• Teos to Bargylia, 275-261 BC (dikastes, gr. (δικαστής))

Tyron son of Polythrous was an eminent Teian, who was sent as judge by his city to Bargylia in Caria. It is not possible to retrace exactly the background situation of Bargylia because the beginning of I.Iasos 608 is missing.

We can suppose, based on the diplomatic procedure shown in ll. 41-50 (which is partly restored), that the Bargylian people were in need for internal peace-making: at first, they asked Antiochus I for help; he must have been passing through Caria at the time. The king referred them to the Teians, so they sent out another delegation to Teos; eventually Teos sent Tyron as judge to solve the internal strife.

Tyron was completely successful in his mission, as the large amount of honours shows. Furthermore, Bargylia did not only take extreme care of him, giving two escorts for the return journey, but also made sure to inform the king of his success. Since Antiochus was now far from the region of Bargylia, they decided to inform him directly on his possible return, and in the meantime immediately inform Alexandros, a lieutenant whom Antiochus had evidently left behind to control the area (“τῶι [καταλ]ελειμμένωι ὑπὸ [τοῦ] | βασιλέως”, ll. 47-8).

The chronology of the diplomatic activity of Tyron is circumscribed to the reign of Antiochus I Soter, probably the last decade, or at least after the victory of Antiochus over the Galatians (275), hence the presence of “Soter” in l. 22. Alexandros should be identified with the Alexandros who wrote about some land grants in OGIS 229, 101, confirming some provisions of Antiochus I. He could be the brother of Laodike I (BNJ 260 F32, 8), who was based in Sardis as strategos and later helped Aniochus Hierax against his brother Seleucos II.

Tyron’s patronymic, Polythrous, is an extremely rare name, which recurs only at Thasos and Teos. Here it can be found from the 4th century BC onwards, related to some influential individuals, like (see e.g. →Polythrous) and Polythrous son of Onesimos (an important reformer of civic education). Tyron therefore belonged to a prestigious family, whose presence in political and diplomatic activities of Teos is well attested.

• Hamon, P. (2012), ‘Mander les juges dans la cité : notes sur l’organisation des missions judiciaires à l’époque hellénistique’, CCGG 23, 195-222.