hellenistic karia - Associazione Iasos di Caria

482 ROBERTA FABIANI
commitment to autonomy and freedom of the Greek poleis (which was mainly evident in
Asia Minor) 110 . However, we cannot entirely exclude Ptolemy (to whom Iasos was probably
bound from c. 309 BC until, at least, 301 BC 111 ), who, both in 314 112 and in 311 113 , declared
his commitment in favour of the autonomy of the Greek poleis. Nevertheless, it should be
remembered that, in more than one circumstance, the son of Lagos certainly did not meet
the obligations he had undertaken verbally 114 and in the well-documented case of Cyrene, he
certainly encouraged a political system which was not democratic at all 115 . As far as we can tell,
then, from the moment of their first appearance, the prostatai appear to be the highest civil
magistracy in Iasos. It is likely that their creation is one of the keys for interpreting the apparent
decline in the role of the archontes.
4. We may ask whether this democratic reform was perhaps connected with another
change identified in this study. Without any shadow of a doubt, the Iasian tribes passed from
four to five. Only the moment when this happened is uncertain. The number four is attested in
Hekatomnid times. Five tribes are known for the first time in an inscription datable to the last
third of the fourth century BC 116 . Creating and dedicating phylai in honour of sovereigns or
satraps who had granted great favours to cities was a fairly common act 117 ; therefore, we cannot
exclude the possibility that it had been demanded in honour of Alexander 118 or of Asander
(to whom a phyle was dedicated in Latmos 119 ). However, it is also possible that a new tribe was
created as proof of gratitude towards whomever, at the end of the fourth century, promoted
politics geared to fostering the democratic life of the city. If the hypotheses that have here been
defended are right, either Ptolemy I or, more probably, Antigonos Monophtalmos, might be
seen as likely candidates.
110. See Diod. 19.61.3-4; on this theme see Billows 1990, 197-230; Bencivenni 2003, 169-201, espec. 185.
111. On the relationship between Iasos and the Lagidai see most recently Giovannini 2004 and Migeotte
2005.
112. Diod. 19.62.1-2.
113. Diod. 19.105.1.
114. See Billows 1990, 200-3.
115. See for instance Bencivenni 2003, 105-49.
116. Maddoli 2007, no. 5.
117. On the creation of new phylai in honour of important persons see Habicht 1970, 153-5. It has been
suggested that the inscription I.Iasos 5, l. 11-12 attests the existence of a tribe called [Basi]leis (restoration proposed by
Pugliese Carratelli 1961-1962, 578, n. 5, and criticized by Robert 1963b, 1503, who, on the contrary, preferred [herak]
leis).
118. Alexander had many relations with Iasos; a great favour that the sovereign granted to the city was giving
back the Little Sea: I.Iasos 30. See the contributions by Reger and Konuk in this volume.
119. Blümel 1997, 137, l. 4-6; SEG 47, 1563.