[History] How was order kept in Hellenistic societies?

[QuintusSertorius]

When it comes to Republican Roman society, I feel like I've got a good sense of how things went, and in particular how massive civil strife was averted even though there were no "police".

But I don't have that sense in Hellenistic societies. Away from the King and his Friends, who was in charge? In a large settlement, how would the peace be kept? Were there bonds of patronage and clientage equivalent to the Roman system to keep everyone in their place and moderate disputes? How did rich and poor rub along together?

Were there law courts where people could get issues resolved? Or did they just take them to some local strongman to get a judgement? I know Alexander used to take on the role of arbiter that the Persian kings had done in the east, but was this replicated elsewhere?

Would the forces of establishment ever call on the able-bodied men of a poleis to defend the status quo (like breaking up populist gatherings whipped up by agitating demagogues and the like)?

I'll try to illustrate what I'm after with three scenarios.

Let's say we have a butcher running his business in Sardis (the old Persian capital in Asia Minor). I don't imagine he'd just be able to run his shop in peace without being interfered with. Would he have to be part of some sort of fraternity to be allowed to operate? Would he pay protection money to some criminal outfit? Would he have a rich, connected patron who he took his problems to?

For our second scenario, let's say a Friend of the King in Macedonia is asked to recruit a new army. Who does he deal with at the local level to secure the men he needs? Which palms does he have to grease to ensure he isn't supplied the youths and old men? How does he negotiate the conflicting interests of various local powers to get what he wants without causing an uprising?

For our third, let's say someone of minor importance is murdered. Who (if anyone) would investigate the matter? If someone was fingered for the crime, who would they be brought before to be judged? What sanctions might be open (Exile? Execution? A fine?) should they be found guilty (assuming there was a trial)?

[Basileus_ton_Basileon]

I think in Athens, scythian bowmen mercs are hired as an ad hoc police force. I'd probably imagine to be like those bowmen in assassin's creed...

[QuintusSertorius]

After some more reading, it would appear for scenario two the Friend would go first to the deuteroi class in Macedonia, then probably hire mercs to fill any shortfall in what he required. Could citizen-levies be raised in Macedonia?

For scenario three it would depend on where it was taking place. In Hellas or Ionia might there be courts with citizen-juries who could give judgement? Then in most other places the local satrap would perform the same role. Not sure about sentences, though.

On a more general point, what's a good read on Hellenistic society? Someone mentioned Peter Green's The Hellenistic Age in another thread, is it any good?

[Iain.]

IIRC: The scythian archers were the closest thing to a permanent police force in Athens. They were a group of state owned slaves who's main duty was to make sure that there was no-one loitering in the Agora while the Ecclesia was meeting by marking the loiterer with a rope covered in red paint.

[MButcher]

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.

[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.