ecclesia

/i klee"zhee euh, -zee euh/, n., pl. ecclesiae /-zhee ee', -zee ee'/.

1. an assembly, esp. the popular assembly of ancient Athens.

2. a congregation; church.

[1570-80; < L < Gk ekklesía assembly, equiv. to ékklet(os) summoned (ek- EC- + kle-, var. of kal-, s. of kaleîn to call, + -tos ptp. suffix) + -ia -IA]

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(Greek, ekklesia: "gathering of those summoned") In ancient Greece, the assembly of citizens in a city-state.

The Athenian Ecclesia already existed in the 7th century; under Solon it consisted of all male citizens age 18 and older. It controlled policy, including the right to hear appeals in the public court, elect archons, and confer special privileges. After discussion, members voted by a show of hands; a simple majority determined the results. The body could not initiate new business, since motions had to originate in the boule. Ecclesias existed in most Greek city-states through Roman times, though their powers faded under the empire.

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▪ ancient Greek assembly

Greek  Ekklēsia 

      (“gathering of those summoned”), in ancient Greece, assembly of citizens in a city-state. Its roots lay in the Homeric agora, the meeting of the people. The Athenian Ecclesia, for which exists the most detailed record, was already functioning in Draco's day (c. 621 BC). In the course of Solon's codification of the law (c. 594 BC), the Ecclesia became coterminous with the body of male citizens 18 years of age or over and had final control over policy, including the right to hear appeals in the hēliaia (public court), take part in the election of archons (chief magistrates), and confer special privileges on individuals. In the Athens of the 5th and 4th centuries BC, the prytaneis, a committee of the Boule (council), summoned the Ecclesia both for regular meetings, held four times in each 10th of the year, and for special sessions. Aside from confirmation of magistrates, consideration of ways and means and similar fixed procedures, the agenda was fixed by the prytaneis. Since motions had to originate in the Boule, the Ecclesia could not initiate new business. After discussion open to all members, a vote was taken, usually by show of hands, a simple majority determining the result in most cases. Assemblies of this sort existed in most Greek city-states, continuing to function throughout the Hellenistic and Roman periods, though under the Roman Empire their powers gradually atrophied.

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