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Demes - Coggle Diagram
Demes
Theatres
of the 139 demes, only 6 have yielded archaeological evidence for a theatre
we may refer to textual evidence - such as evidence for the celebration of the Rural Dionysia, or epigraphy concerning a choregoi, for example - to assume that there were theatres in other demes too
through this, it is possible to identify 19 demes in which a theatre is in some way attested
including but not limited to: Acharnai, Eleusis, Piraeus, Rhamnous, Thorikos
these theatral areas seem to have a primarily civic and political function, and only a secondary use as venues for dramatic performance (Paga)
this is reinforced by the fact that the Theater of Dionysos in Athens during the 4th century, after Lycurgan reconstructions, was used by the Ekklesia as a meeting place more frequently than the Pnyx
The Rural Dionysia
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This festival took place in the winter month of Poseideon, but on no fixed day: each deme conducted the rites on different days according to its own festival calendar
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each deme was responsible for the organisation, administration, and structure of its own festival
Kleisthenic Reforms
kleisthenes' reforms of 508/7BC were designed to break local loyalties and integrate urban and rural populations
each of the ten tribes was made up of three trittys, one from the city, one from the coast, and one from the inland - Herodotus
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Demes maintained the lexiarchikon grammateion (membership register) and conducted diapsephiseis (general scrutinies) to verify the citizen status of their members
Kleisthenes made it so people no longer used patronymics, but were called after their demes - evidence that deme membership was actually more important than family ties?
Thorikos
boule representation
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they sent five representatives to the boule, giving it a formal place in the democratic system
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Theatre
the theatre at Thorikos began in the late 6th century, roughly contemporary with the first Theater of Dionysos in Athens
it was enlarged in the fifth century, then again in the mid-fourth century (after 350) to a capacity of c. 6000
this was very large for a mid-sized deme, and comparable to the seating available at the Pnyx
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Sacred calendar
a sacred calendar inscribed on stone, listed sacrifices month by month and day by day for the welfare of the deme
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this evidences demes as political-religious communities, rather than just administrative hubs
how demes worked
evidence suggests that deme residents did not live on their isolated farmlands, but in civic deme centres, and then walked to their farms each day
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urban vs. rural
example of urban deme: Skambonidai, located within or near the city walls
we must recognise that those living closer to the city walls would more easily make the journey to the pnyx or the courts (for democratic participation)
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institutions
Demes had their own demarchs (mayors), treasurers, and local assemblies that passed decrees and managed deme property and finances
Government was conducted on a large scale within Athens, in the Boule, but also on a personal face-to-face level in the demes
each deme held its own assemblies to take care of matters such as the registration of new members, the choosing and examination (euthynai) of officials, the administration of oaths to registered citizens, the regulation and management of deme funds and property
arbitration
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only a single instance of this is known, on an inscription from Aixone
the inscription in question seems to deal with rights of pasturage, and is dated to 326/5
suggests that if the lessees have seen reason not to pay their dues, they can submit their case to arbitration by the deme assembly instead of resorting to a jury court
in that event the deme's side of the story will be stated by the demarch, and the assembly will give judgement by a vote, which will be final
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Sounion
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religion
Poseidon at Sounion was one of the “Other Gods” whose property came to be managed by a central board of treasurers
Rhamnous
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theatre
the theatral area is located within the fortress - most notable part of the remains is the stone proedria
an inscription lining the front of the proedria identifies them as dedicated to Dionysos by the priest of the hero Archegetes
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Skambonidai (urban deme)
IG i3 244, 475-50 BC
this is our earliest deme decree, providing insight into deme identity in the first half century after the Kleisthenic reforms
It starts with sacrifice of an adult victim to Leos, the meat (?) from which is to be distributed both to demesmen and to metic residents
The freedom of demes to innovate in cult is significant; the sacrifices of this calendar have no parallels in other demes
t is also very interesting to find metic residents of the deme allowed to share in sacrifices; attitudes may perhaps have hardened after Perikles’ law of 451 on citizenship
Piraeus
Archaeology
theatre
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this theatre was closely associated with political rallies and deme assemblies, particularly in the later years of the 5th century
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Hippodamian Town Plan
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orthogonal grid plan, dividing peninsula into separate zones - commerical, naval, sacred, private zones
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18 boundary stones have been found from the fifth century that indicate careful distribution of space for different purposes
there was an emporion, ship-sheds which Demosthenes 22 praised as being works equal to the parthenon and the propylaea
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