The Inscription of Mnesiepes from the Archilocheion of Paros

Abstract

The inscription, dated to the 3rd century BC, was carved on a series of marble blocks, of which only two were recovered. It informs us about the existence, on Paros, of an open-air shrine dedicated to Archilochus. This sacred area, called Ἀρχιλοχείον, was instituted by Mnesiepes, a private citizen who seems to have acted as a representative of the local community, even submitting his project to the approval of Delphi. Despite the fragmentary status of the stones, the text has preserved an important tale about some episodes of the poet’s life, which are displayed also using true metrical quotations.