Protogenes Decree at Olbia -- Saitapharnes and the City's Crisis -- Good Works Translation

Greek civic inscription from IosPE I2 32

The Olbian decree for Protogenes is a civic document from the north shore of the Black Sea. It records a city surviving through loans, grain purchases, sacred pledges, walls, gifts to King Saitapharnes, and fear of Galatians, Skiri, Scythians, and neighboring peoples.

The inscription is damaged. Lost or doubtful places are left visibly broken in the English where a responsible continuous translation cannot be made from the preserved text.

The English is a Good Works Translation from the Greek inscription printed below.

Translation

Face A -- Public Debts, Grain, and Gifts to Saitapharnes

It was resolved by the council and the people on the twentieth day. The magistrates and the seven spoke.

Since Heroson, the father of Protogenes, rendered many great services to the city, both in money and in affairs, and since Protogenes, receiving from his father this goodwill toward the people, has continued throughout his life to say and do what is best:

First, when King Saitapharnes came to Kangytos and demanded the gifts for his passage, and the public funds were at a loss, Protogenes was called upon by the people and gave four hundred gold pieces.

When the magistrates had deposited the sacred drinking-cups for the city's need with Polychar-mos for one hundred gold pieces, and did not have the means to redeem them, and the foreigner was carrying them to the mint, Protogenes himself paid over the hundred gold pieces beyond what was due and redeemed them.

When the magistrates around Demokon had bought wine advantageously for three hundred gold pieces, but did not have the means to settle the price, Protogenes, called upon by the people, gave the three hundred gold pieces.

When Herodoros was priest, there was a shortage of grain, and grain was being sold at five. Because of the danger that was coming on, the people thought it necessary to lay up sufficient grain, and they called upon those who had resources. Protogenes came forward first and promised two thousand medimnoi at ten. The others at once received the price, but he, after a full year had gone round, exacted no interest.

In the same priesthood, when the Saioi came all together for the carrying off of the gifts, and the people were unable to give to them, and had asked Protogenes to help in the crisis, he came forward and promised four hundred gold pieces.

When he had been chosen for the office of the Nine, he made an advance of not less than fifteen hundred gold pieces against the revenues that were to come in. From this money many scepter-bearing men were attended to at the right time, and not a few gifts were prepared advantageously for the king.

When the fleet had been sold for royal payments according to the decree, in which the purchasers had to receive from the city three hundred gold pieces, and Konon had bought it, the magistrates were not able to give the money, since it was in the hands of the tax-farmers. The purchase was therefore settled back with the city; for this reason the sale was put up again three times, and the third time Phormion bought it. Protogenes, seeing that the city would fall into great disasters, himself came forward in the assembly and gave the three hundred gold pieces.

Again, when Pleistarchos was priest, a severe shortage of grain occurred. Grain was being sold at a medimnos and two-thirds, and it was plain that it would become dearer, as indeed immediately happened: the medimnos reached a gold piece and two-thirds. Because of this the people were in deep anxiety and thought it necessary to buy grain; and for this they thought that those who were well supplied should render help. When the assembly met, Protogenes came forward first and promised one thousand gold pieces for the purchase of grain, which he immediately brought and gave. Of these, he gave three hundred without interest for a year; and, though he gave all in gold, he received bronze in exchange at a rate of four hundred.

He was also first to promise two thousand five hundred medimnoi of wheat. Of these he gave five hundred at four and a sixth, and the other two thousand at two and seven half-sixths. The rest of those who made promises at that time received their prices at once from the funds that had been provided. He, after a full year had gone round, received the price without exacting any interest. Through the eagerness of Protogenes, much money and no little grain were provided for the people.

When King Saitapharnes came to the other side for attendance upon him, the magistrates gathered an assembly and made known the king's presence and the fact that there was nothing in the revenues. Protogenes came forward and gave nine hundred gold pieces. The ambassadors, Protogenes and Aristokrates, took the money and went to meet the king. The king found fault with the gifts, fell into anger, and made his departure [...] and the magistrates unworthily [...]. For these reasons the people came together and were terrified, and sent ambassadors to [...]

Face B -- Walls, Refugees, Galatians, Skiri, Scythians, and Public Debt

Still, the greater part of the city facing the river was unwalled: all the part by the harbor, and the part by the former fish-market as far as the hero Sosias. Deserters were reporting that the Galatians and Skiri had made an alliance, that a great force had been gathered, and that it would come in the winter. In addition to these, the Thisamatae, Scythians, and Saudaratae desired the stronghold, because they too feared the cruelty of the Galatians.

For these reasons many people were dispirited and prepared to abandon the city. At the same time many other losses had occurred in the countryside. The whole household population had been ruined, and the Mixhellenes living in the foothills, not fewer than fifteen hundred in number, who had fought as allies in the city in the earlier war, had been ruined. Many foreigners and not a few citizens had abandoned the city.

Because of these things, the people came together in great distress, setting before their eyes the danger that was to come and the terrible things already present. They called upon all who had strength to help, and not to look on while the fatherland, preserved for many years, became subject to the enemy. No one offered himself either for the whole demand or for the parts of what the people asked. Protogenes himself promised to build both walls and to advance the whole expense for them, although not less than fifteen hundred gold pieces were already lying before him as obligations.

Immediately he brought five hundred gold pieces into the assembly for the deposits, and put all the works up for contract by herald. By making the counting out from ready funds, he saved no little money for the city. Later, when many contractors abandoned the works, Protogenes himself completed the works for the city and brought no loss upon the people. He spent fifteen hundred gold pieces on the two walls, and when he had settled most of the gold, he received bronze in exchange at a rate of four hundred.

He also built the towers that were in bad condition: both towers by the great gates, the tower of Kathegetor, the tower by the wagon-road, and the tower of Epidaurios. He repaired the grain-store. He also built the gateway at the show-place.

Furthermore, since the city was paying freight to private persons who carried the stones, because the public ships were in bad condition and had none of the fittings, Protogenes promised to repair these also. He spent two hundred gold pieces on all these things and rendered an account at once. For these reasons the people, who had often crowned him before, crowned him then also when he gave the account.

Still, the rope-measured section near the tower of Posios, running up to the upper place, remained unfinished. The people called upon him and asked him to complete this as well, it being the fourth rope-measured section. Protogenes, wishing in nothing to be ungrateful, undertook this wall-building also, for which he advanced one hundred gold pieces.

When he held the common financial administration and treasury, and managed the greatest revenues of the city, he did not drive any of the tax-farmers out of their possessions. He alienated nothing from anyone's possessions. Instead, accommodating himself to the crisis of all of them, he granted remissions of money to some, and to others, after allowing them as much time as they wished, he exacted no interest.

Having managed very many of the public funds, he administered all things correctly and justly for three continuous years. He rendered his accounts at the appointed times. He accepted for his own recovery the sums from the revenues that fell due during the periods of his office, though in truth this had not occurred. From these acts he released the city from debts and relieved it from interest.

Since all things in the city were in bad condition because of the wars and crop failures, and since possessions had come to nothing, the people sought concerning these matters to make monthly arrangements and to provide usefully for lenders and borrowers. Since six thousand gold pieces were owed to him and his father, Protogenes was the first to entrust to the people whatever way they wished to deal with him. When the people asked him to make a remission for the borrowers, he remitted all things to everyone. He considered nothing more desirable than to possess the goodwill of the people toward him rather than his private [...]

[The remaining lines are broken: the text speaks of his possessions being shattered, of not fewer than [...] gold pieces, and apparently of no interest being exacted.]

Colophon

This Good Works Translation was made from the Greek text of PHI Greek Inscriptions PH184224 / IosPE I2 32, the Olbian decree for Protogenes.

The English translation is independently derived from the Greek source body. Damaged and restored portions have been translated only where the preserved wording permits a coherent English rendering.

Compiled for the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

🌲

Source Text: Greek

face A.1 ἔδοξε βουλῆι καὶ δήμ[ωι] εἰκάδι, οἱ ἄρχο[ν]-
[τ]ες καὶ οἱ ἑπτὰ εἶπαν. ἐπειδὴ Ἡροσῶν τε ὁ Πρ[ω]-
τογένους πατὴρ πολλὰς καὶ μεγάλας
χρείας παρείσχηται τῆι πόλει καὶ εἰς χρη-
5 μάτων καὶ εἰς πραγμάτων λόγον, Πρωτο-
γένης τε διαδεξάμενος τὴμ παρὰ τοῦ πα-
τρὸς εὔνοιαν πρὸς τὸν δῆμον διὰ βίου δια-
τετέλεκεν λέγων καὶ πράττων τὰ βέλ-
τιστα· καὶ πρῶτομ μὲν παραγενομέ-
10 νου Σαϊταφάρνου τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς Κάγκυ̣-
τον καὶ ἀπαιτοῦντος τὰ δῶρα τῆς παρόδου,
τῶν δὲ κοινῶν ἐξηπορημένων, ἐπικληθεὶς
ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου ἔδωκε χρυσοῦς τετρακοσίου[ς]·
τῶν τε ἀρχόντων θέντων τὰ ἱερὰ ποτήρι-
15 α εἰς τὴν τῆς πόλεως χρείαν πρὸς Πολύχα[ρ]-
μον πρὸς χρυσοῦς ἑκατὸν καὶ οὐκ ἐχόντων
λύσασθαι, τοῦ δὲ ξένου φέροντος ἐπὶ τὸν
χαρακτῆρα, αὐτὸς ὑπεραποδοὺς τοὺς ἑκα-
τὸν χρυσοῦς ἐλύσατο· τῶν τε περὶ Δημοκῶν̣-
20 τα ἀρχόντων ἀγορασάντων λυσιτελῶς οἶνον
χρυσῶν τριακοσίων, οὐκ ἐχόντων δὲ τὴν τιμὴν
διαλῦσαι, ἐπικληθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου ἔδωκε τοὺς
τριακοσίους χρυσοῦς· ἐπί τε Ἡροδώρου ἱέρεω σιτο-
δείας οὔσης καὶ πωλουμένου τοῦ σίτου εἰς πέν-
25 τε, καὶ διὰ τὸν κίνδυνον τὸν ἐπιφερόμενον οἰο-
μένου δεῖν τοῦ δήμου παραθέσθαι σῖτον ἱκα-
νὸν καὶ εἰς ταῦτα παρακαλοῦντος τοὺς
ἔχοντας, πρῶτος παρελθὼν ἐπηγγείλα-
το μεδίμνους δισχιλίους εἰς δέκα, καὶ
30 τῶν λοιπῶν παραχρῆμα κομισαμέ-
νων τὴν τιμήν, αὐτὸς ἐνιαυτὸν συμπ[ε]-
ριενεγχθεὶς τόκον οὐθένα ἐπράξατο· ἐ-
πί τε τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἱέρεω ἀθρόων παραγενο-
μένων Σαΐων̣ ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν δώρων κομι-
35 δήν, οὐ δυναμένου δὲ τοῦ δήμου δοῦ-
ναι αὐτοῖς, ἀξιώσαντος δὲ Πρωτογένην
βοηθῆσαι τοῖς καιροῖς, παρελθὼν ἐπηγγε[ί]-
λατο χρυσοῦς τετρακοσίους· αἱρεθείς τε
τῆς τῶν ἐννέα ἀρχῆς οὐκ ἐλαττόνωμ
40 μὲν ἢ χιλίων καὶ πεντακοσίων χρυσῶν
πρόθεσιν ἐποιήσατο ἐπὶ ταῖς μελλούσαις
προσόδοις, ἐξ ὧμ πολλοὶ μὲν σκηπτοῦχοι
ἐθεραπεύθησαν εὐκαίρως, οὐκ ὀλίγα δὲ
δῶρα παρεσκευάσθη τῶι βασιλεῖ λυσιτελῶ[ς]·
45 πραθέντος τε τοῦ στόλου εἰς βασίλεια
κατὰ τὸ ψήφισμα, ἐν ὧι ἔδει τοὺς ἀγορά-
σαντας λαβεῖν παρὰ τῆς πόλεως χρυσοῦ̣[ς]
τριακοσίους, καὶ ἀγοράσαντος Κόνωνος, δι-
ὰ τὸ δὲ τὰ χρήματα μὴ δύνασθαι
50 δοῦναι τοὺς ἄρχοντας, ἀλλ’ εἶναι πα-
ρὰ τοῖς τελώναις, δια[λ]υσαμένων τὴν ὠ-
νὴν πρὸς τὴμ πόλιν, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα τρὶ[ς]
ἀναπραθείσης τῆς ὠνῆς καὶ τὸ τρίτον
ἀγοράσαντος Φορμίωνος, συνιδὼν
55 Πρωτογένης διότι μεγάλοις διαπτώ-
μασι περιπεσεῖται ἡ πόλις, αὐτὸς παρελ-
θὼν εἰς τὴν ἐκλησίαν ἔδωκε τοὺς τρια-
κοσίους χρυσοῦς· πάλιν τ’ ἐπὶ Πλειστάρχο<υ>
ἱέρεω σιτοδείας γενομένης ἰσχυρᾶς καὶ πω-
60 λουμένου τοῦ σίτου εἰς μέδιμνον καὶ δύο τρι-
τεῖς, προδήλου δὲ ὄντος ἔσεσθαι τιμουστέ-
ρου, ὥσπερ δὲ καὶ ἐγένετο παραυτίκα ὁ μέδι-
μνος χρυσοῦ καὶ δύο τριτῶν, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα
διαγωνιάσαντος τοῦ δήμου καὶ οἰομένου
65 δεῖν σιτωνῆσαι, εἰς δὲ ταῦτα χρείας παρα-
σχέσθαι τοὺς εὐπορουμένους, πρῶτος συν-
ελθούσης ἐκλησίας ἐπηγγείλατο εἰς τὴν
σιτωνίαν χρυσοῦς χιλίους, οὓς παραυτίκα ἐ-
νέγκας ἔδωκε, ὧν τοὺς τριακοσίους ἀτόκους
70 εἰς ἐνιαυτόν, καὶ δοὺς χρυσίον πᾶν χαλκὸν
ἐκομίσατο ἐκ τετρακοσίων· πρῶτος δ’ ἐπη̣γ-
γείλατο πυρῶν μεδίμνους δισχιλίους πεν̣-
τακοσίους, ὧν τοὺς πεντακοσίους μὲν ἔδωκεν
εἰς τέτταρας καὶ ἑκτέα, τοὺς δὲ δισχιλίους εἰ[ς]
75 δύο καὶ ἑπτὰ ἡμιέκτεα, καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τῶν
ἐν τούτωι τῶι καιρῶι ἐπαγγειλαμένων πα-
ραχρῆμα τὰς τιμὰς κομισαμένων ἀπὸ τῶν
πορισθέντων χρημάτων, αὐτὸς συμπεριε-
νεγχθεὶς ἐνιαυτὸν τὴν τιμὴν ἐκομίσατο, τό-
80 κον οὐδένα πραξάμενος, καὶ διὰ τὴμ Πρωτο-
γένους προθυμίαν πολλὰ μὲγ χρήματα, οὐ-
κ ὀλίγος δὲ σῖτος ἐπορίσθη τῶι δήμωι. τοῦ τε
βασιλέως Σαϊταφάρνου παραγενομέν{ομε}-
{ν}ου {²⁶παραγενομένου}²⁶ εἰς τὸ πέραν ἐπὶ θεραπείαν, τῶν δὲ ἀρχόν-
85 των συναγαγόντων ἐκλησίαν καὶ τήν τε πα-
ρουσίαν ἐμφανισάντων τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ διό-
τι ἐν ταῖς προσόδοις ἐστὶν οὐδέν, παρελθὼν
Πρωτογένης ἔδωκε χρυσοῦς ἐνακοσίους· τῶ[ν]
δὲ πρεσβευτῶν λαβόντων τὰ χρήματα καὶ ἀ-
90 παντησάντων βασιλεῖ, Πρωτογένους καὶ
[Ἀ]ρι̣σ̣τοκράτους, τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως τὰ μὲν δῶρ[α]
[μεμψ]αμένου, εἰς ὀργὴν δὲ καταστάντος κα[ὶ]
[τὴν] ἀνάζευξιν ποιησαμέν[ου, μετα․ρ— — — —] {²ΟΥΜΕΤΑΓΡ․ (Köhler, Köppen)}²
[— —] δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἀνα[ξίως, ὧν ἕνεκεν(?)]
95 [συν]ελθὼν ὁ δῆμος περίφ[οβος ἐγένετο καὶ]
[πρεσ]βευτὰς ἐπὶ τ[— — — — — — — — — —]
[— — —]σω[— — — — — — — — — — — — — —]
face B.1 ἔτι δὲ τοῦ πλείστου μέρους τοῦ πρὸς τὸμ ποτ[α]-
μὸν τῆς πόλεως ἀτειχίστου ὄντος, τοῦ τε κατ̣[ὰ]
τὸν λιμένα παντὸς καὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὸ πρότερ[ον]
ὑπάρχον ἰχθυοπώλιον, ἕως οὗ ὁ ἥρως ὁ Σωσίας,
5 τῶν δὲ αὐτομόλων ἐπαγγελλόντωγ Γαλά̣-
τας καὶ Σκίρους πεποιῆσθαι συμμαχίαν καὶ δύ-
ναμιν συνῆχθαι μεγάλην καὶ ταύτην τοῦ χει-
μῶνος ἥξειν ἐπαγγελλόντων, πρὸς δὲ τού-
τοις Θισαμάτας καὶ Σκύθας καὶ Σαυδαράτας ἐπι-
10 θυμεῖν τοῦ ὀχυρώματος, δεδιότας ὡσαύτως καὶ
αὐτοὺς τὴν τῶγ Γαλατῶν ὠμότητα, καὶ διὰ
ταῦτα πολλῶν ἐχόντων ἀθύμως καὶ παρεσκε-
ασμένων {²⁶παρεσκευασμένων}²⁶ ἐγλείπειν τὴμ πόλιν, ἅμα δὲ τῶι καὶ
ἄλλα γεγενῆσθαι ἐλαττώματα πολλὰ
15 κατὰ τὴγ χώραν, ἐφθάρθαι μὲν τὴν οἰκετεί-
αν ἅπασαν καὶ τοὺς τὴμ παρώρειαν οἰ-
κοῦντας Μιξέλληνας, οὐκ ἐλάττους ὄν-
τας τὸν ἀριθμὸν χιλίων καὶ πεντακοσίων,
τοὺς ἐν τῶι προτέρωι πολέμωι συμμαχήσαντας
20 ἐν τῆι πόλει, ἐγλελοιπέναι δὲ πολλοὺς μὲν
τῶγ ξένων, οὐκ ὀλίγους δὲ τῶμ πολιτῶν, ὧν ἕ-
νεκεν συνελθὼν ὁ δῆμος διηγωνιακὼς καὶ τὸγ
κίνδυνον τὸμ μέλλοντα καὶ τὰ δεινὰ πρὸ ὀ-
φθαλμῶν ποιούμενος παρεκάλει πάντας
25 τοὺς ἰσχύοντας βοηθῆσαι καὶ μὴ περιιδεῖν τὴν ἐκ
πολλῶν ἐτῶν τετηρημένημ πατρίδα ὑποχεί-
ριον γενομένην τοῖς πολεμίοις, οὐδενὸς δ’ ἐπιδι-
δόντος ἑαυτὸν οὔτ’ εἰς ἅπαντα οὔτ’ εἰς μέρη ὧν̣
ἠξίου ὁ δῆμος, ἐπηγγείλατο αὐτὸς κατασκευᾶν̣
30 ἀμφότερα τὰ τείχη καὶ προθήσειμ πᾶσαν τὴν
εἰς αὐτὰ δαπάνην, καίπερ αὐτῶι προκειμένων̣
οὐκ ἐλασσόνωγ χρυσῶν ἢ χιλίων καὶ πεντακοσί-
ων, καὶ εὐθὺς ἐνέγκας εἰς τὴν ἐκλησίαν χρυσοῦς
πεντακοσίους εἰς τοὺς ἀρραβῶνας ἀπέδοτο πάν-
35 τα τὰ ἔργα ὑπὸ κήρυκα, καὶ παρὰ τὸ τὴν ἀρίθμη-
σιν ποιήσασθαι ἐξ ἑτοίμου τοὺς ἐργώνας οὐκ ὀλί-
γα χρήματα περιεποίησε τῆι πόλει· ἔτι δὲ πολ-
λῶν ἐργωνῶν ἐγκαταλιπόντων τὰ ἔργα Πρω-
τογένης τῆι πόλει τὰ μὲν ἔργα αὐτὸς συνετελέ-
40 σατο, διάπτωμα δὲ τῶι δήμωι οὐδὲν ἀνή-
νεγκεν, ἀναλώσας τε εἰς ἀμφότερα τὰ τείχη
χρυσοῦς χιλίους πεντακοσίους καὶ τὸ πλεῖστον
διαλύσας χρυσίον ἐκομίσατο χαλκὸν ἐκ τετρα-
κοσίων· κατεσκεύασε δὲ καὶ τοὺς πύργους κακῶς δι-
45 ακειμένους, τοὺς πρὸς ταῖς μεγάλαις πύλαις ἀμ-
φοτέρους καὶ τὸγ Καθηγήτορος καὶ τὸγ κατὰ τὴν
ἁμαξιτὸγ καὶ τὸν Ἐπ[ι]δαυρίου· ἐπεσκεύασε δὲ
καὶ τὸ σιτόβολον· κατεσκεύασε δὲ καὶ τὸμ πυλῶ-
να τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ δείγματος. ἔτι δὲ τῆς πόλεως
50 ναῦλον τελούσης τοῖς ἄγουσι τοὺς λίθους ἰδιώ-
ταις διὰ τὸ τὰ πλοῖα τὰ δημόσια κακῶς διακεῖσ-
θαι καὶ μηθὲν ἔχειν τῶν ἀρμένων, ἐπηγγείλατο
καὶ ταῦτα κατασκευᾶν, ἀναλώσας τ’ εἰς ταῦτα
πάντα χρυσοῦς διακοσίους λόγον ἤνεγκε παρα-
55 χρῆμα, ὧν ἕνεκεν ὁ δῆμος πολλάκις αὐτὸγ καὶ
πρότερον ἐστεφανωκὼς καὶ τότ’ ἐστεφάνωσεν
ἐπὶ τῆι τοῦ λόγου ἀποδείξει· ἔτι δὲ λοιπῆς οὔσης
ἀσυντελέστου τῆς κατὰ τὸμ Πόσιος πύργον σχοι-
νιαίας εἰς τὸν ἐπάνω τόπον, ἐπικαλεσάμενος ὁ
60 δῆμος ἠξίωσε καὶ ταύτην συντελέσασθαι τε-
τάρτην οὖσαν σχοινιαίαν, Πρωτογένης δὲ οὐ-
δὲμ βουλόμενος ἀχαριστεῖν ὑπέμεινε καὶ ταύ-
την τὴν τειχοδομίαν, εἰς ἣμ προέθηκε χρυσοῦς ἑ-
κατόν. ἐπί τε τῆς κοινῆς οἰκονομίας καὶ ταμιεί-
65 ας γενόμενος καὶ χειρίσας τὰς μεγίστ<α>ς τῆς πόλ[ε]-
ως προσόδους οὐδένα μὲν τῶν τελωνῶν ἐκ τῶν
ὑπαρχόντων ἐξέβαλε, οὐδενὸς δ’ ἀπηλλοτρί-
ωσε οὐδὲν τῶν ὑπαρχόντων, συμπεριενεγχθεὶ|ς
δὲ τοῖς καιροῖς αὐτῶμ πᾶσι, τοῖς μὲν ἀφέσεις ἐ-
70 ποιήσατο τῶγ χρημάτων, τοῖς δὲ συμπεριενεγ-
χθεὶς χρόνον ὅσον ἠβούλοντο τόκον οὐδένα ἐ-
πράξατο. πλεῖστα δὲ χειρίσας τῶγ κοινῶν, τρία {δὲ}
ἔτη συνεχῶς πάντα διώικησεν ὀρθῶς καὶ δικαί-
ως, τοὺς μὲν λόγους ἐν τοῖς ὡρισμένοις χρόνοις ἀ-
75 ποφέρων, τὰ δ’ ἀπὸ τῶμ προσόδωμ πίπτοντα
ἐν τοῖς τῆς πολιτείας χρόνοις παραδεξάμενος
εἰς κομιδὴ[ν ἑ]αυτῶι, οὐ γεγενημένου τούτου ἐπ’ ἀ-
ληθείας, ἐξ ὧν ἀπέλυσε μὲν τὴμ πόλιν ὀφειλη-
μάτων, παρέλυσε δὲ τόκων· τῶν δ’ ἐν τῆι πόλει
80 κακῶς διακειμένων πάντων διά τε τοὺς πολέ-
[μ]ους καὶ τὰς ἀφορίας, καὶ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων εἰς τὸ
[μη]θὲν ἡκόντων, ζητήσαντος ὑπὲρ τούτων τοῦ
[δή]μου ἐπιμηνιεῦσαι καὶ προνοῆσαι χρησίμως
[τοῖ]ς τε δανεισταῖς καὶ τοῖς χρήσταις, ὀφειλομένων
85 [α]ὐτῶι καὶ τῶι πατρὶ χρυσῶν ἑξακισχιλίων πρῶτος
[ἐ]πέτρεψε τῶι δήμωι ὃν ἂμ βούληται τρόπογ χρή-
[σασθαι] αὐτῶι, ἀξιώσαντος δὲ ἄφεσιμ ποιήσασ-
[θαι τοῖς χρ]ήσταις ἀφῆκε πᾶσι πάντα· καὶ οὐδὲν ἄ-
[λλο ποθειν]ότερον αὐτῶι νομίσας εἶναι
90 [τοῦ παρὰ τοῦ δήμου αὐτῶι] ὑπάρχειν εὔνοιαν τοῦ ἰδ-
[ίου — — — — — — — — — — — τ]εθραυσμένος τοῖς ὑπά-
[ρχουσι — — — — — — — — — — — —] αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἐλάσσους
[ἢ — — — — — — — — — — — — χρυσ]οῦς, οὓς ἅπασι τοῖς
[— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — τόκον οὐ]δένα ἐ-
95 [πράξατο? — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —]τειχ
[— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —]

Source Colophon

The Greek source body was extracted from the local Protogenes decree source text and copied for this translation pass at Tulku/Tools/scythian/sources/expansion_bench_2026-05-11/olbia_protogenes_decree_greek_source_manual82.txt.

The local source text identifies the inscription as PHI Greek Inscriptions PH184224 / IosPE I2 32 from Olbia, dated to the third century BCE, with cross-references to IosPE I 16, SEG 29:717, and SEG 49:1041.

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