DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.13851#0105
OM. W|B CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF ATHENS.
for the thronging and pressing of a multitude (.1). It was remarkable for
nothing more than the meanness of its buildings and furniture, whereby,
in ages that most affected gaiety and splendour, it remained a monument of
the ancient simplicity (2).
The theatre of Bacchus, in later times, was the usual place in which
the assemblies were held (3) ; but even then Pnyx was not wholly for-
saken, it being against law to decree any man a cr^'.vn, or elect any of the
magistrates in any other place, as Pollux, or at least, the 'Zr^ar^yol, as
Hesychius reports.
The stated assemblies were held in the fore-mentioned places ; but
such as were called upon extraordinary occasions were not confined to
any certain place, being sometimes held in the Piraeus, where there was
a forum called 'Invo^^f/a ayoga, in the Munychia, or any other place
capacious enough to contain the people.
The magistrates, that had the care and management of these assemblies,
were the Prytanes, Epistata, and Proedri.
The Prytanes sometimes called the people together, and always before
their meeting, set up a Ugoygx^a in some place of general concourse, in
which were contained the matters to be consulted tipon in the following
assembly, to the end that every man might have time to consider of them
before he gave his judgment (4).
IleosSgoi, were so called from the first places which they had in the as-
semblies. Whilst the tribes of Athens were no more than ten, the proe-
dri were nine in number, being appointed by lots out of the nine tribes,
which at that time were exempted from being prytanes. Their business
was to propose to the people the things they were to deliberate upon,
and determine in that meeting (5), at the end of which their offices ex-
pired. For the greater security of the laws and commonwealth from the
attempts of ambitious and designing men, it was customary for the Ne|A«-
fy'jXaxss in all assemblies dvyxadlQeiv roTg irpoi^poig, evia S'laxaKutwxs im%et-
poTtveTv 'otfet fit) trv^pspzi, to sit with the proedri, and to hinder the people from
decreeing any thing contrary to the public interest (6). By another law,
it was likewise provided, that in every assembly, one of the tribes should
be appointed by lots, rfpvsSpsvstv, to preside at the Suggestum, to defend the
commonwealth (7), viz. by preventing the orators and others from pro-
pounding any thing inconsistent with the received laws, or destructive
of the peace and welfare of the city.
EwirotT'/jg, the president of the assembly, was chosen by lots out of the pro-
edri ; the chief part of his office seems to have consisted in granting the
people liberty to give their voices, which they were not permitted to do,
till he had given the signal (8).
If the people were remiss in coming to the assemblies, the magistrates
used their utmost endeavours to compel them : they shut up all the gates,
that only excepted through which they were to pass to the assembly ;
they took care that all vendibles should be carried out of the market, that
there might be nothing to divert them from appearing ; and if this was
not sufficient, the logistse (whose business this was) took a cord dyed with
(t) Axistoph. Schol. Acharn. Equit. &c.
(2) Pollus. lib, viii. cap. 8.
(3) Demosthen. Meidiana.
v4) Pollux, lib. viii. cap. 9,
15) Ulpianus in Timocrai
(G) Pollux, lib. viii. cap. 9.
(7) jEschincs in Timarchum.
(8) Harpocration, Demosthenes Androtiana.,
JSscbines in Ctesiphont
for the thronging and pressing of a multitude (.1). It was remarkable for
nothing more than the meanness of its buildings and furniture, whereby,
in ages that most affected gaiety and splendour, it remained a monument of
the ancient simplicity (2).
The theatre of Bacchus, in later times, was the usual place in which
the assemblies were held (3) ; but even then Pnyx was not wholly for-
saken, it being against law to decree any man a cr^'.vn, or elect any of the
magistrates in any other place, as Pollux, or at least, the 'Zr^ar^yol, as
Hesychius reports.
The stated assemblies were held in the fore-mentioned places ; but
such as were called upon extraordinary occasions were not confined to
any certain place, being sometimes held in the Piraeus, where there was
a forum called 'Invo^^f/a ayoga, in the Munychia, or any other place
capacious enough to contain the people.
The magistrates, that had the care and management of these assemblies,
were the Prytanes, Epistata, and Proedri.
The Prytanes sometimes called the people together, and always before
their meeting, set up a Ugoygx^a in some place of general concourse, in
which were contained the matters to be consulted tipon in the following
assembly, to the end that every man might have time to consider of them
before he gave his judgment (4).
IleosSgoi, were so called from the first places which they had in the as-
semblies. Whilst the tribes of Athens were no more than ten, the proe-
dri were nine in number, being appointed by lots out of the nine tribes,
which at that time were exempted from being prytanes. Their business
was to propose to the people the things they were to deliberate upon,
and determine in that meeting (5), at the end of which their offices ex-
pired. For the greater security of the laws and commonwealth from the
attempts of ambitious and designing men, it was customary for the Ne|A«-
fy'jXaxss in all assemblies dvyxadlQeiv roTg irpoi^poig, evia S'laxaKutwxs im%et-
poTtveTv 'otfet fit) trv^pspzi, to sit with the proedri, and to hinder the people from
decreeing any thing contrary to the public interest (6). By another law,
it was likewise provided, that in every assembly, one of the tribes should
be appointed by lots, rfpvsSpsvstv, to preside at the Suggestum, to defend the
commonwealth (7), viz. by preventing the orators and others from pro-
pounding any thing inconsistent with the received laws, or destructive
of the peace and welfare of the city.
EwirotT'/jg, the president of the assembly, was chosen by lots out of the pro-
edri ; the chief part of his office seems to have consisted in granting the
people liberty to give their voices, which they were not permitted to do,
till he had given the signal (8).
If the people were remiss in coming to the assemblies, the magistrates
used their utmost endeavours to compel them : they shut up all the gates,
that only excepted through which they were to pass to the assembly ;
they took care that all vendibles should be carried out of the market, that
there might be nothing to divert them from appearing ; and if this was
not sufficient, the logistse (whose business this was) took a cord dyed with
(t) Axistoph. Schol. Acharn. Equit. &c.
(2) Pollus. lib, viii. cap. 8.
(3) Demosthen. Meidiana.
v4) Pollux, lib. viii. cap. 9,
15) Ulpianus in Timocrai
(G) Pollux, lib. viii. cap. 9.
(7) jEschincs in Timarchum.
(8) Harpocration, Demosthenes Androtiana.,
JSscbines in Ctesiphont