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