Category:Julia Hapla encourages her son at Olympia

English: The burden of independent statehood required the Greek city-states to provide their own military and magistrates. A special training program for the young men trained them for the role of citizenship. On graduation they were ephebes, and undergoing the program was "to ephebe." Olympia had its own ephebe program for youthful contenders under the direction of the boule. In this inscription an ephebe's mother honors him for his record in the program. She adds pictorial hearts to the bottom. As most honorifics are for adult accomplishments it is generally presumed Julia had the wealth and status to encourage her son in this way. There is plenty of evidence that youthful contenders relied heavily on the efforts of their mothers, which is consistent with the theory that the games began as initiation rituals. IvO 470 Elis: Η ΟΛΥΜΠΙΑ[ΚΗ] ΒΟΥΛΗ ΚΑΙ Ο ΔΗΜΟC ΗΛΕΙΩΝ Π ΜΕΜΜΙΟΝ ΦΙΛΟΔΑΜΟΝ Γ ΜΕΜΜΙΟΥ ΕΥΔΑΜΟΥ ΥΙΟΝ Γ ΙΟΥλΙΟΥ CΩCΤΡΑΤΟΥ ΕΓΓΟΝΟΝ ΕΦΗΒΕΥCΑΝΤΑ ΑΡΕΤΗC ΚΑΙ CΩΦΡΟCΥΝΗC ΚΑΙ ΠΑΙΔΕΙΑC ΕΝΕΚΕΝ ΚΑΙ ΥΠΕΡ ΤΗΝ ΗΛΙΚΙΑΝ ΔΟΞΗC ΑΝΕΘΗΚΕΝ ΙΟΥΛΙΑ ΑΠΛΑ ♥ Η ΜΗΤΗΡ ♥, "The Olympic council and the people of Elis (honor) P. Memmius Philodamus, son of G. Memmius Eudamus, grandson of G. Julius Sostratus, for completing his training with bravery (arete), intelligence (sophrosyne), knowledge (paideia), and a repute (doxe) beyond his age. Erected by his mother, Julia Hapla (with love and kisses)."