DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4376#0041
HISTORY 03? CABIA. 25
Immediately after this follow the date of the
month, and the name of the Prytanis, or epony-
mous magistrate, during whose term of office the
law was passed.
Unfortunately, we have not the first line of this
inscription, so that it is not possible to ascertain
why the name of Lygdamis is introduced, as it is,
in the preamble of a law; but, from its connection
with the names of the two cities which it follows,
and from the whole context, I am inclined to think
that the law was either moved by Lygdamis, ov
ratified by him conjointly with the people of Hali-
carnassus and Sahnacis. The law itself relates to
certain real property, and to the legal means which
may be employed to dispute the title of the actual
owners. It is not improbable that the real property
referred to was that of political exiles which had
been confiscated. It is enacted, that any person
attempting to rescind the law is to be punished by
exile and the loss of all his property, and that, if he
does not possess the value of ten staters, he is him-
self to be sold as a slave for exportation, and never
to be allowed to return to Halicarnassus.
The severity of this penal clause against rescind-
ing the law would lead us to suppose that it was
passed in troublous times, such as was the reign of
Lygdamis; and the form of the letters in the in-
scription is not inconsistent with this date, to which
I am further disposed to assign it from the occur-
rence of the name Panyasis.
According to the statement of Suidas, already
referred to, Lygdamis was driven out of Halicar-
Immediately after this follow the date of the
month, and the name of the Prytanis, or epony-
mous magistrate, during whose term of office the
law was passed.
Unfortunately, we have not the first line of this
inscription, so that it is not possible to ascertain
why the name of Lygdamis is introduced, as it is,
in the preamble of a law; but, from its connection
with the names of the two cities which it follows,
and from the whole context, I am inclined to think
that the law was either moved by Lygdamis, ov
ratified by him conjointly with the people of Hali-
carnassus and Sahnacis. The law itself relates to
certain real property, and to the legal means which
may be employed to dispute the title of the actual
owners. It is not improbable that the real property
referred to was that of political exiles which had
been confiscated. It is enacted, that any person
attempting to rescind the law is to be punished by
exile and the loss of all his property, and that, if he
does not possess the value of ten staters, he is him-
self to be sold as a slave for exportation, and never
to be allowed to return to Halicarnassus.
The severity of this penal clause against rescind-
ing the law would lead us to suppose that it was
passed in troublous times, such as was the reign of
Lygdamis; and the form of the letters in the in-
scription is not inconsistent with this date, to which
I am further disposed to assign it from the occur-
rence of the name Panyasis.
According to the statement of Suidas, already
referred to, Lygdamis was driven out of Halicar-