Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

SITOS.. SITOS. 104 7
books of the Sitophylaces (T'r4 7rap&'roTs as'rocv6.. with an express condition to bring a return cargo,
Xatr a'7roypaspiv) to prove the quantity.of corn part of it corn, to Athens. If any merchant, capiimported from Pontus, which (he says) was equal talist, or other person advanced money or entered
to all that came from elsewhere, owing to the into any agreement in contravention of these laws,
liberality of Leucon, king of the Bosporus, who not only was he liable to the penalty, but the agreeallowed corn to be exported from Theudosia to ment itself was null and void, nor could he recover
Athens free of duty. (Demosth. c. Leptin. 466, any sum of money, or bring any action in respect
467.) These books were probably kept by the thereof. (Den. c. Lacrit. 941.) Information against
five who acted for the Peiraeeus, whose especial the offenders was to be laid before the 7re/uehmrai
biusiness it would be to inspect the cargoes that rou EJLropiov. (Meier, Ait. Proc. p. 87.) Strict
wereunladen. (Harpocr. s.v. l2Trovr'oaA es: Bijckh, regulations were made with respect to the sale of
Publ. Econ. of Athe7s, p. 83, 2d ed.) [C. R. K.] corn in the market. Conspiracies among the cornSITOS (os-ros), corn. The soil of Attica, though dealers (c(rvor&ohaa) to buy up the corn (ovvsa'yerofavourable to the production of figs, olives, and Oam), or raise the price (eurvsrcT'.a Thrs'rta&s),
grapes, was not so favourable for corn; and the were punished with death. They were not allowed
population being very considerable in the flourishing to make a profit of more than one obol in the meperiod of the Athenian republic, it was necessary dimlnus; and it was unlawfull to buy more than
to import corn for their subsistence. According to fifty opop/uoi at a. time. It is not certain what the
the calculation of Bickh, which does not mate- size of a popsa.&s wyas: Bickh supposes it to be
rially differ from that of other writers, there were about as.mulch as a medimnus. These laws remind
135,000 freemen and 365,000 slaves residing in us of our own statutes against engrossing and reAttica. The country, which contained an area of grating; but they appear to have been easily evaded
64,000stadia, eroduced annually about two millions by the corn-dealers. (See the speech of Lysias
of medimni of corn, chiefly barley. The medimnus KaT& s-Cv TorrT7rcAhXv: Dem. c. Dionysod. 1285.)
was about 1 bushel, 3 gallons, and 5'75 pints, or The sale of corn was placed under the supervision
48 Attic XoelvlceS. A xo7vsm was considered a fair of a special board of officers called Sitophylace.s
-daily allowance of meal (eCpEpirnra Tpaop.) for a (reTo0dviAaces), while that of all other marketable
slave. The consumption of the whole population commodities was superintended by the agorannmi.
was three million medimni, and one-third therefore (Lys. id. 165, ed. Steph.) It was their business;was imported. It came from the countries border- to see that meal and bread were of the proper
ing on the Euxine Sea (Pontls, as it was called by quality, and sold at the legal weight and price.
the Greeks), and more especially from the Cimme- They were bound to, detect the frauds of the factor
rian Bosporus and the Thracian Chersonese; also and the baker, and (if we may believe Lysias),
from Syria, Egypt, Libya, Cyprus, Rhodes, Sicily, they sometimes suffered death for their want of
and Euboea. The necessities of the Athenians vigilance. The mode of proceeding against them
made them exceedingly anxious to secure a plenti- was by elieaayyeXta before the senate. (Platner,
ful supply, and every precaution was taken for that Proc. wend Klag. vol. ii. p. 149.)
purpose by the government as well as by the legis- Notwithstanding these careful provisions, scarcilator. Sunium was fortified, in order that the corn ties (aorToes7at) frequently occurred at Athens,
vessels (s-rayw'yal bhAcd3es) miglht come safely either from bad harvests, the misfortunes of war,
round the promontory. Ships of war were often or other accidental causes. The state then made
employed to convoy the cargo (rapaw7r'7resv rby great efforts to supply the wants of the people by
avroe,) beyond tile reach of an enemy. (Dem. de importing large quantities of corn, and selling it at
Coron. 250, 251, c. IPolGel. 1211.) When Pollis, a low price. Public granaries were kept in the
the Lacedaemonian admiral, was stationed with Odeum, Pompeum, Long Porch, and naval storehis fleet off Aegina, the Athenians embarked in house near the sea. (Pollux, ix. 45; Dem. c.
haste, under the command of Chabrias, and offered P/Iormi. 918.) Sitonae (r'clsras) were appointed
him battle, in order that the corn-ships, which had to get in the supply and manage the sale. Dearrived as far as Geraestus in Euboea, might get snosthenes was appointed on one occasion to that
into the Peiraeeus. (Xenoph. Iellen. v. 4. ~ 61.) office (de Coron. 310.) Persons called apodectue
One of the principal objects of Philip in his attack (a&roeIC'ra) ) received the corn, measured it out,
on Byzantium was that, by taking that city lihe and distributed it in certain quantities. (Pollux,
might command the entrance to the Euxine, and viii. 114,) Public-spirited individuals would someso have it in his power to distress the Athenians times import grain at their own expense, and sell
in the corn trade. H1ence the great exertions made it at a moderate price, or distribute it gratuitously.
by Demosthenes to relieve the Byzantines, of the (Dem. c. Phlorsm. 918.) We read of the Athenian
success of which he justly boasts (de Cocon. 254, state receiving presents of corn from kings and
307, 326). princes. Thus Leucon, king of the Bosporus, sernt
The measures taken by the legislature to obtain a large present, for which he had the honour of
supplies of corn may appear harsh, and their policy rThreia (exemption from customs-duties) conferred
is at least doubtful, but they strongly evince the on him by a decree of the people. (Dem. c. Leptin
anxiety of the people on the subject. Exportation 467; see Isocr. TpartS'. 370, ed. Steph.) Psamwas entirely prohibited, nor was any Athenian or metichus, an Egyptian prince, sent a present in
resident alien allowed to carry corn to any other Olymp. 83. 4, Demetrius in Olymp. 118. 2, Sptrplace than Athens (crT7qyCEsV a&AN.ee X'AdOiave). tacus, king of the Bosporus, a few years after. Iln
Whoever did so, was punishable with death. (Dem. later times, that made by the Roman Atticus is
c. Phorm. 918; Lycurg. c. Leoer. 151, ed. Steph.) well known. On the whole of this subject the
Of the corn brought into the Athenian port two- reader is referred to B13ckh (PF2l.'. Econ. of Athens,
thirds was to be brought into the city and sold p. 77, &c., 2nd. ed.), where also he will find the
there. (Harpocr. s. v.'E rfeleh7r'Ts /u7ropiov.) No various prices of meal and bread at Athens, and
one might lend money on a ship that did not sail other details, copiously explained. As to the duty