The Council of one hundred and four , or miat ( date. 𐤌𐤀𐤕 , M't [1] ) is the controlling body and the highest court of Carthage in the second half of the 5th — second centuries BC. er
Content
Creation
In the second half of the 5th century BC. er The Magonides , an influential family that held key government positions in the preceding one hundred years, were removed from power by the rest of the aristocratic families. Economically strengthened thanks to the policy of Magonids, the Carthaginian slave-owning oligarchy (merchants, owners of craft workshops, large slave-owners) sought direct participation in government and achieved its goal by creating a special body that limited the power of the generals, the council of one hundred and four. The council was not an elected body: its members were appointed by special colleges of five (called the Pentarchies by the Greek authors) on the basis of belonging to the oligarchic clan from among the members of the council of elders (the “senate”). The composition of the pentarchies themselves did not depend on the will of the people: it was replenished by co-optation . It is suggested that one hundred “senators”, both suffiers , treasurer and high priest ( slave kuhanim ) [2] could be included in the council. Thus put under the control of the oligarchic council, the former Carthaginian rulers lost all political significance. Subsequently, the control functions of the council of one hundred and four were extended to other magistracies [3] .
Role in the political system
At that time, the estate of judges prevailed in Carthage; they were all the more powerful because their position was for life - in it the very same people remained unchanged. Property, good name, the very life of everyone - everything was in their power. If someone touched someone of their class, everyone fought against him; with the hostility of the judges, the accuser was immediately on this one.
A similar system was introduced to prevent tyranny in Carthage. Under the control of the council of one hundred and four, above all, the activities of the generals were put: commanding the majority of the mercenaries in the Carthaginian army , they could lead them against their own state to seize power.
Initially, this body was only to dismantle the activities of sufffets, commanders and elders at the end of their term, but gradually concentrated in their hands all the influence, as the fear of control of these often-biased and cruel judges forced all Carthaginian officials to act in their favor. Any abuse of power was severely punished. According to the testimony of Diodorus of Sicily , crucifixion or exile punished even those whose actions deserved only reproach [4] .
Aristotle compares the advice of one hundred and four to Spartan Efors [5] .
Hannibal Reform
Hannibal , having come to power after the defeat in the Second Punic War in the wake of a powerful democratic movement, did everything to prepare Carthage to resume the struggle by Rome . To this end, he established his sole dictatorship ; elected officials now had to regularly report to him on their actions. He reorganized the council of one hundred and four, which turned into an elected body: its members began to be replaced every year (195 BC [6] ). The Carthaginian aristocracy lost this most important stronghold of its domination [7] .
Notes
- ↑ Dridi, Edie. Glossary // Carthage and the Punic World = Carthage et Le Monde Punique. - M .: Veche, 2008. - 400 p. - (guides of civilizations). - 3000 copies - ISBN 978-5-9533-3781-6 .
- ↑ Cartwright, Mark. Carthaginian Government (Eng.) . Ancient History Encyclopedia (15 June 2016). The appeal date is December 27, 2017.
- ↑ Shiffman, 2006 , p. 184.
- ↑ Volkov, 2013 , Under the fear of one hundred and four judges.
- ↑ Aristotle. Politics , II, VIII, 2.
- ↑ Tsirkin Yu. B. Carthage and its culture . - M .: Science, 1986. - p. 103. - 287 p. - (Culture of the peoples of the East). - 5000 copies - ISBN 978-5-9989-0882-8 .
- ↑ Shiffman, 2006 , p. 63-64.
Literature
- A. Volkov. Under the fear of one hundred and four judges // Carthage. "White" empire of "black" Africa . - M .: Veche, 2013. - 288 p. - (Great secrets of history). - 1000 copies - ISBN 978-5-4444-0262-7 .
- Shifman I. Sh . Carthage . - SPb. : Publishing House of St. Petersburg University, 2006. - 518 p. - 1000 copies - ISBN 5-288-03714-0 .