Abstract:

In this article, significant personalities with the name Tymnes, indicating Carian identity, are studied by using the literary and epigraphical sources of Archaic and Classical Periods. First of all, it is claimed that a bilingual Ancient Greek [Attic dialect] - Carian inscribed base of an archaic grave monument (kouros) found in Athens and dated ca. 525, belongs to a certain Carian named Tymnes. Contrary to this claim, this monument may belong to someone whose name is not Tymnes. When this reality and some other historical considerations are taken into account, one can not say that there is a relation between the owner of this grave monument and the tyrant of Termera in Caria, mentioned by Herodotos, whose name also appears on the front face of a silver coin of Termera dated between 550-480. This archaic grave monument is likely to belong to a noble Carian. This person probably came to Athens after the occupation and enslavement of Caria by the Persian forces of Kyros in 546 or afterwards. During this period, this deceased may have taken part as the leader of Carian mercenary soldiers in protecting the rule of Peisistratos who consolidated the tyranny in Athens in 546. It is possible that another Tymnes, mentioned by Herodotos and rose to the position of a regent of Scythian king in mid 5 th century, may have beforehand been hired by the Scythian kings in company of his Carian soldiers in order to be used as bodyguards. The name of another Tymnes, ruling the Carians in an unlocalized place in Caria and contemporary with Tymnes in Scythian palace, appears on the registry of Athenian Tribute Lists by the year, 445. This Tymnes appears to have continued to pay tribute until 425. As contrary to the recent views, it is not certain to relate this Tymnes to the previous one mentioned by Herodotos as the tyrant of Termera.

Keywords: