Apophasis

Apophasis

(ἀπόφασις). Literally, “a declaration.”

(1) The proclamation at Athens of the decision which the majority of the judges came to at the end of a trial, and was apparently made by a herald under the direction of the presiding magistrate. The decisions of arbitrators (διαιτηταί) were called by the same name.

(2) Such proclamations being generally made on court days, ἀπόφασις came to mean the day on which the trial took place.

(3) The word was also employed to indicate the account of a person's property, which was obliged to be given when an antidosis (q. v.) was demanded.

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