Regeln für den Kosmos. Prominenzrollen und Institutionen im archaischen Kreta

Abstract

This article undertakes a reinterpretation of the scenario serving as background for the development of the well-known law from Dreros. It will be argued that these texts need to be seen against the background of early state-scenarios as reflected in the early epics and of the specific social-political circumstances of a Cretan polis. Two aspects emerge: The agreement reflects a historical situation in which the competition of the aristoi had to be channeled and limited in order to guarantee internal peace. Furthermore, areas of responsibility were institutionalised in the form of offices due to the increasing complexity of social life. For the holding of these offices rules were established in order to define and secure the not yet consolidated transition between roles of prominence which had evolved socially or had been generated by means of institutionalisation.