Greek Magistrates
Can you help me find (on line probably or published works)a list of Greek magistrates and information regarding the magistrates? Thank you very much.
Hello,
I have looked for info about ancient Greek magistrates and here is what I found:
1. About magistrates at
Enciclopedia Britannica2. The first part of this article in
Wikipedia3. An excerpt referring to the magistrates from the Wikipedia entry about
Fifth-century Athens:
"The magistrates
The magistrates were people who occupied a public post and formed the administration of the Athenian state. They were submitted to rigorous public control. The magistrates were chosen by lot, using fava beans. Black and white beans were put in a box and depending on which color the person drew out they obtained the post or not. This was a way of eliminating the personal influence of rich people and possible intrigues and use of favors. There were only two categories of posts not chosen by lot, but by election in the Popular Assembly. These were strategos, or general, and magistrate of finance. It was generally supposed that significant qualities were needed to exercise each of those two offices. A magistrate's post did not last more than a year, including that of the strategoi and in this sense the continued selection of Pericles year after year was an exception. At the end of every year, a magistrate would have to give an account of his administration and use of public finances.
The most honored posts were the ancient archontes, or archons in English. In previous ages they had been the heads of the Athenian state, but in the Age of Pericles they lost their influence and power, although they still presided over tribunals.
Every year the citizens elected ten "strategoi" (singular "strategos"), or generals, who served as both military officers and diplomats. It was through this position that Pericles shaped 5th-century BCE Athens.
There were also more than forty public administration officers and more than sixty to police the streets, the markets, to check weights and measures and to carry out arrests and executions."
4. As regards names of magistrates, I found out that they appeared on the coins and I could only find a site with a list of Greek magistrates names... in Greek (the site is in English and German, though), from the works of
Rudolf Münsterberg