A01.031.0.pdf

ROMAN PERSONAL NAS ILS IX El.I-ΊΑ
Pankratiasten Ti. Claudius Rufus in Olympia*', ZPE 15, 1974. 99-104) [A.D. 4 1-123].
Olympia: on the same base, on which there is also the decree, an honorary inscription by the
demos of Smyrna:
Ό νεωκόρος Ζμυρναίων δήμος Ι Τιβέριον Κλαύδιον Τοΰφον, τον Ι εαυτού πολείτην, άνδρα
πλειστοΐνείκην καί ίερονείκην από συνόδου, Ι 5 τών καθ" εαυτόν πανκρατιαστών Ι ανδρεία τε
καί σοκρροσύνη διενένκαντα Ι καί δια τήν προς τους [Σ]εβαστούς Ι γνώσιν τυχόντα τής διά
γένους ξυστ[α]ρχί'/:; πάντων τών αγομένων Ι άγώνίον εν Ζμύρνη, έτείμησεν Ι 10 εκ τών ιδίων,
καθώς καί Ηλείοι.
[3] J. Ebert, Nikcphoros 7. 1994. 239 (SEG 45. 1995, 412); id., "Zur neuen Bronzeplatte mit
Sicgcrinschrillcn aus Olympia (luv. 1148)"'. Nikcphoros 10. 1997. 217-233. col. I. I. 3-5. csp.
223-229, facsimile (p. 219) [A.D. 41-123].
Olympia, arca of ι he so-called "SUdweslbau". in a drainage canal; a bronze plaque bearing the
names of some Olympic victors and athletes of different limes: on its upper left corner there
is an inscription commemorating the undecided outcome of the athletes' competition in
pankration:
[Όλ(υμπιάόι) σ'] Τ. Κλαύδιος Τοϋφος Ι [πρώ]τος ανδρών ίεράν Ι [έπ]οίησε πανκράτιον
(completions according to Nikcphoros 10, 1997. 223).
From Smyrna
athlete, xystarches in Smyrna
Remarks: For an hypothetical but probable description of what followed the "ιερά νίκη of Rufus
until the publication of the decree in Olympia and the erection of both monuments
in Olympia and Smyrna, see Merkelbach. op.cil.
Dittenberger and Purgold date [1] (see commentary of Λ054, Sp. 113) in the age of
Trajan or beginning of that of Hadrian because the neocoria of Smyrna is attested for
the first lime on coin legends of Trajan. However it is known by Tac. Ann. IV. 55-
56 that Smyrna acquired the first temple dedicated to the Emperor Tiberius. Livia and
the senate, and consequently its first neocoria. in A.D. 26. Moretti. Olympionikai.
no. 808 identifies Rufus with a homonymous magistrate, who appears on Smyrnean
coins of the age of Trajan, see BMC Ionia. 276. no. 325: στρ(ατηγός) Τού(φος ?).
He believes that Claudius Apollonius and Claudius Rufus (Moretti. Olympionikai.
890 and 924) are descendants of the person discussed here. According to W. Ameling,
"Der Sophist Rufus". EA 6. 1985, 30. who studied the personality of the sophist
known from the text of Philostr.. VS11. 17 born about A.D. 120-150 and died between
A.D. 181 and 211 the sophist Rufus cannot be identified with the hieronikes because
of chronological difficulties, but he could be either his son or a close relative. G. Pctzl.
I.Smyrna, no. 657 dates the inscription between A.D. 41 and 123. i.e. from the
accession of the Emperor Claudius until the year of the second neocoria of Smyrna.
J. Eben. Nikcphoros 10. 1997.227 dales the ιερά νίκη of Rufus in the 200th Olympiad
(A.D. 21). [Όλ(υμπιάδι) σ]. and the honours he received from the Elcans and the
Smyrneans in the age of Tiberius, since the introducer of the Elcan decree was r M.
Vettulenus Laetus who is, according to Ebert, to be identified with the lather of
471
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