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

COSMI. COSMI. 365
comedies. (See Heindorf, ad Horalt. Sot. i. to any fixed code of laws. They are also said to
2. 98.) [L. S.] have been irresponsible, which, however, hardly
COSME'TES (KooayrTs), an officer in the implies that they were independent of the " unAthenian Gymnasia in the time of the Romans. written law " of custom and usage, or uninfluenced
[GsrMNAsmuA.] by any fixed principles. (Thirlwall, Hist. Greece,
COSMI (KiColOI), the chief magistrates of vol. i. p. 186,) On important occasions, as we have
Crete. It is proposed under this head to give a before remarked, they were ~5tzeovAot, or councilbrief account of the Cretan constitution. lors of the cosmi.
The social and political institutions of Crete The democratic element of the Ecclesia was alwere so completely Dorian in character, and so most powerless in the constitution; its privileges,
similar to the Spartan, that it was a disputed point too, seem to have been merely a matter of form;
amongst the ancients whether the Spartan consti- for, as Aristotle observes, it exercised no function
tution had its origin there, or the Cretan was trans- of government, except ratifying the decrees of the
ferred from Laconia to Crete. The historian Ephorus e'povres and the Kicuoi. It is, indeed, not im((up. Strab. x. p. 482) expressly states that the probable that it was only summoned to give its
Spartan institutions had their origin in Crete, but sanction to these decrees; and though this may
were perfected and completed in Sparta; so that appear to imply the power of withholding assent,
there is good reason for the assertion of MUller still the force of habit and custom would prevent
(Dorians, iii. i. ~ 8), " that the constitution such an alternative being attempted, or, perhaps,
founded on the principles of the Doric race, was even thought of. (Thirlwall, vol. i. p. 286; Gittthere first moulded into a consistent shape, but ling, Excursus ad Aristot. ii. 7.)
even in a more simple and antiquated form than From these observations, it is clear that the
in Sparta at a subsequent period." Thus much, at Cretan constitution was formerly a Dorian aristoany rate, we know for certain, that there were cracy, which, in the age of Aristotle, had dclegenevarions Dorian cities in the island, the political rated to what he calls a vvao'reia, i. e. a governarrangements of which so closely resembled each ment vested in a few privileged families. These
other, that one form of government was ascribed to quarrelled one amongst the other, and raised facall. (Thirlwall, Hist. Greece, vol. i. p. 284.) In tions or parties, in which the demus joined, so that
the earliest ages of which we have historical in- the constitution was frequently broken up, and a
formation, this was an aristocracy consisting of three temporary monarchy, or rather anarchy, established
component bodies, the Cosmei, the Gerusia (yepov- on its ruins. The cosmi were, in fact, often derlia), and the Ecclesia (eKKcXAsIia). The cosmi posed by the most powerful citizens, when the
were ten in number, and are by Aristotle (Pol. ii. latter wished to impede the course of justice
7), Ephorus (uap. Strab. 1. c.), and Cicero (de Rep. against themselves (yi aovspar baKas), and an
ii. 33) compared tothe ephors of Sparta. Miiller, &aolsuia then ensued, without any legal magishowever (iii. 8. ~ 1) compares them with the Spartan trates at the head of the state.
kings, and supposes thein to have succeeded to the In the time of Polybius, the power of the arisfunctions of the kingly office; which Aristotle tocracy had been completely overthrown; for he
(probably alluding to the age of Mineos) tells us tells us that the election of the magistrates Was
was at one time established in Crete. These cosmi annual, and determined by democratical principles.
were ten in number, and chosen not from the body (Polyb. vi. 44.) In other respects also, he points
of the people, blut from certain'yErs or houses, out a difference between the institutions of Crete
which were probably of more pure Dotic or Achaian and those of Lyeurgus at Sparta, to which they
descent than their neighbours. The first of them had been compared by other writers.
in rank was called Protocosmezus, and gave his name Miiller observes that the cosmi were, so far as
to the year. They commanded in war, and also we know, the chief magistrates in all the cities of
conducted the business of the state with the repre- Crete, and that the constituttion of these cities Was
sentatives and ambassadors of other cities. With in all essential points the same —a proof that their
respect to the domestic government of the state, political institutions were determined by the printhey appear to have exercised a joint authority ciples of the governing, i. e. the Doric race.
with the mniembets of the gerusia, as they are said The social relations of the Cretans seem to have
to have consulted with them on the most important been almost identical with those of the Spartans.
matters. (Ephor. 1. c.) In the times subseqiient The inhabitants of the Dorian part of the island
to the age of Alexander, they also performed cer- were divided into three classes, the freemen, the
tain duties which bore a resemblance to the intro- perioeci or 67riKooL, and the slaves. The second
duction of the lawsuits into court, by the Athenian class was as old as the time of Minos, and was
magistrates. (Miillef, 1. e.) Their period of office undoubtedly composed of the descendants of the
was a year; but any of them during that time conquered population; they lived in the rural dism;ght resign, and was also liaible tb deposition by tricts, round the iro'iAs of the conquerors; and,
his colleagues. In some cases, too, they might be though personally free, yet exercised none of the
indicted for neglect of their duties. On the whole, privileges or influence of citizens, either in the
we may conclude that they fdrmed the executive administration and enactment of the laws, or the
and chief power in most of the cities of Crete. use of heavy arms. They occupied certain lands,
The Gertusia, or council of elders, called by the for which they paid a yearly tributte or rent, supi'cethns Boilde, consisted, according to Aristotle posed, from a statement in Athenaeus (iv. p. 143),
(Pli/. ii. 7)j of thirty members who had formerly to have been an Aeginetic stater.
been cormi, and were in other respects approved of
(ra &XX& &dKcLOL KpLd1eEVOLr, Ephor. 1. c.). They * The expression of Dosiadas, T's 8aoir',
retained their office for life, and are said to have EKaoros, probably refers to the perioeci, 5o0AoL
decided in all matters that caire before them, ac- being used as a generic term for those who were
cording to their own jtdginent, and not agreeably not full and free citizens.