Proboulos

In ancient Greece, a proboulos was a commissioner or magistrate. Classical scholar Xavier Riu writes that is was a position created during the Peloponnesian War "to cope with the difficult situation of Athens at that moment of the war, and it was formed by aged and probably very respected men."[1]

Among the notable probouloi were the playwright Sophocles[2] and the general Hagnon[3]

In the comedy Lysistrata, a proboulos goes on a tirade against Lysistrata after losing a long debate.[4]

References

  1. ^ Riu, Xavier (1999). Dionysism and comedy. Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 9780847694426
  2. ^ Bowden, Hugh (2005). Classical Athens and the Delphic oracle: divination and democracy Cambridge University Press, ISBN 9780521823739
  3. ^ Kagan, Donald (1991). The Fall of the Athenian Empire. Cornell University Press, ISBN 9780801499845
  4. ^ McGlew, James F. (2002). Citizens on stage: comedy and political culture in the Athenian democracy. University of Michigan Press, ISBN 9780472112852