Comment: |
Iscr. Cos. EV 218:
- the inscription does not state that the man came from Kos (first line(s) of the inscription are lost), but this becomes clear from the fact that the inscription was erected in Kos, because it states that he won the Aktia (in Nikopolis) as the first of the people from Kos, and because some of the festivals for which the place name is not given (i.e. Asklepieia) are attested in Kos.
- according to Gouw, the athlete has won 17+ times, but as all victories come after the word [ni]kesanta (which is not repeated afterwards), I do not think that any more ('+') victories were inscribed there.
- NB: the inscription is written on to faces of a stone: with one exception, all victories on face A have Ἰσθμικούς/Πυθικούς added; this is not found on face B.
Based on his last commemorated victories (Nikopolis and Argos), he possessed talent and was on the verge of a breakthrough. He started his career at a young age (12-14) in local and regional games where he won a pankration and a stadion, while his other victories are mainly pentathlon. Gouw describes his career as slow but steadily flourishing. He was the first athelete from Kos to participate in the Capitolia (πρᾶτον Κωΐων). Gouw names specific ages categories such as paides pythikoi and paides isthmikoi. In total, 17+ victories: Pergamon, Kos (2), Lymira (2), Myndos, Knidos, Halicarnassus (2), Iasos, Teos, Sardis, Athens, Patras, Nikopolis, Argos.
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