Smith, William: A smaller dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities (London, 1871)

PLUTEUS.

3'

01

POMPA.

This plethron was equal to 100 feet (or about
101 English feet) = 66§ m}xeis = 10 axcuvai
or KoXafioi: It was also introduced into the
system of itinerary measures, being l-6th of
the stadium.

PLTJTEUS, was applied in military affairs
to two different objects. (1) A kind of shed
made of hurdles, and covered with raw hides,
which could be moved forward by small
wheels attached to it, and under which the
besiegers of a town made their approaches.
(2) Boards or planks placed on the vallum of
a camp, on moveable towers or other military
engines, as a kind of roof or covering for the
protection of the soldiers.

PLYNTERIA (nXvvrijpia, from irkvveiv, to
wash), a festival celebrated at Athens every
year, on the 25th of Thargelion, in honour of
Athena, surnamed Aglauros, whose temple
stood on the Acropolis. The day of this fes-
tival was at Athens among the caro^paSe; or
dies nefasti; for the temple of the goddess
was surrounded by a rope to preclude all
communication with it ; her statue was
stripped of its garments and ornaments for
the purpose of cleaning them, and was in
the meanwhile covered over, to conceal it
from the sight of man. The city was there-
fore, so to speak, on this day without its
protecting divinity, and any undertaking
commenced on it was believed to be neces-
sarily unsuccessful.

PNYX. [Ecclesia.]

POCULTJM, any kind of drinking-cup, to
De distinguished from the Crater or vessel in
which the wine was mixed [Crater], and
from the Cyathus, a kind of ladle or small
cup, used to convey the wine from the Crater
to the Poculum or drinking-cup.

PODIUM. [Amphitheatrtjm.]

POEXA (ttoiit)), a general name for any
punishment of any offence. Malta is the
penalty of a particular offence. A Poena was
only inflicted when it was imposed by some
iex or some other legal authority [quo alio
jure). When no poena was imposed, then a
multa or penalty might be inflicted.

POLEMARCHUS (n-oAeVapxos). Respect-
ing the polemarchus at Athens, see Archon.
We read also of polemarehs at Sparta, and in
various cities of Boeotia. As their name
denotes, they were originally and properly
connected with military affairs, being en-
trusted either with the command of armies
abroad, or the superintendence of the war
department at home ; sometimes with both.
The polemarehs of Sparta appear to have
ranked next to the king, when on actual ser-
vice abroad, and were generally of the royal
kindred or bouse (yeVos). They commanded
single morae, so that they would appear to

have been six in number, and sometimes
whole armies. They also formed part of the
king's council in war, and of the royal escort
called damosia. At Thebes there appear to
have been two polemarehs, perhaps elected
annually ; and in times of peace they seem to
have been invested with the chief executive
power of the state, and the command of the
city, having its military force under their
orders. They are not, however, to be con-
founded with the Boeotarchs.

POLETAE (jraAjfTOc), a board of ten offi-
cers, or magistrates, whose duty it was to
grant leases of the public lands and mines,
and also to let the revenues arising from the
customs, taxes, confiscations, and forfeitures.
Of such letting the word mtXeiv (not nio-Oovv}
was generally used, and also the correlative
words Civeio-Qai and 77pi'oo0oi. One was chosen
from each tribe. In the letting of the revenue
they were assisted by the managers of the
theoric fund (to SecupiKw), and they acted
under the authority of the senate of Five
Hundred, who exercised a general control
over the financial department of the adminis-
tration. Resident aliens, who did not pay
their residence tax (fie-rot/ciov), were sum-
moned before them, and, if found to have
committed default, were sold.

POLLIXCTORES. [Fvnus.]

POMOERIUM. This word is compounded
of post and moerium (mttrus), in the same
manner as pomeridiem of post and meridiem,
and thus signifies a line running by the walls
of a town {pone or post muros). But the
walls of a town here spoken of are not its
actual walls or fortifications, but symbolical
walls, and the course of the pomoerium itself
was marked by stone pillars, erected at cer-
tain intervals. The sacred line of the Roman
pomoerium did not prevent the inhabitants
from building upon or taking into use any
place beyond it, but it was necessary to leave
a certain space on each side of it unoccupied,
so as not to unhallow it by profane use.
Thus we find that the Aventine, although in-
habited from early times, was for many cen-
turies not included within the pomoerium.
The pomoerium was not the same at all times ;
as the city increased the pomoerium also was
extended ; but this extension could, accord-
ing to ancient usage, only be made by such
men as had by their victories over foreign
nations increased the boundaries of the em-
pire, and neither could a pomoerium be
formed nor altered without the augurs pre-
viously consulting the will of the gods by
augury : hence the jus pomoerii of the augurs.

POMPA (7rop.7T7)), a solemn procession, as
on the occasion of a funeral, triumph, &u.
It is, however, more particularly applied to