poseides and the Scythian Kings — An Olbian Honorific DecreeA cautious Good Works Translation of IosPE I² 51, an Olbian honorific decree whose damaged text says that Poseides son of Satyros met the kings of the Scythians.Pothe, Son of Skilurus — A Bosporan EpitaphA short Bosporan Greek epitaph naming Pothe as son of Skilurus, presented with source text and historical notes.Protogenes Decree at Olbia -- Saitapharnes and the City's Crisis -- Good Works TranslationA Good Works Translation of the Olbian decree for Protogenes, preserving Saitapharnes, public gifts, grain crisis, wall-building, Galatians, Skiri, Scythians, Saudaratae, and the civic danger around Olbia.Rhescuporis, Son of Sauromates — A Bosporan Royal Honor InscriptionA Bosporan Greek honor inscription for King Tiberius Julius Rhescuporis, son of King Sauromates, presented with source text and historical notes.Sakta and Psyche — A Bosporan EpitaphA short Bosporan Greek epitaph for Sakta and her daughter Psyche, as a Scythian contact-zone source dossier.Sanerges and Astara at Phanagoria -- A Bosporan Cult DedicationA short Greek dedication from Phanagoria by Komosarye, wife of Pairisades, to Sanerges and Astara, preserving Bosporan royal and cult language.Sarmatian Lives in Greek Inscriptions -- Seven Small WitnessesSeven small Greek inscriptions naming Sarmatian people in Attica, western Lokris, Thessalonike, and Rhodes.Sauromates Across the Bosporan Frontier — Eight Greek FragmentsEight Greek inscription fragments from Phanagoria, Sudak, Tyritake, Pantikapaion, Tanais, and Gorgippia, preserving Bosporan royal formulas under Sauromates and Rhescuporis.Sauromates and Axia Paula at Pantikapaion — A Bosporan Royal FragmentA damaged Bosporan Greek royal honor fragment from Pantikapaion naming King Sauromates and Axia Paula, presented with source text and historical notes.Sauromates and the Rebuilt Walls of Gorgippia — A Bosporan Civic InscriptionA short Bosporan Greek civic inscription from Gorgippia under King Sauromates, presented with source text and historical notes.Sauromates and the Temple of Ares — A Bosporan Royal Building FragmentA damaged Greek building inscription from Pantikapaion under King Sauromates, presented with source text and historical notes.Sauromates at Pantikapaion — Four Bosporan Royal Honor InscriptionsFour short Bosporan Greek honor inscriptions from Pantikapaion naming King Tiberius Julius Sauromates, presented with source text and historical notes.Scythian Names in Greek Inscriptions -- Six Small WitnessesSix short Greek inscriptions preserving Scythian names, origin labels, and personal presence in Attica and Rhodes.Scythian Religion in Olbian and North Black Sea InscriptionsA source-language corpus translation of Hylaea, Mother of the Gods, Achilles Pontarches, and related North Black Sea inscriptions.Skythas, Son of Theagenes — A Chersonesos EpitaphA two-line Greek epitaph from Chersonesos naming Skythas son of Theagenes, presented with source text and historical notes.Tanais Against Sirachi, Scythians, and Taurike — A Frontier DedicationA damaged Greek dedication from Tanais naming war against Sirachi and Scythians, Taurike under treaty, and a dedication to Zeus, Ares, and Aphrodite.Tanais Market Restored under Rhescuporis -- A Greek Building InscriptionA Greek building inscription from Tanais recording the restoration of the marketplace for the city and merchants under King Rhescuporis, son of Sauromates.Tanais Under Eupator and Sauromates — Apollo and Tower InscriptionsFour Greek inscriptions from Tanais preserving an Apollo vow, civic wall and tower repairs, Sarmatic signs, and Bosporan royal dating under Eupator and Sauromates.Tanais Under Sauromates — Thiasos and Council InscriptionsTwo Greek inscriptions from Tanais in the reign of Sauromates, preserving a thiasos member list, the day of Tanais, and a damaged civic decree on the Bosporan frontier.Theophilos, Son of Skythas — A Chersonesos Name-List FragmentA damaged Greek name-list fragment from Chersonesos preserving Theophilos with the uncertain patronymic Skythas, presented with source text and historical notes.