B

CHAP. XVI.

Of the Council of the Amphictyones.

EING in the next Place to speak of the Athenian Councils, and Courts of Justice, I cannot omit the famous Council of the Amphityones; which tho' it fate not at Athens, nor was peculiar to that City, yet the Athenians, and almost all the rest of the Grecians, were concern'd in it.

It is commonly thought to have been firft inftituted, and receiv'd its Name from Amphictyon, the Son of Deucalion &; but Strabo is of Opinion that Acrifius, King of the Argives, was the firft that founded and gave Laws for the Conduct and Management of it; and then it must have its Name from AuQxries, because the Inhabitants of the Countries round about met in the Council; and Androtion in Paufanias tells us, that the primitive Name of thofe Senators was Amphictiones, however of latter Ages it hath been chang'd into Amphilyones. But the former Opinion receives Confirmation from what Herodotus reports of the Place where this Council was affembled, viz. that it was a Temple dedicated to Amphityon and Ceres Amphityoneis; and Strabo alfo reports, that this Goddefs was worshipp'd by the Amphityones.

The Place in which they affembled, was call'd Thermopylæ, and sometimes Pyle, because it was a ftrait narrow Paffage, and, as it were, a Gate, or Inlet into the Country. Hence thefe Counsellors are often call'd Πυληγόραι, and the Council Πυλαία 1: But the Scholiaft upon Sophocles tells us, that this Name was given them from Pylades, the Friend of Oreftes, who was the first that was arraigned in this Court, having affifted in the Murder of Clytemnestra. Sometimes they met at Delphi, where they were entrusted with the Care of Apollo's Temple, and the Pythian Games, which were celebrated in that Placem, the Situation of which rendered very commodious for them to affemble in, for it was feated in the midft of Greece, as the Geographers tell us.

it

The Perfons that firft compos'd this Affembly by the Appointment of Amphictyon were, according to Paufanias, the Representatives of the Ionians, against whom the Athenians were included, Dolopians, Theffalians, Enianians, Magnefians, Melians, Phthians, Dorians, Phocians, and the Locrians, that inhabited near Mount Cnemis, and were call'd upon that Account, Epicnemidii. Strabo reports, that at their first Inftitution, they were twelve in Number, and were delegated by fo many Cities. Harpocration alfo, and Suidas reckon up twelve Nations, of which this Council confifted, viz. Ionians, Dorians, Perrhæbians, Baotians, Magnefians, Achæans, Phthians, Melians, Dolopians, Enianians, Delphians, Phocians. Efchines reckons only eleven, inftead of the Achæans,

& Paufanias Phocicis, Suidas, &c. VII. cap. 200. shaicis,

h Geogr. 1. IX.

iSuidas. k Lib.

1 Herodot. Hefychius, Suidas, Harpocration, Strabo, Paufanias APanfan. Phocicis, & Achaicis, aliique.

Enianians,

Enianians, Delphinians, and Dolopians, placing these three only, viz. Theffalians, Oetaans, Locrians ".

Afterwards in the Time of Philip, King of Macedon, and Father of Alexander the Great, the Phocians, having ranfack'd and fpoil'd the Delphian Temple, were by a Decree of the Amphictyones invaded by the rest of the Grecians, as a facrilegious and impious Nation, and after a ten Years War depriv'd of the Privilege of fitting amongst them, together with their Allies, the Lacedæmonians, who were one part of the Dorians, and, under that Name, had formerly fate in this Affembly; and their vacant Places were fupply'd by the Macedonians, who were admitted, in return of their good Services they had done in the Phocian War. But about fixty eight Years after, when the Gauls under the Command of Brennus, made a terrible Invafion upon Greece, ravaging and destroying all before them, fparing nothing facred or prophane, and with a barbarous and facrilegious Fury, robb'd and defpoil'd the Delphian Temple, the Phocians behav'd themselves with fo much Gallantry, fignalizing themselves in the Battel above the reft of the Grecians, that they were thought to have made a fufficient Atonement for their former Offence, and restor❜d to their ancient Privilege and Dignity o.

In the Reign of Auguftus Cæfar they fuffer'd another Alteration, for that Emperor having worsted Antony in a Sea-fight at Actium, and in Memory of that Victory, founded the City Nicopolis, was defirous that its Inhabitants fhould be admitted into this Affembly, and to make Way for them, order'd that the Magnefians, Meleans, Phthians, and Enianians, who, 'till that Time, had diftinct Voices, fhould be number'd with the Theffalians, and fend no Reprefentatives, but fuch as were common to them all; and that the Right of Suffrage, which formerly belong'd to thofe Nations, and the Dolopians, (a People whofe State and Name were extinct long before) fhould be given to the Nicopoli

tans P.

Strabo, who flourish'd in the Reign of Auguftus and Tiberius, reports, that this Council, as alfo the general Affembly of the Achaans, was at that Time diffolv'd; but Paufanias, who liv'd many Years after, under Antoninus Pius, affures us, that in his Time it remain'd entire, and that the Number of the Amphityones was then thirty, being delegated by the following Nations, viz. the Nicopolitans, Macedonians, Theffalians, Bao tians, (who, in former Times, were call'd Æolians, and inhabited fome Parts of Theffaly) Phocians, Delphians, Locrians, call'd Ozola, with those that lie oppofite to Euboea, Dorians, Athenians and Euboeans.

This Affembly had every Year only two fet Meetings, one in the beginning of Spring, the other in Autumn 1, except fome extraordinary Occafion call'd them together. The Defign of their Meetings was to determine publick Quarrels, and decide the Differences that happen'd between any of the Cities of Greece, when no other Means were left to compofe them. Before they enter'd upon Bufinefs, they jointly facrific'd an Ox cut into fmall Pieces to Delphian Apollo, thereby fig

a Orat. Пepi Пaparрe, Paufanias Phocicis. F Idem ibid. • Strake loc. cit. nifying

nifying the Union and Agreement of the Cities, which they reprefented. Their Determinations were always receiv'd with a great deal of Refpect and Veneration; and held inviolable, the Grecians being always ready to join against those that rejected them, as common Enemies.

An Affembly of neighbouring Cities, met to confult about the common Good, feems ufually to have been call'd AuPixivia; and befide the famous one already spoken of, Strabo mentions another held in the Temple of Neptune at Trazen, at which the Delegates of the seven fol→ lowing States were prefent, viz. Hermione, Epidaurus, Egina, Athens, the Perfians, Nauplians, and the Orchomenians of Baotia.

E

CHA P. XVII.

Of the Athenian Exxλncia, or Publick Affemblies.

KKAHZIA, was an Affembly of the People met together according to Law, to confult about the Good of the Commonwealth. It confifted of all fuch as were Freemen of Athens, of what Quality foever, as has been elsewhere mention'd. But fuch as had been punish'd with Infamy (aruia) Slaves, Foreigners, Women, and Children, were excluded. In the Reign of Cecrops, Women are faid to have been allow'd Voices in the popular Affembly: Where Minerva contending with Neptune, which of them two fhould be declar'd Protector of Athens, andgaining the Women to her Party, is reported by their Voices, which were more numerous than thofe of the Men, to have obtain'd the Victory. It was of two forts, the first of which they call'd Kveia, the other Σύγκλητο.

Κυρίαι, were fo callid, απο το κυρείν τα ψηφίσματα, becaufe in them the People confirm'd and ratified the Decrees of the Senate; or rather becaufe they were held upon ημέραι κυρίας, οι ώρισμλύας & νόμιμοι, Days ftated and appointed by Law'.

They were held four Times in five and thirty Days, which was the Time that each Пpráva, or Company of Prytanes, prefided in the Senate. The firft Affembly was employ'd in approving and rejecting Magiftrates, in hearing Actions call'd Erayyshi; and Propofals concerning the publick Good; as alfo in hearing the Catalogue of fuch Poffeffions, as were confifcated for the Service of the Commonwealth, and feveral other Things. The fecond made Provifion both for the Community and private Perfons; and it was permitted every Man to prefer any Petition, or speak his Judgment concerning either of them. In the third, Audience was given to the Embaffadors of foreign States. The fourth was wholly taken up with Religion, and Matters relating to the divine Worship". At this time the Prytanes who were oblig'd Júar ixásore xary, every Day to offer Sacrifices for

Geogr. lib. VII. lib. XVIII. cap. 9.

Varro apud Sanctum Auguftinum de civitate Dei, Suidas, Ariftoph. Schol. Acharn. "Pollux, 1. VIII. c. 8. the

the publick Safety, feem to have acquainted the Assembly with the Succef of their Devotions after this manner: "It is juft and meet, O Athenians, "sas has been customary with you, that we should take Care that the "Gods be religioufly worshipp'd. We have therefore faithfully dif "charg'd this Duty for you. We have facrific'd to Jupiter the Saviour, "to Minerva, to Victory; all which Oblations have been accepted for your Safety. We have likewise offer'd Sacrifices to Perfuafion (el) "to the Mother of Gods, to Apollo, which have met with the like good "Success. Alfo the Sacrifices, offer'd to the reft of the Gods, have been "all fecure, and acceptable, and falutiferous: Receive therefore the Hap"piness, which the Gods have vouchfafed to grant you w" W The first Aembly was upon the eleventh Day of the Prytanea; the fecond, upon the twentieth; the third, upon the thirtieth; the fourth, upon the thirty third. Some there are, that reckon by the Month, and tell us, that they had three Assemblies every Month, upon the first, tenth, and thirtieth Days; or upon the tenth, twentieth, and thirtieth *. But the former Computation feems to be more agreeable to the Custom of the ancient Athenians, amongst whom were ten Пlpurava, according to the Number of their Tribes, each of which rul'd thirty five Days, in which they had four Affemblies. Afterwards the Number of the Tribes being encreas'd by an Acceffion of two new ones, the Пlpurasias, were also twelve in Number, each of which rul'd a Month, and then perhaps the latter Computation might take Place.

Σύγκλητοι Ἐκκλησίαι, were fo called, απ' το συγκαλείν, becaufe the People were fummon'd together, whereas in the Kupia, they met of their own accord, without receiving any Notice from the Magiftrates, as Ulpian obferves. The Perfons that fummon'd the People, were commonly the Στρατηγοί, the Πολέμαρχοι, or the Κήρυκες in their Names, becaufe the Occafion of thefe extraordinary Affemblies, was, for the most part, the coming on of fome fudden, unexpected, and dangerous War; fometimes the Prytanes, if the Senate fo order'd it, as they usually did, when any civil Affairs, in which the Erparyo were not concern'd, requir'd a quicker Dispatch than could be given them in Kugia. The Crier (puž) feems to have fummon'd them twice at the leaft. Whence in Ariftophanes it is faid to be full time to go to the Affembly, because the Crier had given the fecond Call.

Κατεκκλησίαι, 25 Pollux, κατακλήσεις, as Ammonius, οι Κατακλησίας, as Hefychius calls them, were Affemblies held upon fome very weighty and momentous Affair, to which they fummon'd not only those Citizens that refided in that City, but all that liv'd in the Country, or were in the Ships then at Anchor in the Haven.

The Places where the Exxanoias were affembled, were feveral; as Firft,

n

'Ayop, or the Market-place; and there, not the Athenians only, bus moft other Cities, had their publick Meetings, because it was usually very capacious. Hence the Aemblies themfelves came to be call'd Ayepal, and to make a Speech yogusw, as Harpocration obferves. Πνύξ, was a Place near the Cittadel, fo callad διὰ τὸ πεπυκνῶς τοῖς λίθοις, ἢ ταῖς καθέδραις, ἢ διὰ τὸ πεπυκνῶς ἐν αὐτῇ τῆς βελευτάς, becaufe it was fill'd with Stones, or Seats fet clofe together, or from the Crowds of Men in the Assemblies, and therefore wwxirns is by the Comedians taken for the thronging and preffing of a Multitude . It was remarkable for nothing more, than the Meannefs of its Buildings and Furniture, whereby in Ages that moft affected Gaiety and Splendor, it remain'd a Monument of the ancient Simplicity .

The Theatre of Bacchus, in later Times was the ufual Place, in which the Affemblies were held, but even then Pnyx was not wholly forfaken, it being against Law to decree any Man a Crown, or elect any of the Magiftrates in any other Place, as Pollux ; or at least, the Erparnyol, as Helychius reports.

The ftated Affemblies were held in the foremention'd Places, but fuch as were call'd upon extraordinary Occafions, were not confin'd to any certain Place, being fometimes held in the Piraeus, where there was a Forum call'd 'Iлodaμsix άyopa, in the Munychia, or any other Place capacious enough to contain the People.

The Magiftrates, that had the Care and Management of these Assemblies, were the Prytanes, Epiftatai, and Proedri.

The Prytanes fometimes call'd the People together, and always before their Meeting, fet up a pop in fome Place of general Concourfe, in which was contain'd the Matters to be confulted upon in the following Affembly, to the end that every Man might have time to confider of them, before he gave his Judgment ".

podpor, were fo call'd from the first Places, which they had in the Affemblies. Whilft the Tribes of Athens were no more then ten, the Proedri were nine in Number, being appointed by Lots out of the nine Tribes, which at that time were exempted from being Prytanes. Their Bufinefs was to propose to the People the Things they were to deliberate upon, and determine in that Meeting, at the end of which their Offices expir'd. For the greater Security of the Laws and Commonwealth from the Attempts of ambitious and defigning Men, it was cuftomary for the Νομοφύλακες in all Afemblies συγκαθίζειν τοῖς προέδροις, ἔνια διακωλύοντας ἐπιχειροτονεῖν ὅσα μη συμφέρει, το hit with the Proedri, and to hinder the People from decreeing any thing contrary to the Publick Intereft. By another Law it was likewife provided, that in every Affembly, one of the Tribes fhould be appointed by Lots, apospausw, to prefide at the Suggeftum, to defend the Commonwealth, viz. by preventing the Orators and others, from propounding any thing inconfiftent with the receiv'd Laws, or deftructive of the Peace and Welfare of the City.

a Ariftoph. Schol. Acharn. Equit. &c. Mediana.

VIII. c. 9.

a Pollux, lib. VIII. c. 8.
Afchines in Timarchum,

b Pollux lib. VIII. c. 8.
Ulpianus in Timocrat.

c Demofthen. f Pollux, lib. ETI