Behind the column with the Dancers of Delphi was situated the Athenian Treasury, where was located the famous ex voto of Daochos (Ανάθημα του Δαόχου, "vow of Daochos"), a long marble base where stood nine statues, eight of which represented members of Daochos' family and one a god, probably Apollo. Daochos II, son of Agias, a politician from Pharsalus and supporter of Macedonia, was a hieromnemon at the delphic sanctuary from 336 to 332 B.C. He dedicated the ex voto as a sign of honour to his prominent family.
Description
The ex voto of Daochos was the sculpted ex voto of the tetrarch of Thessaly Daochos II to the god Apollo, which had been placed in the Treasury of the Thessalians to the northeast of the temple of Apollo in Delphi. The ex voto dates probably between 339 and 334 B.C., in the time when Daochos II was hieromnemon of Pharsalus in the Delphic Amphictyony. Other dates have, however, been proposed. Initially it was thought that the ex voto stood free. However, recent studies concluded that the monument was probably situated within the Treasury of the Thessalians, built around 361 B.C. by Agelaus.[1] The ex voto had the form of a sculpted complex comprising nine figures: eight members of the family of Daochos and one of a god, possibly of Apollo. All figures were accompanied by inscriptions which facilitated their identification. Only the god's figure does not bear an inscription. The figures presented are those of Acnonius, Agias, Telemachus, Agelaus, Daochus I, Sisyphus I, Daochus II and Sisyphus II. The presence of Agias in this group led the scholars to attribute the entire complex to the workshop of Lysippus, as the latter had created a statue of the Thessalian leader in Pharsalus.[2]
Position I
The statues were found fragmented during the Great Excavations, in 1894. In Position I stood the statue of Apollo, as established by Prof. E. Will.[3] The god was apparently depicted seated and holding the lyre.
Position II
In Position II stood Acnonius, as attested by the inscription: Ἀκνόνιος Ἀπάρου τέτραρχος Θεσσαλῶν. Acnonius was the great ancestor of the house of Daochos.
It refers to Agelaus, the younger brother, who had won at the children's race at the Pythian Games.
Position VI
Position VI was dedicated to Daochos I, son of Agias, who governed Thessaly for 27 years, offering Thessaly a period of flourishment. This is attested by the inscription:
According to the inscription, the dedicator Daochos II, Tetrarch of the Thessalians and hieromnemon dedicates these statues to Apollo. His statue is not preserved apart from the feet (εικ.9).
Position IX
The final position IX was reserved for Daochos II's son, who apparently was too young to write something memorable for him.
Citations
^Jacquemin, A., Laroche, D., 2001, Le monument de Daochos ou le Trésor des Thessaliens, BCH 125, 2001, pp.305-332
Dohrn, T., 1968, "Die Marmor Standbilder des Daochos Weihgeschenks in Delphi", Antike Plastik, v.8, 33-53
Amandry, P., Chamoux, F., 1991, Guide de Delphes, Le Musée, Παρίσι
Evans, K.E., 1996, The Daochos Monument, Michigan
Homolle, Th., 1894, "Découvertes de Delphes", Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 3rd series, v.12, pp. 441–454
Homolle, Th., 1898, "La date de l’ex-voto des Thessaliens", BCH 22, p. 633
Jacob-Felsch, M., 1969, Die Entwicklung griechischer Statuenbasen und die Aufstellung der Statuen, Waldsassen/Bayern
Jacquemin, A., Laroche, D., 2001, Le monument de Daochos ou le Trésor des Thessaliens, BCH 125, 2001, pp. 305–332
Johnson, F.P., 1968, Lysippos, New York
Marcadé, J ., 1953, Recueil des signatures de sculpteurs grecs, v.1, Paris
Pouilloux, J ., 1976, Fouilles de Delphes. (Épigraphie. Fassicule IV. Les inscriptions de la terrasse du temple et de la région nord du sanctuaire) v.3, Paris
Ridgway, B.S., "Die Thessalischer Grabreliefs-Studien zur Nordgriechischen Kunst, by Hagen Biesantz", AJA 71 (1967) σ.99-101
Ridgway, B.S., 1990, Hellenistic Sculpture I. The styles of ca. 331-200 B. C., Bristol
Sjöqvist, E., 1996, Lysippus, Cincinnati
Stewart, A.F., 1978, "Lysippan Studies. 2. Agias and Oilpourer", AJA 82, pp. 301–313
Thémélis, P., 1979, "Contribution à l’étude de l’ex-voto delphique de Daochos" BCH 103, pp. 507–520
Will, E., 1938, "À propos de la base des Thessaliens à Delphes", BCH 62, pp. 289–304, table 30-32