APODECTAE
APODECTAE (
ἀποδέκται), the
Receivers, were public officers at Athens, who were introduced by
Cleisthenes in the place of the ancient Colacretae (
κωλακρέται). They were ten in
[p. 1.137]number, one for each tribe, appointed by lot; and they exercised a general
control over the other officers of the revenue. Their duty was to receive
all the ordinary taxes and distribute them to the separate branches of the
administration, which were entitled to them. They accordingly kept lists of
persons indebted to the state, made entries of all moneys that were paid in,
and erased in the register the items which had been paid. They had the power
to decide causes connected with the subjects under their management; though,
if the matters in dispute were of importance, they were obliged to bring
them for decision into the ordinary courts. (Pollux, 8.97;
Etym.
M., Harpocrat., Suid.,
Hesych. sub
voce Demosth.
c. Timocr. p. 750.162, p. 762.197;
Aeschin.
c. Ctes. § 25;
Aristot. Pol. 6.8.6; Böckh,
P. E. p. 159; Schömann,
Antiq. p.
417, Grote, ch. 31 (iii. p. 117).) [
W.S]
[
W.W]
(Appendix). They had summary
jurisdiction to the value of ten drachmas only: beyond that,
εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον εἰσάγοντες ἔμμηνα (Ath.
Pol. 52).
