INCIDERE, ESPORRE, COMUNICARE: LE CLAUSOLE DI “PUBBLICAZIONE” E LE INDICAZIONI DEL LUOGO DI ESPOSIZIONE NEI DECRETI ATTICI

Abstract

This article deals with the publication clause found in Athenian decrees, and focuses specifically on the
indication of the place of display. Although this aspect may appear well-known, there is still ample room
for further analysis to clarify the meaning and function of these formulas on inscribed decrees displayed in
public spaces. The article highlights the normative significance of the place name, which ensured that the
erection of the epigraphic monument in a public space was officially approved and established by the polis.
Through a classification of different types of place names found in decree formulas, the present article aims
to elucidate previously unclear aspects regarding the final placement of the inscribed decree. Notably, it
demonstrates how more generic and recurrent indications, such as “στῆσαι ἐν ἀκροπόλει,” may be associated
with an established display practice, which limited the choice of the place where to set up the epigraphic
monument to those areas that were already widely recognized by the polis community for their monumental
and semantic significance.