DOI Artikel:
Tarbell, Frank B.: The decrees of the Demotionidai: a study of the Attic Phratry
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.8678#0200
A STUDY OF THE ATTIC PHRATRY.
185
the first day of the festival, on no better ground than that it would
have been a bad arrangement to postpone the serious business till the
last. But the evidence of the grammarians receives some confirmation
from our inscription, which fixes the dmdikasia upon the Koureotis.
And it may well be doubted whether an attendance of the scattered
phraters sufficient to transact business could have been secured for
more than a single day. Unless insuperable obstacles, such as war,
intervene, the meeting is held at Dekeleia. Thither are brought the
children,39 male and female, and with them the victims and other offer-
ings which law or custom prescribed. Schoemann conceived such meet-
ings as being held in the (ppdrpiov, which according to Pollux (in. 52)
was to iepbv etV o crvvyecrav (sc. ol eppdropes). It is noteworthy that
Stephanos of Byzantion («. v. tpenpta) and Eustathios {ad. II., 239.30
and 735. 50) know the (ppdrpiov only as a totto<; or tottos oopLap,evoq.
At all events, the Demotionidai meet in the open air for the elcraycoyi']
as well as for the BiaSiKaala: for they are in presence of the altar,10
and that this was not in a covered building we may infer, not only
from its use for burnt sacrifices, but also from the phraseology of B, 9 ;
one would not say "in Dekeleia before the altar," if this altar were in
a building. The meeting is presided over by the phratriarch. Each
applicant presents his child, and is subjected to an examination, search-
ing or perfunctory according to circumstances. Then, while the sacri-
ficial portions assigned to Zeus Phratrios burn upon the altar, he takes
oath that the child he presents is <yvr]cno<; e<y yap,eTrj<;. Following the
oath of the father or guardian, comes the examination of the three wit-
nesses whom he produces from among the members of his thiasos. They
testify with one hand upon the altar and confirm their testimony with
an oath. We should expect, then, to find the phraters proceeding at
once to vote on the application, and, in case of acceptance, to enter the
name of the child in the register. Such was the practice in other phra-
tries, so far as known to us :41 but the practice of the Demotionidai, as
regulated by the psephism of Hierokles, seems to have been different.
88 That the candidates were presented in person appears from IsAios, VII. 16; Deji.,
LVH. 54: cf. Andok., i. 126, for admission into a gens.
40 See, especially, -b, 17-18.
41 Isaios, vn. 16-17; Dem., xliii. 13-14; Dem., lix. 59: cf. Andok., i. 127. The
phratry of Dem., yt.ttt, might be the Demotionidai, since Eubulides was of the deme
Oion. But this may have been Olov Kepafitm6y; or, if it was Olov AeKe\etK6v, the
phratry, as shown above, may have been different. The apparent difference of prac-
tice points to a different phratry.
185
the first day of the festival, on no better ground than that it would
have been a bad arrangement to postpone the serious business till the
last. But the evidence of the grammarians receives some confirmation
from our inscription, which fixes the dmdikasia upon the Koureotis.
And it may well be doubted whether an attendance of the scattered
phraters sufficient to transact business could have been secured for
more than a single day. Unless insuperable obstacles, such as war,
intervene, the meeting is held at Dekeleia. Thither are brought the
children,39 male and female, and with them the victims and other offer-
ings which law or custom prescribed. Schoemann conceived such meet-
ings as being held in the (ppdrpiov, which according to Pollux (in. 52)
was to iepbv etV o crvvyecrav (sc. ol eppdropes). It is noteworthy that
Stephanos of Byzantion («. v. tpenpta) and Eustathios {ad. II., 239.30
and 735. 50) know the (ppdrpiov only as a totto<; or tottos oopLap,evoq.
At all events, the Demotionidai meet in the open air for the elcraycoyi']
as well as for the BiaSiKaala: for they are in presence of the altar,10
and that this was not in a covered building we may infer, not only
from its use for burnt sacrifices, but also from the phraseology of B, 9 ;
one would not say "in Dekeleia before the altar," if this altar were in
a building. The meeting is presided over by the phratriarch. Each
applicant presents his child, and is subjected to an examination, search-
ing or perfunctory according to circumstances. Then, while the sacri-
ficial portions assigned to Zeus Phratrios burn upon the altar, he takes
oath that the child he presents is <yvr]cno<; e<y yap,eTrj<;. Following the
oath of the father or guardian, comes the examination of the three wit-
nesses whom he produces from among the members of his thiasos. They
testify with one hand upon the altar and confirm their testimony with
an oath. We should expect, then, to find the phraters proceeding at
once to vote on the application, and, in case of acceptance, to enter the
name of the child in the register. Such was the practice in other phra-
tries, so far as known to us :41 but the practice of the Demotionidai, as
regulated by the psephism of Hierokles, seems to have been different.
88 That the candidates were presented in person appears from IsAios, VII. 16; Deji.,
LVH. 54: cf. Andok., i. 126, for admission into a gens.
40 See, especially, -b, 17-18.
41 Isaios, vn. 16-17; Dem., xliii. 13-14; Dem., lix. 59: cf. Andok., i. 127. The
phratry of Dem., yt.ttt, might be the Demotionidai, since Eubulides was of the deme
Oion. But this may have been Olov Kepafitm6y; or, if it was Olov AeKe\etK6v, the
phratry, as shown above, may have been different. The apparent difference of prac-
tice points to a different phratry.