Gephyra (Nov 2021)
Ein Athener in Miletupolis. Der Grabstein des Hypermenes aus der klassischen Zeit – ein wichtiges Zeugnis zu den Beziehungen von Miletupolis und Athen
Abstract
In 2017, a large burial stele, which was found as a result of illegal excavation in a parcel in the Melde locality belonging to the district of Mustafakemalpaşa/Bursa (on the land of the General Directorate of Agricultural Enterprises - TİGEM), was brought to the Bursa Museum. In antiquity Melde, where the stele was found, was the location of the city of Miletupolis. This tombstone would have stood in one of the necropolises of this city. In the article, this stele is examined and is interpreted through its epigraphic, historical and archaeological aspects. A one-day salvage excavation was carried out by the Bursa Museum at the site of the stele. The tomb was formed as a cist from large blocks that were cut neatly, and a skeleton was found inside. The stele was found lying on the tomb. As can be seen in the photographs of the find spot, it is understood that the stele did not lie deep under the ground (Fig. 1-4). The stele was found broken in two pieces underground. On the upper part, there is an Ancient Greek funerary inscription of 3 lines, which is reminiscent of the stoichedon style and reads: (The tomb of) Hypermenes from Athens, son of Hagnodemos. The inscription does not tell us why this Athenian lived in Miletupolis. On the main body of the stele, a standing grown man facing to the right and a dog siting at his feet and pointing its head upwards towards its owner are depicted in high relief. This main motif depicted on the stele is well known in the archaeological world and these steles are known as the tombstones with a “man and dog” theme. The stylistic features of the stele and its reliefs and the lettering of the inscription indicate that the work was made during the Classical Period. Although a number of tombstones produced in this style between the Late Archaic Period and the Early Classical Period have been found (see figure 38-40 here), to date no tombstones of this type have been found dating from the (High) Classical Period. From this point of view, this find is unique and the work is important in this respect. An embossed burial stele of this style from the Mysia region and of such an early date was not known. It may be wondered why an Athenian, who died in the city of Miletupolis, had a tombstone made with such a motif. First, the style of the stele and the reliefs on it is definitely in the Attic style. There must have been stonemasons who produced Attic style tombstones for the city of Miletupolis at that time. In fact, the “man and dog” motif was abandoned many years earlier in Greece and in surrounding areas and even in Asia Minor (Ionia). This reworking of an old depiction is surprising. Hypermenes, a citizen of Athens living in Miletupolis, obviously wanted to continue an old tradition of the country he lived in. The “man and dog” motif used on tombstones has been studied in many aspects in terms of archaeology. According to C. Schneider, who was the last to evaluate such steles, the theme of these steles depicts the public lifestyle of a grown respected aristocratic man, who is a part of the daily life of the society. According to him, these steles with dogs represent the happiness of the deceased enjoyed throughout his life. Some concepts such as being of good age or arete/virtue are also emphasized in the description. Such steles show the status, prestige, wealth and maturity of the deceased in society. With such a symbol on the tombstone the fact that a life was lived to the fullest is emphasized. For this reason, these steles, which were carefully prepared and placed in the most prestigious places, are understood as being the tomb monuments of wealthy families. It would be correct to understand the tomb owner Hypermenes in this context. As a result of the stylistic features of the work and comparison with similar works, it can be said that it belongs to the end of the 5th century B.C., that is to say, it can be dated to ca. 410/400. In addition to the archaeological features mentioned and importance of this tombstone, it has also a most considerable importance in terms of the history of the place where the stele was found. In this article, known documents and finds from this period, and both earlier and later evidence concerning Miletupolis are brought together. It is understood that the city of Miletupolis had a close relationship with Athens in that period. It is accepted by many scholars that the city was an Athenian colony. However, although there are many indications of the strong relations between the two cities, definitive evidence that the city was founded by the Athenians is still lacking. This tombstone provides new evidence of Miletopolis’ close relationship with Athens in the 5th and 4th century B.C.
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