Tomb Garden of Bassos son of Euarestos

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

probably second century CE

Excavation Date

1886

Garden Description

A statue base found in 1886 in a modern cemetery midway along the path between Gueuktché-Ahmed and Seldjikli preserves, on its front, a decree of the local senate and people at Attaleia passed, probably, some time during the second century honoring Bassus and his father Euarestos for their demonstration of piety toward the guardian Zeus of the city; on its right side, an excerpt from Euarestos's will instructing his heir to provide oil to the community on one day a year annually; and, on its left side, detailed instructions for the implementation of the foundation: "From the first to the fifth hour of the day the oil shall be provided from the revenues of the garden (peribolo) purchased from Eubolos, the son of Antiphanes, for Bassos, son of Euarestos, grandson of Phocas" (ἀπὸ ὥρας αʹ ἕως εʹ τ̣εθήσεται τὸ ἔλεον ἐκ προσόδων περιβόλου τοῦ ἀγορασθέντος παρὰ Εὐβούλου Ἀντιφάνους εἰς Βάσσον Εὐαρέστου Φωκᾶ τὸν ὑόν, TAM 2.828). The location of the garden in relation to Bassos's tomb is not specified, and the statue base recording its purchase and the honorific decree recognizing it were probably set up in a public place rather than at the tomb, but the commemorative purpose of the garden in supporting an annual distribution in his name is clear, and it is likely that the two properties were near each other, if not contiguous. In accordance with an idiomatic usage common in both Greek and Latin and favored in Lydia (as at Hypaipa and Thyaira), the garden is identified metonymically by reference to its enclosure wall, the sine qua non of a tomb garden in the Greco-Roman world.

Bibliography

Cagnat, R., et al. 1906–27. Inscriptiones Graecae ad res Romanas pertinentes. Vol. 4. Paris. (worldcat)
Herrmann, P. 1989. Tituli Lydiae linguis Graeca et Latina conscripti (Tituli Asiae Minoris V.2, 828c4). Vienna. (worldcat)
Kubińska, J. 1968. Les monuments funéraires dans les inscriptions grecques de l'Asie Mineure. Warsaw. (worldcat)
Laum, B. 1914. Stiftungen in der griechischen und römischen Antike. Vol. 2. Leipzig. (worldcat)
Radet, G., and H. Lechat. 1887. “Notes de géographie ancienne.” BCH 11:391–404. (worldcat)

Attaleia on Gardens of the Roman Empire

Tomb Garden of Bassos son of Euarestos

Dates

Excavation Date

Garden Description

Bibliography

Keywords