Psephism

Psephisma ( Greek ψήφισμα , plural ψηφίσματα Psephismata ) was in the political system of the Greek polis a decision made by majority vote (literally: by voting with Psephoi , "voting stones"), in particular a decision confirmed by a referendum in contrast to the traditional, unchangeable (nature -) Law and Custom ( Nomos ). In Athens it was the decision confirmed by the people's assembly in contrast to the probuleuma ( προβούλευμα ), the (preliminary) decision made in a council .

In the Roman Empire, Psephisma specifically referred to an address of thanks from a Greek polis to the emperor based on a popular resolution.

In a figurative sense, an inscription with the record of such a decision is then also referred to as a Psephisma (e.g. the Psephisma of Lumbarda ).

literature

Ulrich Köhler : Attic Psephisms. In: Hermes. Journal of Classical Philology . Vol. 7, 1873, pp. 159-167 ( online ).
Friedemann Quaß : Nomos and Psephisma. Study of the Greek constitutional law (= Zetemata. Vol. 55). Beck, Munich 1971, ISBN 3-406-03295-8 (also: Göttingen, Universität, Dissertation, 1971).
Peter J. Rhodes: Psephisma. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 10, Metzler, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-476-01480-0 , Sp. 509.

Individual evidence

↑ Aristotle , Politik 4, 1292a 1-38; The State of Athens 41, 2.
↑ Pliny the Younger , Letters 10:43.

[1] Aristotle , Politik 4, 1292a 1-38; The State of Athens 41, 2.

[2] Pliny the Younger , Letters 10:43.