Diodorus Pasparus (, fl. 85-69 BC), son of Heroides, was the leading statesman and benefactor at Pergamon, in the period of the Mithridatic Wars, when the city's place within the Roman province of Asia was contested. He is known solely from a series of inscribed honorific decrees. The earliest of these is IGR IV 292 which belongs in the late 80s or 70s BC. IGR IV 293 dates to 69 BC. The others are IGR IV 294, IPergamon II 256, and MDAI(A) 35, p. 409, no. 3, which cannot be precisely dated, but all belong around 69 BC. These decrees honour him for a range of activities, including embassies to Rome, service as gymnasiarch, revival of festivals, and building works.
Diodorus is part of a class of civic leaders in the province in this period, like Aulus Aemilius Zosimus of Priene, Theophanes of Mytilene, and Theopompus of Cnidus, whose close connections with Rome and regular benefactions helped to restore the prosperity of the province's cities, thwart social unrest, and maintain good relations with Rome. Their actions laid the foundations for the close relationship between Roman power and the civic elites of Asia, which endured through the Roman empire.
Life
Diplomatic activity
During the First Mithridatic War (89-85 BC), Pergamon was conquered by Mithridates VI and became his main base of operations. Following the Roman victory, Sulla treated Pergamon harshly, removing its free status, executing people linked with Mithridates and confiscating their property, charging the city an indemnity, subjecting it to tribute, and requiring it to host and support the occupying Roman legions. A financial crisis developed, during which high interest rates charged by Roman moneylenders (publicani) caused many people to lose their property.
The earliest inscription, IGR IV 292, is a decree praising Diodorus for his actions at this time. He seems to have led an embassy to Rome to get the Senate to take action against the publicani. Diodorus' embassy also seems to have complained about depredations carried out by the occupying Roman legions, the financial costs of hosting them, and the tribute that had been levied on Asia after the First Mithridatic War. During the war, Mithridates had arrested a group of Pergamene conspirators and seized their property. Diodorus secured the return of this property somehow (perhaps it had been taken by the Romans along with the rest of Mithridates' property at the end of the war). The decree records that these actions and others were central to maintaining order and harmony in Pergamon at a time of major social unrest. A similar embassy sent at this time by the League of the Greeks in Asia (to which all the cities in the province of Asia belonged) to complain about the publicani is attested in a decree at Aphrodisias (IAph2007 2.503). Several other advocates for the cities of Asia at this time are mentioned in inscriptions and literary sources.
In honour of these actions, the Pergamenes honoured Diodorus with a golden crown, a marble statue, a gilded statue, two statues on horseback, a colossal bronze statue showing him being crowned by the people, all of which were to bear the inscription:
In addition, he received front-row seats at all festivals and games and the right to burn incense at all political meetings. A new civic tribe was established, named Paspareis in his honour. The day of his return from Rome, 8 Apollonius, became a public holiday. A benefactor cult was established for Diodorus, including a sanctuary (the Diodoreium) in Philetaerea, and an annual priest. A religious procession was to be held for the inauguration of the shrine. These cultic honours were based on the cult for Manius Aquillius, the founder of the province, and similar to the old honours for the Attalid kings.
MDAI(A) 35, p. 409, no. 2 seems to recall this diplomatic activity at a later date.