PATRONOMI
PATRONOMI (
πατρονόμοι) were
magistrates established by Cleomenes III. at Sparta in his reformed
constitution, when he abolished both the
γερουσία and the ephorate, and set up the
πατρονόμοι to exercise, as it were, a paternal control over
the whole state (
Paus. 2.9,
1). His constitution came to an end after the battle of Sellasia,
B.C. 221; and we find ephors and
γερουσία
again (
Paus. 3.11,
2), but with diminished powers; for the
πατρονόμοι were retained as the chief magistrates (called
συνάρχοντες τῆς πατρονομίας,
C. I. G. 1356). Apparently they were six in number; the
chief, or
πρέσβυς τῶν πατρονόμων, was the
ἐπώνυμος of the state,--that is, he
gave his name to the year, which the first ephor had formerly done. (Compare
Philostr.
Vit. Apoll. 4.32; Plut.
An seni sit resp.
ger. 24; Gilbert,
Staatsalterth. 1.24, 26.)
[
W.S] [
G.E.M]
