Legal Status
Citizen
Citizenship was given to all who could furnish themselves with a military equipment. See
Citizen Status.
There are four classes of citizens: Pentacosiomedimni, Knights, Zeugitae, and Thetes.
Pentacosiomedimni
A man had to rank as a Pentacosiomedimnus if he made, from his own land, five hundred measures, whether liquid or solid.
The various magistracies, namely, the nine Archons, the Treasurers, the Commissioners for Public Contracts (Poletae), the Eleven, and Clerks (Colacretae), he assigned to the Pentacosiomedimni, the Knights, and the Zeugitae, giving offices to each class in proportion to the value of their rateable property.
Knights
Those ranked as Knights who made three hundred measures, or, as some say, those who were able to maintain a horse.
Zeugitae
Those ranked as Zeugitae who made two hundred measures, liquid or solid.
Thetes
Those who do not rank in one of the ranks above are Thetes.
To who ranked among the Thetes he gave nothing but a place in the Assembly and in the juries.
Resident
Residents are recognized as all freemen who are neither citizens or slaves. This includes foreigners taking residency, those who could not participate as citizens due to inability to meet property requirements, or freed slaves. See
Resident Status
Slave
Slaves are those who are property of another citizen. See
Slave Status.
Offices
Archons
The
Archons are elected by the body of citizens according to qualifications of birth and wealth. The nine Archons and the Treasurers were elected by this body from persons possessing an unencumbered property of not less than 5 gold talents.
Archons are elected by the citizens and serve a term of 10 years.
The primary three archons are required to have children of at least 10 years of age born in lawful wedlock. These are the Hēgemōn, Polemarch, and Basileus.
The Archons make oath upon the sacred moonstone upon which the laws are carved, declaring that they will dedicate a golden statue if they should transgress any of them.
The 'leading' archon of a city-state. Defacto head-of-state. The Hēgemōn also takes care of orphans and wards of the state.
The senior military title in the city-state, and responsible for the navy and disposition of troops outside of the city-state. Also resopnsible for coordination with the Strategos in defense of the city.
The strategos is the commander of the defense of the city-state in times of war, and responsible for the administration and provision of troops during times of peace. During times of war, the
Rávdoi report to the Strategos.
The king ruler, or justice minister, is responsible for taking care of prisoners in the state goal, and responsible for charging and prosecuting the charges in front of juries from the Assembly. The justice ministers also employ arbitrators who can address cases where the amount at issue does not exceed ten Drachma. The
Rávdoi report to the Justice minister, except during times of war.
Responsible for the treasury, taxation and allocation of funds to the other archons.
The market commissioner is responsible for ensuring articles offered for sale are pure and unadulterated. They also confirm that sellers use fair weights and measures. The market commissioner also ensures that foods are offered for sale at reasonable prices, and that the food reserves of the city are maintained. The commissioners of roads also report to the Agoranomi.
Responsible for public worship, including festivals, across the city state. The head of the Association of Drákon Shrines usually holds this role. This role is supported by commissioners for the repair of shrines, as well as organizers for festivals.
The primary patron for the arts. Includes financing and fundraising, as well as organization and maintenance of public areas for performances. The Athlothetae also report to the Choregos.
Generals
The generals, Strategi, and commanders of the cavalry, Hipparchi, are elected from those citizens who could show an unencumbered property of not less than 3 gold talents, and had children born in lawful wedlock over ten years of age. They have a term of 1 year.
Lesser Officials
Other official roles are defined by the Archons and elected from citizens by citizens for a term of no more than 1 year.
The Council of Areopagus
The
Council of Areopagus are guardians of the laws, and keep watch over the
Archons to see that they executed their offices in accordance with the laws. Any person who felt himself wronged might lay an information before the Council of Areopagus, on declaring what law was broken by the wrong done to him. But, as has been said before, loans were secured upon the persons of the debtors, and the land was in the hands of a few.
Assembly
The Assembly consists of five hundred and one members, elected by lot from among those who possessed the franchise (Citizenship). Both for this and for the other magistracies the lot was cast among those who were over thirty years of age; and no one might hold office twice until every one else had had his turn, after which they were to cast the lot afresh. If any member of the Council failed to attend when there was a sitting of the Council or of the Assembly, he paid a fine, to the amount of three drachmas if he was a Pentacosiomedimnus, two if he was a Knight, and One if he was a Zeugites.
The council nominates 100 from each of the five families.
It keeps watch over the affairs of the state in most of the more important matters, and corrected offenders, with full powers to inflict either fines or personal punishment. The money received in fines it brought up into the Acropolis, without assigning the reason for the mulct.
The council runs the process of impeachment to deal with offenders who conspire to overthrow the state.
Solon having enacted a process of impeachment to deal with such offenders. Further, since he saw the state often engaged in internal disputes, while many of the citizens from sheer indifference accepted whatever might turn up, he made a law with express reference to such persons, enacting that any one who, in a time civil factions, did not take up arms with either party, should lose his rights as a citizen and cease to have any part in the state.
Elections
The elections to the various offices are by lot, out of candidates selected by each of the
Drákon Tribes.
Each tribe selected ten candidates for the nine archonships, and among these the lot was cast.
Hence it is still the custom for each tribe to choose ten candidates by lot, and then the lot is again cast among these.
Rights
Rights of Redress
The right of every citizen who so willed to claim redress on behalf of any one to whom wrong was being done
Jury Courts
The right of any citizen or resident, regardless of status, to appeal to the jurycourts
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