Idalion Tablet

The Idalion Tablet is a 5th-century BCE bronze tablet from Idalium (), Cyprus. It is kept in the Cabinet des médailles, Paris.

It is of exceptional importance for the history of the Cypriot kingdoms. 

It is engraved on both sides with a long inscription recording a contract entered into by 'the king and the city' and gives a reward to a family of physicians who provided free health services for the casualties when the city was besieged by the Persians and the Kitionites in 478-470 BC. It tells us about the political system and socio-economic conditions during the war. The joint decision by the king and citizens shows the democratic nature of the city, similar to Greek models. It also tells of the most ancient social welfare system known.

It was kept in the ancient official depository of the temple of Athena on the western acropolis of Idalion where it was discovered in 1850 by a farmer from the village of Dali.

The script of the tablet is in the Cypriot syllabary and the inscription itself is in Greek.

Cypriot syllabary and Greek

Approximately two lines of the text state as follows:

"...they ordered Onasilon the (son) of Onasikupron the physician and the brothers to heal the men those in the battle wounded without fee." The text is read from right to left. 

Below is the Greek translation, associated with the Cypriot characters; (line 3 starts with Cypriot character ro (looking like 'loop of rope, open end down', loop, top half of character), line 4 starts with Cypriot ma, a distinctive Cypriot syllabic character, (an X, with a small upside-down-karat, topping, and between the X):

"...anógon-(a-no-ko-ne) Onasilon-(o-na-si-lo-ne) ton Onasikuprón-(to-no-na-si-ku-po-(Line 3)ro-ne) ton iatéran-(to-ni-ja-te-ra-ne) kas-(ka-se) tos-(to-se) kasignétos-(ka-si-ke-ne-to-se) iasthai-(i-ja-sa-ta-i) tos-(to-se) (=men)a(n)thrópos-(a-to-ro-po-se) tos-(to-se) i(n) tái-(i-ta-i) makhái-(ma-ka-i) ikmamenos-(i-ki-(Line 4)ma-me-no-se) aneu-(a-ne-u) misthón-(mi-si-to-ne)..."

See also

Cypriot syllabary
Idalium

References

Citations

Sources

Category:Bronze Age Cyprus
Category:Greek inscriptions
Category:Ancient Cyprus
Category:5th-century BC works
Category:Cities in ancient Cyprus
Category:Collection of the Cabinet des Médailles, Paris