Ancient Greek Laws by Arnaoutoglou Ilias

Author:Arnaoutoglou, Ilias
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Humanities
Publisher: Taylor & Francis (CAM)
Published: 2008-01-30T05:00:00+00:00

Relevant texts

Regulation of debts: Ephesos (Ionia—Asia Minor), IEph 4 (early 3rd century BC); Tegea (Arkadia—Peloponnese), IPArk 5(324 BC); Phlyous (Korinthia—Peloponnese), X. Hell. v 2, 10.

Further reading

Interpretation of this decree, Gauthier (1972:333–7); collection of literary and epigraphical testimonia about indebtedness, Asheri (1969).

67 Athens, Amnesty decree of Patrokleides

Andocides i (On the Mysteries) 77–9 405 BC

The decree is mentioned in the context of Andocides’ effort to defend himself against an accusation of impiety. The thrust of that accusation pertains to the events of 415 BC when groups of prominent individuals were involved in the profanation of the Eleusinian

mysteries and in the mutilation of the stelai of Hermes. Andocides claims that his case is included in the amnesty provided by the decree of Patrokleides in 405 BC. The decree provided amnesty for all disenfranchised persons; individuals convicted in the homicide courts and those involved in overthrowing democracy were exempted from the amnesty.

Patrokleides proposed: Since the Athenians have decreed to allow the disenfranchised and the public debtors to speak and put proposals to the vote in the assembly, the Athenians shall pass the same decrees as the ones during the Persian wars (i.e. 490–480 BC) which benefited the city. Concerning those listed by the revenue collectors or the treasurers of the Goddess and of the other Gods or the basileus* or anyone whose name had not been removed till the end of the term of the Council for the year of the archon Kallias (i.e. 406/5 BC): all those who were disenfranchised or were public debtors or were condemned for maladministration during their term in office by the auditors and the assessors at the auditors’ office or those about whom prosecution for maladministration is pending or restrictions have been imposed on those who have been condemned as guarantors of persons who failed to appear in court up to this same date; and all inscribed as members of the Four Hundred10 or for whom anything else is somewhere inscribed about any act committed during the oligarchy, except the names of fugitives recorded in stelai; or those tried by Aniopagos or ephetai or prytaneion or Delphinion,11 presided over by the basileis, or who are in exile for homicide or sentenced to death; or those guilty of massacre or of being a tyrant. The revenue collectors and the Council shall remove all the other names from every public document according to the above mentioned, and if there is any copy anywhere, it shall be produced by the thesmothetai* and by other officials. This shall be done within three days following the

decision of the assembly. Nobody is allowed to keep privately any copy of the documents to be destroyed or to recall grievances. Anyone doing this shall be liable to the same penalty as the fugitives from the Areiopagos,12 so that the Athenians may live in trust with each other, now and in the future.

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