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

PERIOECT. PERTOECI. 887
find, for instance, that painters exhibited their unsuccessful attempt by the Achaians to regain
works in a pergula that they might be seen by their independence, the relation between the two
those who passed by (Lucil. op. Lactant. i. 22), parties was changed. The Achaians were reduced
and Apelles is said to have concealed himself in from citizens to vassals; they were made tributary
his pergula behind his pictures that he might over- to Sparta (rvErXe7s), and their lands were sub.
hear the remarks of those who looked: at them. jected to a tax, perhaps not so much for the sake
(Plin. H. N. xxxv. 36. ~ 12.) Such places were of revenue as in token of their dependence (Ephor.
occupied by persons, who, either by working or 1. c.); they lost their rights of citizenship ('Ioositting in them, wished to attract the attention of TLtia), such as that of intermarriage with the Dothe public. (Salmas. ad Script. Ilist. Aug. pp. 458, rians, the right of voting in the general assembly,
459.) Hence we find them inhabited by poor and their eligibility to important offices in the
philosophers and grammarians who gave instruction state, such as that of a senator, &c. It does not,
and wished to attract notice in order to obtain however,appear that the Perioeci (especially in tlhe
pupils. (Suet. Aug. 94, de Illustr. Gramnmat. 1U; Historic times) were generally an oppressed peoFlay. Vopisc. Saturnin. 10; Juven. xi. 137.) pie, though kept in a state of political inferiority
It should be observed that scholars do not agree to their conquerors. On the contrary, the most
as to the real meaning of pergula: Scaliger (ad distinguished amongst them were admitted to offices
Plaidt. Psezd. i. 2. 79) describes it as a part of a of trust (Thucyd. viii. 61), and sometimes invested
house built out into the street, as in some old with naval command (Id.viii. 22), but probably
houses of modern times; Ernesti (ad Suet. Aug. only because they were better suited for it than the
94) thinks that a pergula is a little room in the Spartans themselves, who did not set a high value on
upper part of a house which was occasionally used good sailorship. Moreover, the Perioeci sometimes
by poor philosophers as an observatory. But neither served as heavy-armed soldiers or troops of the line:
of these two definitions is so applicable to all the at the battle of Plataeae, for instance, they supplied
passages in which the word occurs as that which 10,000 men, 5000 hoplites and 5000 light-armed
we have proposed. [L. S.] (Herod. ix. 61), a circumstance which seems to
PERIACTOS (7reptfacros), a theatrical machinle imply a difference of rank connected with a difconsisting of three scenes, placed in the form of a ference of occupation amongst the Perioeci themtriangle (or rather, triangular prism) on a revolving selves. Again, at Sphacteria 292 prisoners were
platform, so that, by simply turning the machine, taken, of whom 120 were Spartans and the rest
the scene could be changed. It was chiefly used 7reptoeRot. (MUller, iii. 2. ~ 3.) We also read of
when a god was to be introduced with the acconi- teaXol sc&yaOol, " or accomplished and well-born"
paniment of thunder. The name was also applied gentlemen, amongst the Perioeci serving as
to the space which was provided for the machine volunteers in the Spartan service. (Xen. Hell. v.
ill the erection of the theatre. (Vitruv. v. 7; 3. ~ 9.) But still it is not to be expected, it is
Pollux, iv. 126.) [P. S.] not natural, that men competent to the discharge
PERIDEIPNON (7rEpi8eL7rvo ). [FuNUs, of high fimctions in a state, and bearing its
p. 557, b.] burdens, should patiently submit to an exclusion
PER1DRO'MIDES. [XYsTUS.] from all politicalrights. Accordingly we find, that
PERIOECI (7repoLKomo). This word properly on the rising of the Helots in B. c. 464, somle of
denotes the inhabitants of a district lying around the Perioeci joined them. (Thucyd. i. 101.) When
some particular locality, but is generally used to the Thebans invaded Laconia (B. C. 369), the
describe a dependent population, living without Perioeci were ready to help them. (Xen. Hell. vi.
the walls or in the country provinces of a domin- 5. ~ 25.) In connection with the insurrection of
ant city, and although personally free, deprived of Cinadon we are told that the Perioeci were most
the enjoyment of citizenship, and the political bitter against the ruling Spartans. (Id. iii. 3. ~ 6.)
rights conferred by it. The words od'eVOLKO and From these and other facts (Clin. F. 11. Append.
emroitooL have an analogous meaning. xxii.) it appears that the Perioeci of Laconia, if
A political condition such as that of the Perioeci not an oppressed, were sometimes a disaffected and
of Greece, and like the vassalage of the Germanic discontented class; though in cases of strong exi::tions, could hardly have originated in anything citemnent, or of general danger to the whole of
else than foreign conquest, and the Perioeci of Greece, they identified themselves with their conLaconia furnish a striking illustration of this. querors. The very relation indeed which subsisted
Their origin dates from the Dorian conquest of the between them was sufficient to produce in Sparta a
Peloponnesus, when the old inhabitants of the jealousy of her subjects, with corresponding feelings
country, the Achaians, submitted to their con- on their part. Nor can we suppose that the Dorians
qulerors on certain conditions, by which, according would willingly permit the Perioeci to acquire
to Ephorus (Strab. viii. p. 364), they were left strength and opulence, or even to settle in large
in possession of their private rights of citizenship towns. (Thirlwall, Hist. of Greece, vol. i. p. 307.) In
(iloorii/xa), such as the right of intermarriage with fact it is stated by Isocrates (Paoa2th. p. 307), that
the Dorians, and also of their political franchise. the Dorians intentionally weakened the Achaians
They suffered indeed a partial deprivation of their by dispersing them over a great number of hamlets,
lands, and were obliged to submit to a king of which they called rdoAcLs, though they were less
foreign race, but still they remained equal in powerful than the countiy parishes of Attica, and
law to their conquerors, and were eligible to were situated in the most unproductive parts of
all offices of state except the sovereignity.'Ird- Laconia, the best land of which was reserved forthe
You001 ULETEXorTES. ical iroxAtEialr meal capXe'wv. Spartans. It is not, however, necessary to under(Arnold. Tleucyd. vol. i. p. 641.) But this state stand the orator as speaking of a uniform practice;
of things did not last long: in the next generation and another of his statements, to the effect that the
after the conquest, either from the lust of increased Ephori could put any of the Perioeci to death
dominion on the part of the Dorians, or from an L(p. 271) without trial, is either a perversion of the
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