• r2-137-10
    Stele with moth and figures. (©Archaeological Exploration of Sardis/President and Fellows of Harvard College)

Stele with Moth and Figures

Date
Hellenistic to 4th C. AD, Hellenistic
Sardis or Museum Inv. No.
Sardis 7.1 No. 167
Material
Marble, Stone
Object Type
Sculpture
Sculpture Type
Funerary Relief, Human Figure, Animal
Inscription Text
ἀετὶς διαφέ-
ρων Εἰουλια
νῶ βρακαρίω


Αὐρ, ᾽Επά[γ]αθος [ἡρῶον]
κατεσκεύασεν [ἑαυτῶ]
καὶ γυναικὶ καὶ [τέκνοισ]
καὶ ἐγγόνο̣[ις.]
Inscription Translation

Gabled stele belonging to Iulianus, breeches-maker

Aurelius Epagathos built the tomb for himself and for his wife and children and descendants.

Inscription Comment
Site
Sardis
Sector
AT
Locus
AT Precinct
Findspot
Originally found in 1912 "in the south portico of the Artemis Temple near the southeast corner" (Sardis VII, 137).
Description

At the top, in the pediment, is a moth with outstretched wings. The main recessed panel shows two large standing figures and part of a third to the r.; at the far l. are two smaller figures, one medium-sized, possibly seated, and the other a very small attendant or child, in profile. It is also possible that there were medium-sized figures in front of the central large figure (a girl?) and of the figure on the r. Above the heads is a shelf with, at the l., a barrel-vaulted box with a column at the corner. There are other unidentifiable objects, and, at the r., a recumbent animal, now headless, but probably a dog.

Above this shelf of objects, and below the pediment, is text (a) with a wreath to the l.:

ἀετὶς διαφέ-
ρων Εἰουλια
νῶ βρακαρίω

Gabled stele belonging to Iulianus, breeches-maker (after ibid., no. 167).

Below the recessed panel is text (b):

Αὐρ, ᾽Επά[γ]αθος [ἡρῶον]
κατεσκεύασεν [ἑαυτῶ]
καὶ γυναικὶ καὶ [τέκνοισ]
καὶ ἐγγόνο̣[ις.]
Aurelius Epagathos built the tomb for himself and for his wife and children and descendants.

As Buckler and Robinson state, the stele was originally carved in the Hellenistic period (the 2nd or 1st C. B.C.). It was reused by Epagathos in the late 3rd C. A.D., and again by Iulianus in the late 4th C. A.D. The entire stele and details of the moth, as well as the outlines of the figures, show strong late Pergamene Hellenistic influence.

Condition

Marble.

Top and side acroteria of stele broken and most of I. side of pediment. Diagonal break through relief panel. Lower I. and especially lower r. corners broken away; also most of r. edge of stele and entire r. side of relief panel. Figured surface heavily worn.

Dimensions
H. 1.26; W. 0.52; Th. at top 0.20, at bottom 0.23.
Comments
See Also
Bibliography
Published: Sardis VII, no. 167, p.137-138, fig. 153.
Author
NHR