[History] How was order kept in Hellenistic societies?

[QuintusSertorius]

I wrote a paper that may help with this. It was about how the Ptolemy's were able to maintain control over their Egyptian subjects, and the system of courts had a section in there. In Ptolemaic Egypt at least, there was a court system in place.

One case in particular was mentioned about a dispute over the ownership of a house in Thebes. I'll see if I can upload the paper to rapidshare. If you have access to Jstore I'm sure it has a wealth of articles on the subject.

Also, Bagnall and Derow's Historical Sources in translation - the Hellenistic Period is a great source for this. Many of the papyri that have been recovered have been about some poor schmuck writing to a government official asking for justice. You can probably look through it online through google books or Amazon.

Here it is: http://rapidshare.com/files/44583354...Convention.doc

The relevant section starts on page ten.

I'll have a look at that, thanks.

I'm less interested in the primary sources as just some (summary) narrative on how it all worked.

[QuintusSertorius]

That was an interesting essay. Gives me an orientation point as the furthest integration and fusion of cultures got. I note that there were Greek and Egyptian courts for the resolution of disputes, depending on the documentation.

[Molinaargh]

Very interesting question. This would be useful information for my current AAR, it's been very hard to keep order in the Athenian and Spartan councils...

[QuintusSertorius]

I'm reading Green's Alexander to Actium, and it seems many of the Successors liked to ape Greek structures like the council and assembly, even if they had no real power and/or were filled with picked men. As well as co-existing with whatever had been there before, like Persian and Egyptian institutions.