IG II(2) 5167 : Marble throne of Boethos

Modern Publication(s): von Stackelberg p. 33 (editio princeps); IG II 1595; IG II(2) 5167; SEG LIV 1906 (1, 5)

Brief description: Marble throne with reliefs

Attributes

Inscription Type: Dedication (?)

Object Type: Throne

Material: ‘Pentelic’ or ‘Hymettan’ marble (Seltman)

Original Location: Athens, at the ancient prytaneion (von Stackelberg). However, the place that von Stackelberg identified as the ancient prytaneion, alongside his reasons for doing so, is unclear (Miller).

Provenance: Athens

Date: On the basis of letterforms c. 300. The inscription may have been added some time after the throne’s manufacture (Seltman).

Dimensions: ‘Its height at the back is 81.3 centimetres (32 inches); the height, from the ground, of the seat, 35 cm. (13 3/4 ins.); full width in front over the lion's leg knees, 71-2 cm. (28 ins.). The diameter of the complete olive-wreath (Fig. 2), one of a pair on the back on the outside, is 21.5 cm. (8 1/2 ins.). The height of the Tyrannicides relief (P1. VII), 19.7 cm. (7 3/4 ins.); of the Greek and Amazon relief, to the top of the Greek's head, 20.6 cm. (8 1/2 ins.), to the point of his sword, 25. 4 cm. (10 ins.).’ (Seltman)

Layout: Inscription is carved on the broken upper edge of the support of the throne. The letters are deeply cut, and were ‘perhaps once filled with polished bronze.’ (Seltman)

Writing: Inscribed

Condition: ‘On either side in front is a double volute, the one at the sitter's right hand being broken away above, the break extending over and beyond the Tyrannicides. It is an ancient fracture. Below the double volutes are fat stylised lion's legs, swollen-kneed, the paw of the one at the sitter's left broken away’. In addition, there is ‘an ancient break following the last [preserved inscribed] letter.’ (Seltman)

Decoration: Two wreaths are on the back of the throne. The figures of Harmodios and Aristogeiton, with daggers in their hands, are depicted on the right side; the scene depicted on the left side is debated: the death of Leaina (Hamilton et al); Erectheus’ sacrifice of Chthonia (Stackelberg); Theseus slaying the Amazon? (Michaelis); Theseus slaying the Amazon/ possibly Achilles and Penthesileia (Seltman).

Collection

Location: Broom Hall (Scotland, Fife): along the walls of the spacious hall (Michaelis).

Collector(s): Lord Elgin.

Date collected: von Stackelberg found the throne whilst at Athens, probably in 1810, and believed the monument would still be there when he published it in 1837. In 1811, however, Hamilton et al mentioned that the marble throne had passed into Lord Elgin's possession. Michaelis noted that ‘as the marble chair [as well as some other marbles] did not form part of Elgin’s collection offered for sale to the nation in 1816, it may have been brought to Scotland at a later time’. Hunt and Smith reiterated this point by recording that the throne was shipped from Piraeus on 16th April 1818, by H.M.S. Satellite, and arrived ‘at a date altogether posterior to the date of the public purchase [1816].’

Accession or catalogue number: Not known.

Translation

Boethos son of (?) Diod…IOS [set up this dedication ?]

Bibliography

O. Benndorf, ‘Bildnisse von Harmodios und Aristogeiton (hierzu Taf. 24, 2)’, Archäologische Zeitung (1869) 106-107.

W. R. Hamilton, B. West, A. L. Millin and H. Moses, Memorandum on the subject of the Earl of Elgin’s pursuits in Greece (London 1811) p. 32.

P. Hunt and A. H. Smith, ‘Lord Elgin and his collection’, JHS 36 (1916), 163-372 (286, 294).

A. Michaelis, ‘Ancient marbles in Great Britain: Supplement I’, JHS 5 (1884) 143-161, no. 5.

S. G. Miller, The Prytaneion: Its Function and Architectural Form (Los Angeles 1978) pp. 49-50.

C. Seltman, ‘Two Athenian marble thrones’, JHS 67 (1947), 22-30 (22-27).

O. M. von Stackelberg, Die Gräber der Hellenen (Berlin 1837) p. 33.

Web Links

Greek text, from PHI

Image(s)

Michaelis plate XLVIII

Seltman figures 1; 2, plates VI, a; VII; VIII, c