Gerousia

===Legislative===

===Legislative===

The Gerousia helped shape state policy through its powers of ''probouleusis'' and ''nomophulakia''.Esu 2024, pp. 125, 127; Cartledge 1987, [https://archive.org/details/agesilaoscrisiso0000cart/page/122/mode/2up p. 123]. ''Probouleusis'' (preliminary deliberation) was a common feature of most Ancient Greek decision-making procedures, whereby a select council or group of officials drafted motions and submitted them to a popular assembly for ratification. According to Plutarch, the source of the Gerousia's power was its probouleutic privilege of submitting measures (probouleumata) to be presented to the Assembly.Esu 2024, pp. 4–6; Davies 2018, p. 491; Hodkinson 2015, [https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.2832 s.v. gerousia]; Andrewes 1967, [https://archive.org/details/ancientsocietyin0000unse/page/1/mode/2up pp. 1–2]; [[Plutarch]], ''Agis'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg051a.perseus-eng1:11.1 11.1].

The Gerousia helped shape state policy through its powers of ''probouleusis'' and ''nomophulakia''.Esu 2024, pp. 125, 127; Cartledge 1987, [https://archive.org/details/agesilaoscrisiso0000cart/page/122/mode/2up p. 123]. ''Probouleusis'' (preliminary deliberation) was a common feature of most Ancient Greek decision-making procedures, whereby a select council or group of officials drafted motions and submitted them to a popular assembly for ratification. According to Plutarch, the source of the Gerousia's power was its probouleutic privilege of submitting measures (probouleumata) to be presented to the Assembly.Esu 2024, pp. 4–6; Davies 2018, p. 491; Hodkinson 2015, [https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.2832 s.v. gerousia]; Andrewes 1967, [https://archive.org/details/ancientsocietyin0000unse/page/1/mode/2up pp. 1–2]; [[Plutarch]], ''Agis'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg051a.perseus-eng1:11.1 11.1]. The procedure (at least at the time of the reign of [[Agis IV]]) seems to have been that in order for a bill to become law, it had to first be introduced by an ephor into the Gerusia for discussion and approval before it was then submitted to the Assembly for ratification.Chrimes 1971, [https://archive.org/details/ancientspartaree0000atki/page/6/mode/2up p. 7]; [[Plutarch]], ''Agis'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg051a.perseus-eng1:8.1 8.1], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg051a.perseus-eng1:11.1 11.1].

The Gerousia also held the power of ''nomophulakia'' (guardianship of the law) designed to protect Spartan ''nomos'' (practice, custom, and law),''[[LSJ]]'', [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dno%2Fmos2 s.v. νόμος]. a power meant to insure both the legality of the enactments passed by the Assembly, as well as their conformity with traditional Spartan norms.Esu 2024, pp. 125, 127; Cartledge 1987, [https://archive.org/details/agesilaoscrisiso0000cart/page/122/mode/2up p. 123]. An explicit example of this power of ''nomophulakia'' is perhaps found in the [[Great Rhetra]], according to the usual interpretation of which, the Gerousia could not only submit proposals to the Assembly, but could also veto any action of the Assembly,See for example: Esu 2024, pp. 39, 128, 137; Davies 2018, p. 491; Kennell 2010, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2YaGXk21zCkC&pg=PA49 p. 49]; Welwei 2006, [https://referenceworks-brill-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/display/entries/NPOE/e422850.xml s.v. Gerousia]; Andrewes 1967, [https://archive.org/details/ancientsocietyin0000unse/page/14/mode/2up p. 15]; Butler 1962, pp. 393, 395. Ruzé 1997, while noting that this interpretation of the Rhetra has near universal acceptance ("''la quasi-totalité des commentateurs de la Rhètra admettent''"), nevertheless argues against it: [https://books.openedition.org/psorbonne/23802 "VIII. La procédure délibérative. L’assemblée", paras. 16–44], [https://books.openedition.org/psorbonne/23814 "Conclusion", para. 1]. although there is no certain evidence that this veto power was ever employed.Andrewes 1967, [https://archive.org/details/ancientsocietyin0000unse/page/14/mode/2up p. 15]; Butler 1962, p. 393.

The Gerousia also held the power of ''nomophulakia'' (guardianship of the law) designed to protect Spartan ''nomos'' (practice, custom, and law),''[[LSJ]]'', [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0057%3Aentry%3Dno%2Fmos2 s.v. νόμος]. a power meant to insure both the legality of the enactments passed by the Assembly, as well as their conformity with traditional Spartan norms.Esu 2024, pp. 125, 127; Cartledge 1987, [https://archive.org/details/agesilaoscrisiso0000cart/page/122/mode/2up p. 123]. An explicit example of this power of ''nomophulakia'' is perhaps found in the [[Great Rhetra]], according to the usual interpretation of which, the Gerousia could not only submit proposals to the Assembly, but could also veto any action of the Assembly,See for example: Esu 2024, pp. 39, 128, 137; Davies 2018, p. 491; Kennell 2010, [https://books.google.com/books?id=2YaGXk21zCkC&pg=PA49 p. 49]; Welwei 2006, [https://referenceworks-brill-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/display/entries/NPOE/e422850.xml s.v. Gerousia]; Andrewes 1967, [https://archive.org/details/ancientsocietyin0000unse/page/14/mode/2up p. 15]; Butler 1962, pp. 393, 395. Ruzé 1997, while noting that this interpretation of the Rhetra has near universal acceptance ("''la quasi-totalité des commentateurs de la Rhètra admettent''"), nevertheless argues against it: [https://books.openedition.org/psorbonne/23802 "VIII. La procédure délibérative. L’assemblée", paras. 16–44], [https://books.openedition.org/psorbonne/23814 "Conclusion", para. 1]. although there is no certain evidence that this veto power was ever employed.Andrewes 1967, [https://archive.org/details/ancientsocietyin0000unse/page/14/mode/2up p. 15]; Butler 1962, p. 393.