DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0093
OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF ATHENS
n
1. TeAa, signify those revenues that were brought in by lands, mines.,
woods, and other public possessions, set apart for the use of the common-
wealth ; and the tributes paid by the sojourners, and the freed servants ;
as also the customs required of certain arts and trades, and particularly of
merchants, for the exportation and importation of their goods.
2. Oa^of, were the annual payments exacted of all their tributary cities,
which, after Xerxes's overthrow, were first levied by the Athenians, as
contributions to enable them to carry on the war, in case, as was fear-
ed, the enemy should make a new invasion upon them. The first col-
lector of this tax was Aristides, who (as Plutarch reports in his life)
assessed all particular persons, town by town, according to every man's
ability; and the sum raised by him amounted to four hundred and sixty
talents. To this Pericles added near a third part (proceeds my author) ;
for Thucydides reports, that in the beginning of the Peloponnesian war,
the Athenians had coming in from their confederates six hundred talents.
After Pericles's death, the orators and men powerful amongst the people,
proceeded to increase it by little and little, till it amounted to one thou-
sand and three hundred talents ; and that not so much because of the ex-
traordinary expensiveness of the wars, as by exciting the people to largess-
es, playhouse expences, and the erecting of statues and temples.
3. E.'rf^aj, were taxes laid upon the citizens, as well as sojourners
and freed servants, by the order of the assembly and senate, for the de-
fraying of extraordinary charges, occasioned by long and unsuccessful
wars, or any other means.
4. Ti^panx, were fines and amercements, all which were carried into
the exchequer, except the tenth part, which was given to Minerva, and
the fiftieth part, which belonged to the rest of the gods, and the heroes
called EtfwvfAOi. Having said thus much of the public money, I shall
now proceed to the persons that had the disposal and management of it.
E'ffis-aTJrs. was elected by lot out of the prytanes, and had in his custody
the keys of the public exchequer ; which trust was thought so great,
that no man was permitted to enjoy it above once. Of the rest of the
honours and offices of this magistrate 1 shall speak in another place.
n<aX£Vc«, were ten in number, and, together with those that had the
care of the money allowed for shows, had the power of letting out the
tribute money, and other public revenues, and selling estates (hat were
confiscated : all which bargains were ratified in the name of their presi-
dent. Besides this, it was their office to convict such as had not paid the
tribute, called Merotxiav, and sell them by auction. Under these were
certain inferior officers, called ExXoysfc, whose business it was to collect
the public money, for such as had leases of the city's revenues, whom
they called TeAwvai ; these were always persons of good credit them-
selves, and besides their own bonds, were obliged to give other security
for the payment of the money due according to their leases ; in which, if
they failed any longer than till the ninth Prytanea, they were under a
forfeiture of twice the principal, to be paid by themselves or their sure-
ties ; upon neglect of which, they were all cast into prison, and their es-
tates confiscated (1). After the expulsion of the thirty tyrants, certain offi-
cers, called Sw^xm, were created, with power to take cognizance of all
complaints about the confiscation of goods, as appears from an oration of
Lysias in behalf of Nicias.
(1) Suidas, Ulpiamis in DemoPthen. &c.
n
1. TeAa, signify those revenues that were brought in by lands, mines.,
woods, and other public possessions, set apart for the use of the common-
wealth ; and the tributes paid by the sojourners, and the freed servants ;
as also the customs required of certain arts and trades, and particularly of
merchants, for the exportation and importation of their goods.
2. Oa^of, were the annual payments exacted of all their tributary cities,
which, after Xerxes's overthrow, were first levied by the Athenians, as
contributions to enable them to carry on the war, in case, as was fear-
ed, the enemy should make a new invasion upon them. The first col-
lector of this tax was Aristides, who (as Plutarch reports in his life)
assessed all particular persons, town by town, according to every man's
ability; and the sum raised by him amounted to four hundred and sixty
talents. To this Pericles added near a third part (proceeds my author) ;
for Thucydides reports, that in the beginning of the Peloponnesian war,
the Athenians had coming in from their confederates six hundred talents.
After Pericles's death, the orators and men powerful amongst the people,
proceeded to increase it by little and little, till it amounted to one thou-
sand and three hundred talents ; and that not so much because of the ex-
traordinary expensiveness of the wars, as by exciting the people to largess-
es, playhouse expences, and the erecting of statues and temples.
3. E.'rf^aj, were taxes laid upon the citizens, as well as sojourners
and freed servants, by the order of the assembly and senate, for the de-
fraying of extraordinary charges, occasioned by long and unsuccessful
wars, or any other means.
4. Ti^panx, were fines and amercements, all which were carried into
the exchequer, except the tenth part, which was given to Minerva, and
the fiftieth part, which belonged to the rest of the gods, and the heroes
called EtfwvfAOi. Having said thus much of the public money, I shall
now proceed to the persons that had the disposal and management of it.
E'ffis-aTJrs. was elected by lot out of the prytanes, and had in his custody
the keys of the public exchequer ; which trust was thought so great,
that no man was permitted to enjoy it above once. Of the rest of the
honours and offices of this magistrate 1 shall speak in another place.
n<aX£Vc«, were ten in number, and, together with those that had the
care of the money allowed for shows, had the power of letting out the
tribute money, and other public revenues, and selling estates (hat were
confiscated : all which bargains were ratified in the name of their presi-
dent. Besides this, it was their office to convict such as had not paid the
tribute, called Merotxiav, and sell them by auction. Under these were
certain inferior officers, called ExXoysfc, whose business it was to collect
the public money, for such as had leases of the city's revenues, whom
they called TeAwvai ; these were always persons of good credit them-
selves, and besides their own bonds, were obliged to give other security
for the payment of the money due according to their leases ; in which, if
they failed any longer than till the ninth Prytanea, they were under a
forfeiture of twice the principal, to be paid by themselves or their sure-
ties ; upon neglect of which, they were all cast into prison, and their es-
tates confiscated (1). After the expulsion of the thirty tyrants, certain offi-
cers, called Sw^xm, were created, with power to take cognizance of all
complaints about the confiscation of goods, as appears from an oration of
Lysias in behalf of Nicias.
(1) Suidas, Ulpiamis in DemoPthen. &c.