Demonax (lawmaker)
Encyclopedia
Demonax was an ancient Greek lawmaker of the style of Solon
and Lycurgus, known for reforming the constitution of the Cyrenaeans
.
by Herodotus
, close to nothing is known about Demonax. He lived in the city of Mantineia
, in Arcadia
, in the sixth century BCE, and must have been alive around 550 BCE to be contemporaries with Battus III of Cyrene
.
the Lame, of Cyrene
, Battus realised that Cyrenaica
had become an unstable state, due to uneasy relations with the Libyans, as well as the enmity of Egyptian Pharaoh Amasis II
, and the attempted dethronings of both himself and his late father
, who had been strangled to death by his adviser, Learchus
, who has been identified as either a brother or a friend. In response to such misfortunes, a Cyrenaean envoy visited the Oracle
at Delphi
for advice and consulted the priestess
on what could be done to stabilize his kingdom. The priestess advised them to visit the city of Mantineia in Arcadia on the Peloponnesus and ask for a mediator. This they did, and in response to the request, the Mantineans sent their most distinguished citizen, Demonax, who would assist them in the reforming of the Cyrenaean constitution. Demonax, Battus was told, was held in high regard by the Mantineians and held a high position there.
which controlled Cyrenaica. The senate's members were representatives from the three groups and the king was the senatorial president. The new constitution, had reduced the powers, responsibilities and authority of the Cyrenaean King. The monarchy remained however, though the king was only responsible and only had the authority for to grant land to citizens and be chief priest, in charge of religious duties. Having set aside specific precincts and priesthoods for Battus, Demonax put in place Ephors to punish impostors and created an armed police force of 300 men to patroll and protect. Additionally, all else that had earlier belonged to the monarchs Demonax made public, placing it in the hands of the people. After completing the reforms, Demonax immediately left Cyrene.
. Arcesilaus gathered his forces, and was restored to his throne, before being assassinated and succeeded by his son, Battus IV
, the Fair, who would submit to the Persians as a client king.
Solon
Solon was an Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet. He is remembered particularly for his efforts to legislate against political, economic and moral decline in archaic Athens...
and Lycurgus, known for reforming the constitution of the Cyrenaeans
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
.
Life
Besides what is mentioned in the HistoriesHistories (Herodotus)
The Histories of Herodotus is considered one of the seminal works of history in Western literature. Written from the 450s to the 420s BC in the Ionic dialect of classical Greek, The Histories serves as a record of the ancient traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of various cultures that...
by Herodotus
Herodotus
Herodotus was an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria and lived in the 5th century BC . He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them in a...
, close to nothing is known about Demonax. He lived in the city of Mantineia
Mantineia
Mantineia was a city in ancient Greece that was the site of two significant battles in Classical Greek history. It is also a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat...
, in Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
, in the sixth century BCE, and must have been alive around 550 BCE to be contemporaries with Battus III of Cyrene
Battus III of Cyrene
Battus III of Cyrene or Battus III, surnamed The Lame was the fifth Greek Cyrenaean king and a member of the Battiad dynasty....
.
Reforms
During the reign of Battus IIIBattus III of Cyrene
Battus III of Cyrene or Battus III, surnamed The Lame was the fifth Greek Cyrenaean king and a member of the Battiad dynasty....
the Lame, of Cyrene
Cyrene
Cyrene may refer to:* Cyrene , a Greek mythological figure* Cyrene, Libya, an ancient Greek colony in North Africa* USS Cyrene , a motor torpedo boat tender* 133 Cyrene, an asteroid...
, Battus realised that Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica
Cyrenaica is the eastern coastal region of Libya.Also known as Pentapolis in antiquity, it was part of the Creta et Cyrenaica province during the Roman period, later divided in Libia Pentapolis and Libia Sicca...
had become an unstable state, due to uneasy relations with the Libyans, as well as the enmity of Egyptian Pharaoh Amasis II
Amasis II
Amasis II or Ahmose II was a pharaoh of the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt, the successor of Apries at Sais. He was the last great ruler of Egypt before the Persian conquest.-Life:...
, and the attempted dethronings of both himself and his late father
Arcesilaus II of Cyrene
Arcesilaus II of Cyrene or Arcesilaus II also known as Arcesilaus II The Oppressor, The Tough, The Severe or The Harsh. Arcesilaus was the fourth Greek Cyrenaean King and was a member of the Battiad dynasty...
, who had been strangled to death by his adviser, Learchus
Learchus (regicide)
Learchus was an adviser in the government of the Kingdom of Cyrenaica during the reign of king Arcesilaus II. Learchus is best known for perpetrating the murder of this very same Arcesilaus II.-Early life:...
, who has been identified as either a brother or a friend. In response to such misfortunes, a Cyrenaean envoy visited the Oracle
Oracle
In Classical Antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of divination....
at Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
for advice and consulted the priestess
Pythia
The Pythia , commonly known as the Oracle of Delphi, was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus. The Pythia was widely credited for her prophecies inspired by Apollo. The Delphic oracle was established in the 8th century BC...
on what could be done to stabilize his kingdom. The priestess advised them to visit the city of Mantineia in Arcadia on the Peloponnesus and ask for a mediator. This they did, and in response to the request, the Mantineans sent their most distinguished citizen, Demonax, who would assist them in the reforming of the Cyrenaean constitution. Demonax, Battus was told, was held in high regard by the Mantineians and held a high position there.
Tribes
After conducting a thorough investigation of the community Demonax instigated several reforms. Demonax first divided the people of Cyrenaica into three groups, or tribes consisting of:- Greeks from TheraSantoriniSantorini , officially Thira , is an island located in the southern Aegean Sea, about southeast from Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera...
and surrounding areas - Greeks from the Peloponnesus and CreteCreteCrete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
- Greeks from all other Aegean IslandsAegean IslandsThe Aegean Islands are the group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south, those of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos to the southeast...
Monarchy and Senate
Demonax created a SenateSenate
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament. There have been many such bodies in history, since senate means the assembly of the eldest and wiser members of the society and ruling class...
which controlled Cyrenaica. The senate's members were representatives from the three groups and the king was the senatorial president. The new constitution, had reduced the powers, responsibilities and authority of the Cyrenaean King. The monarchy remained however, though the king was only responsible and only had the authority for to grant land to citizens and be chief priest, in charge of religious duties. Having set aside specific precincts and priesthoods for Battus, Demonax put in place Ephors to punish impostors and created an armed police force of 300 men to patroll and protect. Additionally, all else that had earlier belonged to the monarchs Demonax made public, placing it in the hands of the people. After completing the reforms, Demonax immediately left Cyrene.
Legacy
Though Demonax's reforms continued in force throughout the reign of Battus III, the next king, Arcesilaus III, caused a great disturbance over his rights and titles. Arcesilaus, supported by his mother, the dowager Pheretime, demanded the return of his ancestral privileges, and in the ensuing strife was defeated and he fled to SamosSamoš
Samoš is a village in Serbia. It is situated in the Kovačica municipality, in the South Banat District, Vojvodina province. The village has a Serb ethnic majority and its population numbering 1,247 people .-See also:...
. Arcesilaus gathered his forces, and was restored to his throne, before being assassinated and succeeded by his son, Battus IV
Battus IV of Cyrene
Battus IV of Cyrene or Battus IV, surnamed The Handsome or The Fair was the seventh and second to last Greek Cyrenaean King of the Battiads dynasty...
, the Fair, who would submit to the Persians as a client king.