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

72~ G-E RO U SI A. GC'ETi() U STIA.
gatives; thus they had in conll 0with other council till he was sixty years of age (P!ut. LyczLq.
magistrates tihe'c/glt of addressing the public 26), and the additional qualifications were strictly
assembly; besides this, they sat in a separate court of all aristocratic nature. W~e are told, for iuof their own, where they gave judgment in all cases stance, that the office of a councillor was the reof heiresses claimed by differenit parties: a function ward and prize of virtue (Aristot. Polit. ii. 6. ~ 15;
formerly exercised by the kings at Athens, but Demosth. c. Lept. p. 489), and that it was confined
afterwards transferred to the Archon Eponymus. to men of distinguished character and station
(Herod. vi. 57.) They also appointed the four (lcaxol K'yaOoi).
Iythians (fIIiloo), whose duty it was to go as mes- The election was determined by vote, and the
sengers to consult the god at Delphi. Adoptions also mode of conducting it was remarkable for its oldtook place in their presence, and they held a court fashioned simplicity. The competitors presented
in all cases connected with the maintenance of the themselves one after another to the assembly of
public roads; probably in their capacity of generals, electors (Plut. Lycurg. 26); the latter testified their
and as superintendents of the intercourse with esteem by acclamations, which varied in intensity
foreign nations. (Miller, Deor. iii. 6. ~ 7.) In according to the popularity of the candidates for
foreign affairs, indeed, their prerogatives were con- whom they were given. These nmanifestations of
siderable: thus they were the commanders of the esteem were noted by persons in ain adjoining
Spartan forces, and had the privilege of nominat- building, who could judge of the shouting, but
ing from amongst the citizens, persons to act as could not tell in whose favour it was given. The
"proxeni " or protectors and entertainers of foreign- person whom these judges thought to have been
ers visiting Sparta. But their chief power was in most applauded was declared the successful candiwar; for after they had once crossed the borders date. The different competitors for a vacant place
of l.aconia, in command of troops, their authority offered themselves upon their own judgment
became unlimited. They could send out and as- (Aristot. Polit. ii. 6. ~ 18), probably always from
sernble armies, despatch ambassadors to collect the wca', to which the councillor whose place was
money, and refer those who applied to themselves vacant had belonged; and as the office was for life,
for justice to the proper officers appointed for that andl therefore only one vacancy could (in ordinary
-parpose. (Xen. De Rep. Lea. 13; Thuc. v. 60, cases) happen at a time, the attention of the whole
viii. 5.) Two ephors, indeed, accompanied the state would be fixed on the choice of the electors.
kings on their expeditions, but those magistrates The office of a councillor, however, was not only
had no authority to interfere with the king's opera- for life, but also irresponsible (Aristot. Polit. ii. 6),
tions: they simply watched over the proceedings as if a previous reputation, and the near approach
of the army. (Xen. 1. c.) Moreover, there can be of death, were considered a sufficient guarantee for
no doubt that the kings were, on their return home, integrity and moderation. But the councillors did
accountable for their conduct as generals (Thucyd. v. not always prove so, for Aristotle (1. c.) tells us
63), and more especially after the increase of the that the members of the yepovoia received bribes,
ephoral authority. Their military power also was and frequently showed partiality in their decisions.
not connected with any political functions, for the The functions of the councillors were partly dekings were not allowed to conclude treaties or to liberative, partly judicial, and partly executive. In
decide the fate of cities, without communicating the discharge of the first they prepared measures
with the authorities at home. (Xen. Hiell. ii. 2. ~ 12, and passed preliminary decrees (Plut. Agis, 1 1)
v. 3. ~ 24.) In former times the two kings had a which were to be laid before the popular assembly,
joint command; this, however, led to inconveni- so that the important privilege of initiating all
enlces, and a law iwas in consequence passed that changes in the government or laws was vested in
for the future one only of the two kings should them. As a criminal court they could punish with
have the command of the army on foreign expedi- death anld civil degradation (&rrLdae, Xen. De
tions. (Herod. v. 57.) Rep. Lac. 10. ~ 2; Arist. Polit. iii. 1), and that,
II. Tile yspovOra, or council of elders. This too, without being restrained by any code of writbody was the aristocratic element of the Spartan ten laws (Aristot. Polit. ii. 6), for which national
polity, and not peculiar to Sparta only, but found, feeling and recognised usages would form a suffias has been already observed, in other Dorian cient substitute. They also appear to have exerstates, just as a OovsX or democratical council was cised, like the Areiopagus at Athens, a general
an element of most Ionian constitutions. superintendence and inspection over the lives and
The?yepovuria or yEpoovia at Sparta included the manners of the citizens (arbitri et snagistr'i disciplitwo kings, its presidents, and consisted of thirty naepuleicae, Aul. Gell. xviii. 3), and probably were
members: a number which seems connected with allowed " a kind of patriarchal authority to enforce
the divisions of the Spartan people. Every Dorian the observance of ancient usage and discipline."
state, in fact, was divided into three tribes: the (Thirlwall, Ifist. of Greece, vol. i. p. 318.) It is
HIylleis, the Dymanes, and the Pamphyli, whence not, however, easy to define with exactness the
the Dorians are called -PLXCtrcKes, or thrice divided. original extent of their fimctions; especially as
(Od. xix. 174.) The tribes at Sparta were again respects the last-mentioned duty, since the ephors
subdivided into d~afL, also called Qpa'rpiai (MUller, not only encroached upon the prerogatives of the
Dor. iii. 5. ~ 3), a word which signifies a union of king and council, but also possessed, in very early
families, whether founded upon ties of relationship, times, a censorial power, and were not likely to
or formed for political purposes, irrespective of any permit any diminution of its extent.
such connection. The obae were like the yEporVrsS, III. Tie Eisctxsera, or assembly of Spartan
thirty in number, so that each oba was represented fr-eemen. This assembly possessed, in theory at
by its councillor: an inference which leads to least, the supreme authority in all matters aMfecting
the conclusion that two obae at least, of the HIyl- the general interests of the state. Its original
lean tribe, must have belonged to the royal house position at Sparta is shortly explained by a rhetra
of the Heracleids. No one was eligible to the or ordinance of Lycurgus, which, in the fornm of an