Heraklion Archaeological Museum - CollectiveAccess System : Inscriptions : Inscription of treaty between Lyttos and Olous [Ε436 + Ε534]

Writing in Ancient Crete
The “Cretan Polis” ➔ Inscription of treaty between Lyttos and Olous

Ε436 + Ε534

Off-white marble

Mended from two pieces, missing lower part, cymatia chiselled off on narrow sides

Preserved height: 85 cm. Preserved width: 40 cm. Preserved thickness: 17.5 cm.

Chersonissos

One fragment was reused in a modern building and the other was collected

Hellenistic period:

111/110 BC:

Gallery:

Case:

Not in case

Exhibition thematic unit:

Classical - Hellenistic - Roman period (5th c. BC-4th c. AD). Cities and Sanctuaries

War - Destructions of cities

Description

Part of an inscribed stele from Chersonissos, the harbour of Lyttos, crowned with an Ionic cymatium on three sides. On the narrow sides are preserved large parts of the treaty of friendship, alliance and isopolity (reciprocal political rights) between Lyttos and Olous. The treaty is also known from fragments of copies found on the Athenian Acropolis and on Rhodes, where copies were set up since it was a treaty between city-states. Apart from the diplomatic and economic terms which we know from the examples outside Crete, one side of this stele refers to the reciprocal participation of representatives of each city in the festivals of the other. It also declares that the treaty must be officially read out at regular intervals, that all the inhabitants, even children, must abide by it, and that copies should be set up in Lyttos, Chersonissos, Olous, Knossos, Rhodes and Athens. On the other side is the oath sworn, with the key points of the treaty that “applies for all time”. It is specifically noted that the feast-days (“euamerai”) of Lyttos celebrated the anniversary of the Lyttians’ resettlement of their destroyed city (c. 271/6 BC), and their destruction of their ancient enemy, neighbouring Dreros (shortly before 200 BC). The atmosphere of the devastating civil wars of the Cretan cities is rendered with tragic accuracy.

Bibliography:

Ch. Kritzas, "Νέο τεμάχιο της συνθήκης Λυττίων και Ολουντίων του 111/110 π.Χ. (IC I, XVIII, 9) από τη Χερσόνησο", Πεπραγμένα Θ' Διεθνούς Κρητολογικού Συνεδρίου, Ελούντα 1 - 6 Οκτωβρίου 2001, Heraklion 2006, vol. Α5, 267-272. Ch. Kritzas, "Συνθήκη Λυττίων και Ολουντίων", Πεπραγμένα Ι’ διεθνούς κρητολογικού συνεδρίου, Chania, 2001, vol. Α5, 141-154. Α. Chaniotis, Die Verträge zwischen kretischen Poleis in der hellenistischen Zeit, Stuttgart 1996, 352-358, no. 60.

Author:

K. S.

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