The Epigraphy of Hellenistic Asia Minor: A Survey of Recent Research (1992-1999)

This is a survey of the last six or seven years’ production in the epigraphy of Hellenistic Asia minor. It covers newly published texts and corpora by region or by theme. It is personal and selective rather than comprehensive; it also hopes to communicate the import and excitement of the field. I examine some aspects taken for granted by epigraphists: the bibliographical situation (specialized publication combined with organs for broadcasting results, the Bulletin épigraphique [BE] in Revue des études grecques [REG] and the Supplementum epigraphicum Graecum [SEG]) and the provenance of documents (excavation and, principally, ’epigrapliical surveying,’ a richly rewarding, though nonconceptual, technique). I further attempt to show the importance of some recent findings, under various headings (notably the polis and local history). The material has major contributions to make, not just to specialists of the area and the period, but to ancient history and to classics in general, if epigraphists try to communicate them and classicists listen.