InAncient Greece, ademe ordemos (Ancient Greek:δῆμος, plural:demoi, δῆμοι) was a suburb or a subdivision ofAthens and other city-states. Demes as simple subdivisions of land in the countryside existed in the 6th century BC and earlier, but did not acquire particular significance until the reforms ofCleisthenes in 508 BC. In those reforms, enrollment in the citizen-lists of a deme became the requirement for citizenship; prior to that time, citizenship had been based on membership in aphratry, or family group. At this same time, demes were established in the main city of Athens itself, where they had not previously existed; in all, at the end of Cleisthenes' reforms,Athens was divided into 139 demes.[1] Three other demes were created subsequently: Berenikidai (224/223 BC), Apollonieis (201/200 BC), and Antinoeis (AD 126/127). The establishment of demes as the fundamental units of the state weakened thegene, or aristocratic family groups, that had dominated the phratries.[2]
A deme functioned to some degree as apolis in miniature, and indeed some demes, such asEleusis andAcharnae, were in fact significant towns. Each deme had ademarchos who supervised its affairs; various other civil, religious, and military functionaries existed in various demes. Demes held their own religious festivals and collected and spent revenue.[3]
Demes were combined within the same area to maketrittyes, larger population groups, which in turn were combined to form the ten tribes, orphylai, of Athens. Each tribe contained onetrittys from each of three regions: the city, the coast, and the inland area.
At Pylos, Linear B tablets refer to thedamos as in the legal dispute ofEritha.
Cleisthenes divided the landscape in three zones—urban (asty), coastal (paralia) and inland (mesogeia)—and the 139 demes were organized into 30 groups calledtrittyes ("thirds"), ten for each of the zones and into ten tribes, orphylai, each composed of threetrittyes, one from the coast, one from the city, and one from the inland area.
Cleisthenes also reorganized theBoule, created with 400 members underSolon, so that it had 500 members, 50 from each tribe, each deme having a fixed quota.
The ten tribes were named after legendary heroes and came to have an official order:
In 307/306 – 224/223 BC the system was reorganized with the creation of two Macedonian Phylai (XI.Antigonis and XII.Demetrias), named afterDemetrius I of Macedon andAntigonus I Monophthalmus, and an increase in the membership of the Boule to 600. Each of the ten tribes, except Aiantis, provided three demes (not necessarily one for trittyes); the missing contribution of Aiantis was covered by two demes of Leontis and one from Aigeis.
The Egyptian Phyle XIII.Ptolemais, named afterPtolemy III Euergetes was created in 224/223 BC and the Boule was again increased, this time to 650 members, the twelve tribes giving each a demos. A new village was created and named Berenikidai after Ptolemy's wifeBerenice II of Egypt.
In 201/200 BC the Macedonian Phylae were dissolved and the villages (except the two given to Ptolemais) went back to their original tribes. In the spring of 200 BC Tribe XIV.Attalis, named afterAttalus I, was created following the same scheme used for the creation of the Egyptian Phyle: each tribe contributed a deme and a new deme, Apollonieis, was created in honour of Apollonis, wife of Attalus I of Pergamum. As a consequence there were again 12 tribes and 600 members of the Boule. From this period onward, quotas were no longer assigned to the demes for the 50 Boule members from each tribe.
The last modification was the creation in 126/127 of XV.Hadrianis, named after the EmperorHadrian, following the same scheme: each tribe contributed a deme and a new deme,Antinoeis, was created in honour of Hadrian's favourite,Antinous. Each tribe contributed 40 members to the Boule.
In the first three periods there it a more detailed system of fixed quotas which essentially remained unchanged. There is no evidence for a single general reapportionment of quotas within each of the first three periods, while there are evident small quota-variations between the first and the second periods.[4]
More precisely in:
As regards the last two periods, the material illustrates the complete collapse of the quota-system from 201/200 BC.[6]
Some deme lists suggest extensions to the list of 139+3 Demes by adding 43 additional names, some of which have been considered by scholars as Attic demes.[7] The criticism performed by John S. Traill[8] shows that 24 are the result of error, ancient[9] or modern,[10] or of misinterpretation[11] and 19[12] are well known chiefly from inscriptions of the second and third centuries AD, i.e. in the fifth period, and thus for political purposes they were originally dependent on legitimate Cleisthenic demes.
There were[13] six pairs of homonymous demes:
There were six divided demes, one composed of three parts:
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| city | ||||
| Upper Agryle | 2 | 3 | 3 | One deme to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods and to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period |
| Lower Agryle | 2 | |||
| Euonymon | 10 | 12 | 12 | |
| Themakos | 1 | 1 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period | |
| coast | ||||
| Anagyrous | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
| Kedoi | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Upper Lamptrai | 5 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | ||
| Coastal Lamptrai | 9 | 10 | 10 | |
| Pambotadai | 1(0) | 1 | 2 | to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Kephisia (?) | inland | |||
| Kephisia | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
| Upper Pergase | 2 | 3 | 3 | One deme to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods |
| Lower Pergase | 2 | |||
| Phegous | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Sybridai | 0(1) | 1 | 1 | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| city | |||
| Upper Ankyle | 1 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | |
| Lower Ankyle | 1 | 1 | |
| Bate | 1(2) | 1 | |
| Diomeia | 1 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | |
| Erikeia | 1 | 2 | |
| Hestiaia | 1 | 1 | |
| Kollytos | 3 | 4 | |
| Kolonos | 2 | 2 | |
| coast | |||
| Araphen | 2 | 2 | |
| Halai Araphenides | 5 | 9 | |
| Otryne | 1 | 1 | |
| Phegaia | 3(4) | 3(4) | to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Philaidai | 3 | 3 | |
| Epakria | inland | ||
| Erchia | 7(6) | 11 | |
| Gargettos | 4 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | |
| Ikarion | 5(4) | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods and to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period | |
| Ionidai | 2(1) | 2 | |
| Kydantidai | 1(2) | 1(2) | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period |
| Myrrhinoutta | 1 | 1 | |
| Plotheia | 1 | 2 | |
| Teithras | 4 | 4 | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kydathenaion | city | |||
| Kydathenaion | 12(11) | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | ||
| Myrrhinous | coast | |||
| Angele | 2(3) | 4 | 4 | |
| Myrrhinous | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
| Prasiai | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Probalinthos | 5 | 5 | 5 | to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period |
| Steiria | 3 | 3 | 4 | |
| Paiania | inland | |||
| Konthyle | 1 | 1 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period | |
| Kytheros | 2(1) | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | ||
| Oa | 4 | 4 | 4 | to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Upper Paiania | 1 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | ||
| Lower Paiania | 11 | 22 | 22 | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skambonidai | city | |||
| Halimous | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Kettos | 3 | 3(4) | 3 | |
| Leukonoion | 3 | 5 | 5 | |
| Oion Kerameikon | 1 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | ||
| Skambonidai | 3 | 4 | 4 | to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Upper Potamos | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Lower Potamos | 1 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | ||
| Phrearrhioi | coast | |||
| Deiradiotai | 2 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | ||
| Potamioi Deiradiotai | 2 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | ||
| Phrearrhioi | 9 | 9 | 10 | |
| Sounion | 4 | 6 | 6 | to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period |
| Hekale (?) | inland | |||
| Aithalidai | 2 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | ||
| Cholleidai | 2 | 5 | 5 | |
| Eupyridai | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Hekale | 1 | 1 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period | |
| Hybadai | 2 | 2(1) | 2 | |
| Kolonai | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Kropidai | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Paionidai | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Pelekes | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cholargos | city | ||
| Cholargos | 4 | 6 | |
| Eiresidai | 1 | 2 | |
| Hermos | 2 | 2 | |
| Iphistiadae | 1 | 1 | |
| Kerameis | 6 | 6 | |
| Thorikos | coast | ||
| Kephale | 9 | 12 | |
| Poros | 3 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | |
| Thorikos | 5(6) | 6 | |
| Sphettos | inland | ||
| Eitea | 2 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods and to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period | |
| Hagnous | 5 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods and to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period | |
| Kikynna | 2 | 3 | |
| Prospalta | 5 | 5 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period |
| Sphettos | 5 | 7 | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakiadai | city | ||
| Boutadai | 1 | 1 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period |
| Epikephisia | 1(2) | 1 | |
| Hippotomadai | 1 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | |
| Lakiadai | 2 | 3 | |
| Lousia | 1 | 1 | |
| Perithoidai | 3 | 3 | |
| Ptelea | 1 | 1 | |
| Tyrmeidai | 1(0) | 1 | to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period |
| Thria | coast | ||
| Kothokidai | 2(1) | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third period | |
| Oe | 6(7) | 6 | |
| Phyle | 2 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third period | |
| Thria | 7 | 8 | to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Pedion | inland | ||
| Acharnae | 22 | 25 | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melite (?) | city | ||
| Daidalidai | 1 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods and to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period | |
| Melite | 7 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | |
| Xypete | 7 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | |
| Aixone(?) | coast | ||
| Aixone | 8 | 12 | |
| Halai Aixonides | 6 | 10 | |
| inland | |||
| Athmonon | 6 | 10 | to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period |
| Epieikidai | 1 | 1(0) | |
| Phlya | 7 | 9 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period |
| Pithos | 2(3) | 4 | |
| Sypalettos | 2 | 2 | [25] |
| Trinemeia | 2 | 2 | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peiraieus | city | ||
| Hamaxanteia | 2 | 2 | |
| Keiriadai | 2 | 2 | |
| Koile | 3 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | |
| Korydallos | 1 | 1 | to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period |
| Peiraieus | 9 | 10 | |
| Thymaitadai | 2 | 2 | |
| Eleusis | coast | ||
| Acherdous | 1 | 1 | |
| Auridai | 1 | to XI.Antigonis in the second and third periods | |
| Azenia | 2 | 2 | |
| Elaious | 1 | 1 | to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Eleusis | 11 | 12 | |
| Kopros | 2 | 2 | |
| Oinoe | 2 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period | |
| Dekeleia (?) | inland | ||
| Anakaia | 3 | 3 | |
| Eroiadai | 1 | 2 | |
| Dekeleia | 4 | 6 | |
| Oion Dekeleikon | 3 | 3 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period and to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phaleron (?) | city | |||
| Phaleron | 9 | 9 | 13 | |
| Thorikos | coast | |||
| Marathon | 10 | 10 | 13 | |
| Oinoe | 4 | 4 | 6 | to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period and to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Rhamnous | 8 | 8 | 12 | |
| Trikorynthos | 3 | 3 | 6 | to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Aphidna (?) | inland | |||
| Aphidna | 16 | 16 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period and to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] | Notes |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alopeke | city | ||
| Alopeke | 10 | 12 | |
| Anaphlistos | coast | ||
| Aigilia | 6 | 7 | to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period |
| Amphitrope | 2 | 3 | |
| Anaphlystos | 10 | 11 | |
| Atene | 3 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods and to XIV.Attalis in the fourth period | |
| Besa | 2 | 2 | to XV.Hadrianis in the fifth period |
| Thorai | 4 | to XII.Demetrias in the second and third periods | |
| Pallene | inland | ||
| Eitea | 2(1) | 2 | |
| Eroiadai | 1 | 1 | |
| Kolonai | 2 | to XI.Antigonis in the second period and to XIII.Ptolemais in the third period | |
| Krioa | 1 | 2 | |
| Pallene | 6(7) | 9 | |
| Semachidai | 1 | 1 | |
| Deme | #[15] | #[16] | Notes |
| Deme | Former phyle | Trittys | #[15] | #[16] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Agryle | Erachtheis | city | 3 | 3 |
| Upper Lamptrai | Erachtheis | coast | 5 | 5 |
| Lower Pergase | Erachtheis | inland | 2 | 2 |
| Upper Ankyle | Aigeis | city | 1 | 1 |
| Ikarion | Aigeis | inland | 5 | 6 |
| Kydathenaion | Pandionis | city | 12 | 12 |
| Kytheros | Pandionis | inland | 2 | 2 |
| Upper Paiania | Pandionis | inland | 1 | 1 |
| Aithalidai | Leontis | inland | 2 | 2 |
| Deiradiotai | Leontis | coast | 2 | 2 |
| Potamos Deiradiotes | Leontis | coast | 2 | 2 |
| Eitea | Akamantis | inland | 2 | 2 |
| Auridai | Hippothontis | coast | 1 | 1 |
| Kolonai | Antiochis | inland | 2 | 2 |
| Deme | Former phyle | Trittys | #[15] | #[16] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diomeia | Aigeis | city | 1 | 1 |
| Oion Kerameikon | Leontis | city | 1 | 1 |
| Lower Potamos | Leontis | coast | 1 | 2 |
| Hagnous | Akamantis | inland | 5 | 5 |
| Poros | Akamantis | coast | 3 | 3 |
| Hippotomadai | Oineis | city | 1 | 1 |
| Kothokidai | Oineis | coast | 2 | 2 |
| Phyle | Oineis | coast | 2 | 6 |
| Daidalidai | Kekropis | city | 1 | 1 |
| Melite | Kekropis | city | 7 | 7 |
| Xypete | Kekropis | city | 7 | 7 |
| Koile | Hippothontis | city | 3 | 3 |
| Oinoe | Hippothontis | coast | 2 | 2 |
| Atene | Antiochis | coast | 3 | 4 |
| Thorai | Antiochis | coast | 4 | 5 |
| Deme | Former phyle | Trittys | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonai | Antigonis | inland | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Oinoe | Demetrias | coast | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Themakos | Erechteis | city | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Kydantidai | Aigeis | inland | 1 (2) | 1 (2) | 1 |
| Konthyle | Pandionis | inland | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Hekale | Leontis | inland | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Prospalta | Akamantis | inland | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Boutadai | Oineis | city | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Phlya | Kekropis | inland | 6 | 9 | 9 |
| Oion Dekeleikon | Hippothontis | inland | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Aphidna | Aiantis | inland | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Aigilia | Antiochis | coast | 6 | 7 | 7 |
| Berenikidai | new | 1 |
| Deme | Former phyle | Trittys | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Agrile | Erechteis | city | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Ikarion | Aigeis | inland | 5 (4) | 6 | 6 |
| Probalinthos | Pandionis | coast | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Sounion | Leontis | coast | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| Oion Dekailekon | Ptolemais | inlamd | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Hagnous | Akamantis | inland | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Tyrmeidai | Oineis | city | 1(0) | 1 | 1 |
| Athmonon | Kekropis | inland | 6 | 10 | 10 |
| Korydallos | Hippothontis | city | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Oinoe | Aiantis | coast | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Atene | Antiochis | coast | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Apollonieis | new |
| Deme | Former phyle | Trittys | #[15] | #[16] | #[17] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pambotadai | Erechteis | coast | 1 (0) | 1 (0) | 2 |
| Phegaia | Aigeis | coast | 3 (4) | 3 (4) | 4 |
| Oa | Pandionis | inland | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Skambonidai | Leontis | city | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Aphidna | Ptolemais | inlamd | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Eitea | Akamantis | inland | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Thria | Oineis | coast | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| Daidalidai | Kekropis | city | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Elaious | Hippothontis | coast | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Trikorynthos | Aiantis | coast | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Besa | Antiochis | coast | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Oinoe | Attalis | coast | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Antinoeis | new |
When the city was settled under the support ofPericles and the command ofLampon andXenocritus the population was organized in ten tribes, following the Athenian organization: there were tribes for the population of 1.Arcadia, 2.Achaea, 3.Elis, 4.Boeotia, 5.Delphi, 6.Dorians, 7.Ionians, 8. population ofEuboea, 9. the islands and 10. Athenians.[32]
_at_the_National_Archaeological_Museum_of_Athens_on_22_July_2018.jpg)
The deme as the "body politic" began to be personified, typically as a bearded older man, in Greek art and literature of the early to mid-4th century BCE. Demos wears thehimation garment and often holds a staff. He is usually standing; when seated, the figure can be ambiguous as to whether it representsZeus. In Athens, thirty-two depictions of Demos, some arguable, occur withinreliefs on honorarysteles set up by theekklesia, the democratic assembly of citizens. As a quasi-deity, Demos is neither the polis itself, which tended to be a female personification, nor itstutelary deity, but seems rather to have represented the political process as such. At times he is depicted with Boule, the personification of the citizens' administrative council of a city (boule), who is not known to have been depicted other than in the company of Demos. In theHellenistic period, depictions of Demoi become more youthful, tending toward a similarity to theGenius of the Roman People.[33]
In the play known in English asThe Knights,Aristophanes satirizes the Demos of Athens as the master to whom politicians are enslaved. The play is set in the house of Demos.[34][35] The "love of country" extolled by politicians was mocked by Aristophanes as a literal sexual relationship, withCleon aserastes of Demos, who is susceptible to flattery and seduction.[36]
The personification of thedemos thus visualized the power of the people as consolidated in an individual — an image that could be manipulated by demagogues.[37] In the Roman era, thedemos of a particular place embodied could be integrated intoimperial cult, as with the Demos of Ephesos represented at theTemple of Hadrian.[38]
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A bronze coin minted atNîmes, France, has been interpreted traditionally as representing the "Demos" of Nemausus, the city's Latin name. On thereverse, a togate figure stands before apalm or evergreen branch, with an inscription AREC taken as an abbreviation forArecomici. The head is not covered as would be expected for the depiction oflibation or religious gesture, and no comparable coin is known.[39] A head of theDiana type appears on theobverse with the inscription VOLCAE.[40] TheVolcae Arecomici were a Gallic people whosemetropolis, inStrabo's terminology, was Nemausus. Although Nîmes had been integrated into theRoman province ofTransalpine Gaul in the late 2nd century BC, during the time ofStrabo (64/63 BC to AD 24) the Arecomici exercised authority over their twenty-four ethnically cohesive communities independent of direct Roman oversight.[41] The "Demos" bronze unit is dated to 50–25 BC,[42] just after theGallic Wars, during which the Transalpine Gauls had maintained their Roman fealty despite provocations from the central Gauls. The coin may have been issued in 49 BC to markCaesar's extension ofLatin rights to the citizens of Nemausus, well before the town's formal refounding as a Romancolonia. The inscription asserts their localized identity, while the wearing of the toga represents their standing as a citizen body to participate in politics.[43][44]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(March 2019) |
The term "deme" (dēmos) survived into the Hellenistic and Roman eras. By the time of theByzantine Empire, the term was used to refer to one of the fourchariot racing factions: the Reds, the Blues, the Greens and the Whites.
In modern Greece, the termdēmos is used to denote one of themunicipalities.