Fifteen Olbian Dedications from IosPE I² 130-144
This is a Good Works Translation produced by New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Ancient Greek inscriptions printed in Basilius Latyschev’s public-domain Inscriptiones Tyrae, Olbiae, Chersonesi Tauricae, second edition, vol. 1 (Petrograd, 1916), nos. 130-144.
These fifteen Greek inscriptions from the Olbian region record civic dedications to Achilles Pontarches, a cult title of Achilles connected with the Pontus and the Black Sea. Archons, strategoi, and priests offer thanks for the city’s peace, stability, abundance, continuance, and health.
The title “Pontarches” is left untranslated here, because it is both a divine epithet and a local civic-religious title.
Translation
IosPE I² 130
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, the archons around Anaximenes son of Sokrates, serving for the fourth time: Pouthaios son of Pouthaios, Demetrios son of Achilles, Euresibios son of Adoos, Amoromaros son of Euresibios, dedicated this for the peace and fruitfulness and valor of the city, and for their own health.
Pouthaios son of Pouthaios, while serving as archon, won with the spear and the discus. Euresibios son of Adoos, while serving as archon, won in the race and in the jump.
IosPE I² 131
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, the archons around Euresibios son of Straton: Anaximenes son of Euresibios, Pistous son of Antonios, Papadon son of Alkimos, Philostratos [...]
IosPE I² 132
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, the archons around Hikesios son of Maiakos, serving for the second time: Anaximenes son of Anaximenes, Raodmeos son of Kolchos, Dionysiodoros son of Eros, Argouanagos son of Karaxstos, dedicated this as a thank-offering for the stability of the city and for their own health.
IosPE I² 133
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, the archons around Kenexarthos: Azameos, Spokos, Dados, Dizes, as a thank-offering.
IosPE I² 134
To Achilles Pontarches, the archons around Neikeratos son of Neikeratos the Younger: Hieroson son of Epikrates, Sokrates son of Antiphon, Euresibios son of Straton, Peldios son of Hypanes, dedicated this as a thank-offering, while Moukounakyros was serving as priest for the fourth time.
IosPE I² 135
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, the strategoi around Dandaxarthos son of Dados: Herakleides son of Artemidoros, Zenon son of Zotikos, Douaragos son of Pidos, Dionysios son of Arthiemmanos, Senekas son of Ouziagos, as a thank-offering.
IosPE I² 136
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, the strategoi around Zenon son of Stratoneikos: Titus Flavius Philoumenos, Agathokles son of Agathokles, Theodoros son of Toumbagos, Sadimanos son of Sanbation, Sirdouchansos son of Boutounatos, as a thank-offering.
IosPE I² 137
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, the strategoi around Kallisthenes son of Satyros: Menodoros son of Pontikos, Nabazos son of Noumenios, Achilles son of Syntrophos, Badagos son of Iezdrados, Dadagos son of Kouzaios, dedicated this as a thank-offering for the stability of the city and for their own health.
IosPE I² 138
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, the strategoi around Leonides son of Achilles: Nabazos son of Dotos, Eros son of Euresibios, Karaxstos son of Argouanagos, Publius Aelius Achilles, Mourdagos son of Kaphanagos, dedicated this as a thank-offering for the stability of the city and for their own health.
Leonides son of Achilles won with the spear.
IosPE I² 139
With good fortune. Under the archons around Neikeratos son of Dadagos, Apsogas, having served as priest for the second time, dedicated a crown to Achilles Pontarches.
IosPE I² 140
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, Kallistratos son of Herakleides, having served as priest, dedicated this as a thank-offering for the peace, abundance, and continuance of the city, and for his own health.
IosPE I² 141
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, Kaskenos son of Kasagos, while serving as priest, dedicated this as a thank-offering for the abundance and stability of the city.
IosPE I² 142
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches and Thetis, Skartanos son of Aziaios, having served as priest, dedicated this as a thank-offering for the abundance and peace of the city and for his own health, under the archon Satyros son of Artemidoros.
IosPE I² 143
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, Tryphon son of Tryphon, priest of Olbian Zeus, dedicated this as a thank-offering.
IosPE I² 144
With good fortune. To Achilles Pontarches, Pharnagos son of Achilles, while serving as priest, dedicated this as a thank-offering for the abundance of the city and for his own health.
Translation Notes
“Pontarches” is retained as a title rather than flattened into a paraphrase. It points toward Achilles’ Black Sea authority, but in these inscriptions it also functions as a local divine title.
The Greek word translated “abundance” in several priestly dedications is εὐποσία. Latyshev discusses the word as difficult; this translation uses “abundance” as a broad civic term rather than narrowing it to a single material sense.
Colophon
This Good Works Translation was made by New Tianmu Anglican Church from the Greek text of Basilius Latyschev, Inscriptiones Tyrae, Olbiae, Chersonesi Tauricae, second edition, vol. 1 (Petrograd, 1916), nos. 130-144. Latyshev’s edition is used as the public-domain source anchor; PHI Greek Inscriptions records PH184323-PH184337 were used as comparison controls and source locators.
The English translation is independently derived from the Greek. No modern English translation was used as the base text.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text: Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντάρχῃ
Greek source text from Basilius Latyschev’s public-domain Inscriptiones Tyrae, Olbiae, Chersonesi Tauricae, second edition, vol. 1 (Petrograd, 1916), nos. 130-144. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
IosPE I² 130
[ἀγ]αθῆι τύχη̣[ι].
[Ἀχ]ιλλεῖ Ποντ[άρχηι]
[οἱ] περὶ Ἀναξιμ̣[έ]-
νην Σωκράτ[ους]
τὸ δʹ ἄρχον[τες]·
Πουρθαῖος Π̣[ουρ]-
θαίου, Δημήτρ[ιος]
Ἀχιλλέος, Εὑρ[ησί]-
[β]ιος Ἀδόου, Ἀ[μω]-
ρ̣όμαρος Εὑρησ[ιβί]-
ου ὑπὲ[ρ] εἰρήνης κ[αὶ]
πολυκαρπί̣α̣ς κα[ὶ ἀν]-
δραγαθίας τῆς π[όλε]-
ως καὶ τῆς ἑαυτ[ῶν ὑγεί]-
ας.
Πουρθ[αῖ]ος Πο[υρθαί]-
ου ἀρχοντε̣ύων ἐν[είκα]
λ̣όνχαι {λόγχαι}, δίσκω̣[ι]. Ε̣ὑρησ[ίβιος]
[Ἀ]δόου ἀρχον[τ]εύων ἐ[νείκα]
δρόμ[ωι], π̣[α]ιδήμ[ατι].
IosPE I² 131
ἀγαθῆι τύ-
χηι. Ἀχιλλε[ῖ]
Ποντάρχῃ
οἱ περὶ Εὑ-
ρησίβιον
Στράτω-
νος ἄρχο[ν]-
τες· Ἀνα-
ξιμένης
Εὑρησιβί-
ου, Πίστους
Ἀντω<ν>ίο<υ>,
Παπάδων
Ἀλκίμου,
[Φιλό]στρα[τος]
[— — — — — —]
IosPE I² 132
ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ.
Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντά[ρ]-
χῃ οἱ περὶ Ἱκέσι-
ον Μαιάκου τὸ
δεύτερον ἄρχο[ν]-
τες· Ἀναξιμένης
Ἀναξιμένους,
Ῥαόδμηος Κόλχου,
Διονυσιόδωρος
Ἔρωτος, Ἀργουάνα-
γος Καράξτου ὑπὲρ
τῆς πόλεως εὐστα-
θίας καὶ τῆς ἑαυ-
τῶν ὑγείας χαρισ-
τήριον.
IosPE I² 133
ἀγαθ̣ῇ̣ τ̣ύχῃ.
Ἀχιλλεῖ Πο[ν]-
τάρχῃ οἱ περὶ̣
Κηνέξαρθον ἄρ-
χοντες· Ἀζά-
μηος, Σπ[ό]κος, Δ[ά]-
[δ]ο̣ς̣, Δ̣ί̣ζ̣η̣ς̣
χαριστήριον.
IosPE I² 134
Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντάρχηι
οἱ περὶ Νεικήρατον
Νεικηράτου νεώ-
τερον ἄρχοντες·
Ἱεροσῶν Ἐπικράτους,
Σωκράτης Ἀντιφῶντος,
Εὑρησίβιος Στράτωνος,
Πέλδιος Ὑπάνεος
χαριστήριον.
ἱερατεύοντος
Μουκουνακύρου τὸ δʹ.
IosPE I² 135
ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ.
Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντάρχῃ στρατηγ<ο>ὶ
οἱ περὶ Δανδάξαρθον
Δάδου· Ἡρακλείδης Ἀρ-
τεμιδώρου, Ζήνων
Ζωτικοῦ, Δουάραγος
Πίδου, Διονύσι<ο>ς
Ἀρθιεμμάνου, Σηνή-
κας Οὐζιά<γ>ου
χαριστ<ή>ριον.
IosPE I² 136
ἀγαθῆι τύχ[ηι].
Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντ[άρ]-
χῃ οἱ περὶ Ζήνω-
να Στρατονείκου
στρατηγοί· Τίτος Φλάβιος Φι-
λουμενός, Ἀγαθο-
κλῆς Ἀγαθοκλέους,
Θεόδω[ρ]ος Τουμβά-
[γ]ου, Σαδίμανος
Σανβατίωνος,
Σιρδούχανσος
Βουτούνατος
<χαριστήριον>.
IosPE I² 137
ἀγαθῇ
τύχῃ. Ἀχιλ-
λεῖ Ποντάρχηι
οἱ περὶ Καλλισθένην
Σατύρου στρατηγοί·
Μηνόδωρος Ποντικοῦ,
Νάβαζος Νουμηνίου,
Ἀχιλλεὺς Συν<τ>ρόφου,
Βάδαγος Ἰεζδράδου,
Δάδαγος Κουζαίου
ὑπὲρ τῆς πόλεως εὐστα-
θίας καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν
ὑγείας χαριστήριον.
IosPE I² 138
ἀγαθῇ τύχηι.
Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντάρχῃ
οἱ περὶ Λεωνίδην Ἀχιλ-
λέος στρατηγοί· Νάβα-
ζος Δωτοῦ Ἔρως Εὑρησι-
βίου, Κάραξστος Ἀργουα-
νάγου, Πόπλιος Αἴλιος
Ἀχιλλεύς, Μούρδαγος
Καφανάγου ὑπὲρ εὐ-
σταθίας τῆς πόλεως καὶ
τῆς ἑαυτῶν ὑγείας
χαριστήριον.
Λεωνίδης Ἀχιλλέως
[ἐ]νείκα λόγχῃ.
IosPE I² 139
ἀγαθῆι τύχηι.
ἐπὶ ἀρχόντων τῶν
περὶ Νεικήρατον
Δαδά<γ>ου [Ἀψ]ώγας
στέφανον ἱερατεύ-
σας τὸ δεύτερον
Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντάρχηι.
IosPE I² 140
ἀγαθῇ τύχηι.
Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντάρ-
χῃ Καλλίστρα-
τος Ἡρακλείδου
ἱερατεύσας ὑπ[ὲρ]
τῆς πόλεως εἰρ[ή]-
νης καὶ εὐποσίας
καὶ διαμονῆς καὶ
τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ὑγείας
χαριστήριον.
IosPE I² 141
ἀγαθῇ
τύχῃ. Ἀ-
χιλλεῖ Πο[ν]-
τ[ά]ρχῃ Κάσ-
κηνος Κα-
σάγου ἱε-
ρ[α]τεύων
[ἀ]νέθη-
κεν ὑπὲρ
τῆς πόλε-
ως εὐποσί-
ας καὶ εὐστα-
θίας χαρισ-
τήριον.
IosPE I² 142
ἀγαθῇ τύχῃ.
Ἀχιλλεῖ Ποντάρχῃ
καὶ Θέτιδι Σκάρτα-
νος Ἀζιαίου ἱερα-
τεύσας ὑπὲρ τῆς
πόλεος εὐποσίας̣
καὶ εἰρήνης καὶ τῆ̣[ς]
ἑαυτοῦ ὑγείας
χαριστήριον· ἐπὶ ἄρ-
χοντος Σατύρου Ἀρτ[ε]-
μιδώρου.
IosPE I² 143
ἀ[γ]α̣θ[ῇ]
τύχῃ.
[Ἀ]χιλλε[ῖ Πον]-
τάρχῃ Τ[ρύ]-
φων Τρύφωνο̣[ς]
ἱερεὺς Ὀλ[βί]-
ου Διὸς
χαριστή-
ριον.
IosPE I² 144
ἀγ<α>θῇ τύχῃ.
Ἀχιλλ<ε>ῖ Πον-
τ<ά>ρχῃ Φ<ά>ρν<α>γος
<Ἀ>χιλλέος ἱερα-
τεύων ἀνέθη-
κεν χαριστήρι-
ον ὑπ[ὲρ τ]ῆ̣ς πό-
λεως̣ [εὐπ]οσίας
καὶ τῆ̣[ς ἑ]α̣υτοῦ
ὑγείας.
Source Colophon
Latyschev’s 1916 edition is used here as the public-domain source anchor. The Greek text was checked against PHI Greek Inscriptions records PH184323-PH184337 for line order, restorations, and damaged readings.
Ancient Greek text and transliteration are source matter; no modern English translation or creative modern commentary is reproduced here.
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