A new interpretation of the decree from Rhamnous and the apotheosis of Antigonos Gonatas

Introduction
The author of the most authoritative biography of Antigonos Gonatas(283 –239/8), W.W. Tarn, wrote that "No part of Greek history should come home to us likethe third century B.C. It is the only period that we can in the least compare with our own indeed, in some ways it is quite startlingly modern. We meet with half the things thatwe ourselves do, half the problems that we ourselves know. [..] All thehorizons have widened and opened out; civilization pulsates with new life, and an eager desire to try all things. Almost all barriers are already down. Men may think as they please, speak as they please, believe as they please. [...] No man's religion is any one else's matter, save for lingering feelings"[Tarn,1913,p.250].These optimistic but naive worlds, written down about 1912, could perhaps let us to revisit again the popular issue of ancient globalization. Twenty-first century world of wireless connection is in some way not more linked then the Hellenistic empires. The aim of this paper is to explore new interpretation of inscriptionshowing decree in honor of Antigonos Gonatas, before 236/5 BCfound in Rhamnous and published by Petrakosin 1991. It also tries to tie in different strandsof evidence and scholarly discussions on the political and military relations of Antigonos Gonatas with Athens and the deme of Rhamnousand most importantly it elucidates to explore Antigonos‟s approach to his own apotheosis and divine honours donated to him by different demes.