The Public Seal of Athens

PROFESSOR WALLACE has raised some most interesting questions in his article on this subject,1 but I am not altogether happy about some of his answers. He has generously asked me to raise my doubts in public. If they stimulate anyone to further comment or investigation, we will both be very glad. First, what does avupl3oXov mean? Its primary meaning is quite clear from its etymology and the passages collected in Liddell and Scott. Something is broken irregularly, and the two parties each take half. test of whether the two parts belong together is whether they join exactly. It is exactly the principle of the indenture or the tally. Since Wallace wrote, examples of such aibfl,oXa, roughly contemporary with the Kleinias decree and used for internal Athenian purposes at which we can only guess, have been found in the Athenian Agora.2 Clay plaques were inscribed, divided carefully but irregularly, and then fired. materials used may have differed, but every other meaning of the word down to our own 'symbol' is secondary to this. If we can leave the word with its original meaning, we should, particularly in the fifth century. rviuloXa, then, involve a two-sided relationship, and, though it is a minor point, I cannot accept Wallace's paraphrase of the phrase in the Kleinias decree {iu8oXa 68 orotiaaOaat 7rpos rTas roIXEc as will make seals for the allied cities, for this should be raovLL roXEaL. In fact, he cannot accept it himself, for when exactly the same phrase occurs in the decree for the King of Sidon he paraphrases, The Athenian demos and the Sidonian king are to exchange cuil3loXa. Dictation is out of place here, and so it is in the Kleinias decree. precaution is against the individuals who bring the tribute and is for the benefit of both Athens and the ally. Now, in this case, something is happening which is perhaps a little abnormal. tablet, on which is inscribed the amount of tribute being sent, is to be sealed, not with any pictorial or other device, but with the impression of the jagged avbfoXov. When the tablet arrived at Athens, the sealing would be checked by putting the corresponding half beside the impression. Why aOfioXa and not ordinary seals (a0opayLyTes)? Firstly, it is possible that not all the allies may have public seals. Secondly, it might be a cumbersome process to collect official copies of all the different state-seals involved. How would they be certified? Thirdly, this is something essentially private between the allied magistrates and the officials at Athens, and it would be a good deal less easy for a defaulting tribute

Ancient history · Business · Seal (emblem) · Classical Antiquity Studies · History

• Making an Impression

  Open Access•Verity Platt•Art History•2006

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