Greek authors talking about actions by a popular assembly of Greek polis regularly use the term ekklesia while referring to this institution. This noun is often applied to the assemblies in the states in which other designations for this institution had the official character. Ekklesia became, therefore, thanks to Athenian model mainly, a generic term for "the Greek popular assembly". Today historians, however, are fully aware that at Athens ekklesia had demos as a synonym [1], so in documentary evidence as in literary works. Ancient authors sometimes retain the wording of decrees they quote, but translating the documentary style of decrees into a language comprehensible to a broader circle of readers is more common. The question how ancient Greek authors rendered state’s working, decree-passing procedures and names of acting assemblies was analysed for the polis-states, yet other forms of political organisation in Greece there is no specific study [2].
The most notable exception is the Macedonian assembly that is also the most important scholarly problem among the better researched non-polis, assemblies. This privileged situation of the Macedonian assembly does surprise, since it is the central problem in the discussion on the constitutional (or non-constitutional) character of the Macedonian monarchy [3].
The most notable exception is the Macedonian assembly that is also the most important scholarly problem among the better researched non-polis, assemblies. This privileged situation of the Macedonian assembly does surprise, since it is the central problem in the discussion on the constitutional (or non-constitutional) character of the Macedonian monarchy [3].
(c) 2005 Jacek Rzepka, University of Warsaw, Department of Ancient History, Department Member
Source: Academia.edu
Source: Academia.edu
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