A well organized city that looked after its economy and kept records of its operations was Argos in the 4th century BC. For example, this is evidenced by an impressive set of copper plates with inscriptions with texts of a financial and accounting nature, accounts and a lot of information about transactions with citizens, institutions, sanctuaries that performed the functions of the treasury of that time.

This is the official financial statement of the city of Argos, which was kept in the treasury of the sanctuary of Pallas Athena and was found in October 2000 at 48 Corinth Street, Staropazarou Square. An unexpected find for the archaeologists of that time, Alkisti Papadimitriou and Elsie Spatari, when not bones or offerings, but a priceless treasure were found under stone slabs weighing more than a ton on a small plot of land.

A total of 136 bronze paintings were found in stone cases and vessels. Today, the visitor to the Epigraphic Museum learns their history by admiring 16 of them in the exhibition “Bronze Letters of Argos. Financial reports of the city of Argos in the first half of the 4th c. for example.”.

Their rescue operation was not an easy task. Fotis Dimakis took over the removal of fragile paintings from the excavation site, their cleaning and maintenance by Thassos Magnisalis, and their study, reading and dating was carried out by the honorary director of the Epigraphic Museum Charalambos Krittsas.

“Golden” details

The visitor of the exhibition needs time to discover the fine details. For example, stone boxes and vessels that hid the “treasure” were covered with massive slabs, and money was hidden inside in coins or precious metals. According to an outstanding epigraph, they were a kind of treasure trove.

The tables contain valuable information about the economic, political and institutional organization of Argos.

“In addition to the direct indications of our texts, we have other evidence that the money and precious metals of the treasure were sealed in the same cases: a small piece of gold wire, as well as many grains of gold and silver, almost invisible to the eye. to the naked eye, were found inside a clay crater (P) and a copper cauldron (X). We know that raw gold was stored either in the form of small talents – turtles, or in the form of wire coils, or even in the form of the smallest pieces or grains. In our case, it seems that this “gold dust” escaped and fell into the cavities of the letters, where it was incorporated by oxidation,” notes Mr. Kritsas.

Depositing or withdrawing money was accompanied by valuable documents: copper plates that were placed as evidence in cases – copper sheets withstand soil moisture – with clear letters so that they would not be forged.

For Athanasius Themos, director of the Epigraphic Museum, this is one of the most important archaeological finds discovered during the rescue excavations of the Archaeological Service in recent decades. “These are simple economic texts that mention transactions between various associations of lords, but they are a unique direct source on the history of Argos, as they contain valuable information about its political organization and institutions, document the economic prosperity of a particular city-state and the echo of social unrest and military events of the first half of the 4th c. for example.”.

It is important for the visitor to receive an up-to-date 96-page edition, which contains a large amount of material. Alcestis Papadimitriou, curator of the Department of Antiquities of Argolis, focuses on the analysis of excavation data, Charalambos Kritzas on the archive of paintings, on their catalog with the necessary translation, their dating, etc., and in the introductory note, Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni emphasizes that the bronze the tablets contain important information about the democratic institutions of Argos and especially about the management of the city’s economy. “At the same time, they illuminate important aspects of the history of the ancient city, which was a rival of Sparta in the Peloponnese, often playing a major role in political and military events.”

The exhibition, created as a result of the collaboration of the museum with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Argolis, will be opened in the building at ul. construction is completed.

In the meantime, let visitors stand on a bronze plaque in the form of a human foot with financial figures engraved on it. The four hieromnemons, Euthymus, Aristodemus, Peitidamus, and Savkos, had two scribes named Phyllis and Kallidamus. They collected and deposited certain amounts, and the hiromemoni, in turn, officially represented them and deposited them in the sacred treasury as income. From Phillin they collected a total of 40,988 drachmas and 2 obols. From Callidamos in two parts 42,996 drachmas.

Everything is organized. As well as the text on the trapezoidal bronze tablet, which records the seizure of 6,000 drachmas from the chests of the goddess Hera, which were stored in the treasury of the sanctuary of Pallas. In addition, it is stated that it is intended for war. Wars are costly…