TEICHOPOEI
TEICHOPOEI (
τειχοποιοί). Among
the various persons to whom was entrusted the management of public works at
Athens (
ἐπιστάται δημοσίων ἔργων). were
those whose business it was to build and keep in repair the public walls. It
is needless to observe how important to the city of Athens were her walls
and fortifications, more especially the long walls, which connected the
upper city with the Peiraeus, and which gave it the advantages of an island.
These were maintained at considerable expense. The
τειχοποιοὶ appear to have been elected by
χειροτονία, one from each tribe, and, like other
similar officers, for a year. They were considered to hold a magisterial
office (
ἀρχή), and in that capacity had a
ἡγεμονία δικαστηρίου. Aeschines calls
them
ἐπιστάται τοῦ μεγίστου τῶν
ἔργων. Funds were put at their disposal, for which they had
their treasurer (
ταμίας), dependent on the
treasurer of the revenue (Aeschin.
c. Ctes. § 27).
They were liable to render an account (
εὔθυναι) of their management of these funds, and also of their
general conduct, like other magistrates. The office of
τειχοποιὸς has been invested with peculiar interest in
modern times, on account of its having been held by Demosthenes, and its
having given occasion to the famous prosecution of Ctesiphon, who proposed
that Demosthenes should receive the honour of a crown before he had rendered
his account according to law. As to the nature of the office, and the laws
thereto relating, we may probably rely upon the account given by Aeschines.
(Aeschin.
c. Ctes. § § 14, 17, 24; cf.
documents (doubtful) ap. Dem.
de Cor. p.
243.55, p. 266.118; Boeckh,
P. E. pp. 170, 203 =
Sthh.3 1.211, 257.)
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