h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I read far too few entries, so I've bookmarked the front page and intend to read more now - as Paully has been on at us to do for ages.

This is a most specialised subject and not something I would have ever wondered about but I loved reading it all the same, as it is very nicely set out and clearly expressed.

I'm going to say things that should have been said in PR now, though (don't you hate it when people do that after it's been edited)

The hyphen in so-called should not be there, IMHO. "Eponymous Archon - So-called because" has a very different meaning from "Eponymous Archon - So called because". If you had used "thus" instead of "so", no one would have thought to put a hyphen.

Some basic information for those who have no idea about ancient Athens would have been useful: was it just the town or how big was the area governed by these people? What was the size of the population? The only figure quoted is "the council of 500" - for the "Boule" which was presumably, smaller than the Ecclesia.

The linked entry only gives you information on modern-day Athens, so that is no guide either.

I'm not moaning, though - a lot of work has gone into this and I congratulate you heartily for making me use my brain this morning!

Can I try and get back to you with some fgures? I don't have time to do a search right now. When I have the info, I'll get in touch with the curators to add it in and get rid of the hyphen.

The Boule was smaller than the Ecclesia. I can't remember exactly how big it was, but as it was open to all citizens (ie. adukt males over 30) i would have been several thousand at least.

Also, it wasn't just the city that they ruled. Athens was a city state but it had a large hinterland (compared to the other city-states) called Attica. They ruled the people there too, but they also had their own representatives in the Boule, I think.

Thanks again!