E´RANI
E´RANI (ἔρανοι) was the name given to clubs or societies established for convivial purposes, the members dining together at stated periods, probably once a month. Every member (ἐρανιστὴς in Inscr.; πληρωτὴς ἐράνου, Dem. c. Mid. p. 547.101, p. 574.184 f.; [Dem.] c. Aristog. i. p. 776.21; Etym. M. s. v. ἐρανιστής; Harpocr. s. v. ἐρανίζοντες) was bound to pay his monthly subscription (also called ἔρανος,1 or φορά, εἰσφορά, σύνοδος, Koehler in Mittheil. d. d. Arch. Inst. 1884, p. 293, n.), which in the society of the Ἡροισταὶ amounted to three drachmas (C. I. A. ii. No. 630). Such societies usually united in the common worship of some deity, such as Sarapis (C. I. A. ii. No. 617=Brit. Mus. Inscr. 1.21), for whom they appointed special sacrificial officers (ἱεροποιοί, C. I. A. ii. Nos. 615, 616, 617). From this point of view they were called θίασοι (Athen. 8.362 e), and Aristotle (Nicom. Ethic. 8.9, 5, p. 1160 a) groups θιασωταὶ and ἐρανισταὶ together as κοινωνίαι formed δι᾽ ἡδονὴν, θυσίας ἕνεκα καὶ συνουσίας, as opposed to κοινωνίαι ἃι τοῦ συμφέροντος ἐφίενται: cf. also Photius, p. 82, θιάσου, ὅσπερ ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπὸ τοῦ πίνειν συναγωγή, and Pollux, 6.8, τοὺς δὲ συνιόντας συμπότας, ὁμοσίτους συσσίτους, συνουσιαστάς, θιασώτας ἢ θιασίτας, εἰλαπινας τάς, ἐρανιστάς. Foucart can therefore be scarcely right in distinguishing between éranes civils and éranes religieux (Des Assoc. Relig. chez les Grecs, p. 3). Such clubs had their own common funds (ὅρος χωρίου πεπραμένου ἐρανισταῖς τοῖς μετὰ Καλλιτέλους, C. I. A. ii. No. 1110; cf. Nos. 1119, 1111, and Rangabé, Antiq. hellén. No. 885) and their own laws: e. g. the νόμος ἐρανιστῶν (C. I. A. iii. No. 23), prescribing the dokimasia of new members and the expulsion of disturbing elements; cf. also the Solonian law (Dig. 47, 22, 4) ordaining that any agreement between members should be binding, provided it did not contravene the laws of the state. The κοινὸν of such a club might vote and bestow the honour of a crown, and an ἔπαινος on deserving members, etc.2 The dokimasia was conducted by the προστάτης, the ἀρχιερανιστής, the secretary, the treasurers, and the σύνδικοι. These officials, probably with the exception of the προστάτης, were annually chosen by lot (κληρωτοι κατὰ ἔτος, C. I. A. iii. No. 23); yet from Harpocr . s. v. πληρωτής, it would appear that the ἀρχιερανισταὶ or ἐρανάρχαι were at one time elected (Salmasius reads, τοῖς ἤτοι λαχοῦσιν ἢ ᾑρημένοις: in an inscr. publ. in the Revue archéol. 10.1864, p. 400aταμίας is called αίρεθείς). Other functionaries were ἐπιμεληταί (C. I. A. ii. No. 616), a προερανίστρια. (C. I. A. ii. No. 617), etc.; it is probably a mere chance that only in connexion with the treasurer is there mention of an oath on entering office (Revue archéol. 11.1865, p. 500). Hesychius' explanation of πληρωτής, viz. ἐράνου συναγωγός, has led some scholars to suppose that the ἐρανάρχης had to advance the necessary sums, if members made default (ἐκλείπειν τὴν φοράν). Such clubs numbered among their members women (an ἔρανος consisting entirely of women, Keil, Zur Syll. Inscr. Boeot. p. 624), foreigners, even slaves.Ἔρανος is also used in the sense of a contribution made by friends (ἑταῖροι καὶ φίλοι σοὶ καὶ συνήθεις, Philem. fr. 213 in Kock, Comic. Att. Fragm. 2.1) to assist a person in difficulties, e. g. when that person had to pay a heavy fine, or to ransom himself from captivity, etc. As a rule, the person in distress applied to his friends in person for assistance (συλλέγειν ἔρανον, Antiph. Tetral. i. β, § 9; [Dem.] c. Neaer. p. 1355.31; c. Nicostr. p. 1249.11--συλλέγεσθαι ἔρανον, Lys. c. Aeschin. fr. 1; Dem. c. Mid. p. 547.101--ἐρανίζειν τινά, Dem. Epist. iii. p. 1484.38); occasionally, however, a friend might undertake the collecting (Aeschin. de Fals. Leg. § 41, συνιστάναι τὸν ἔρανον), who probably fixed the amount to be paid by each (Corn. Nep. Epam. 3). From D. L. 6.63, it would seem that sometimes the ἐρανάρχης undertook the task of collection for a member of his club; cf. also the inscription from Amorgus, τοῦ ἐράνου ὃν συνέλεχεν Ἀρισταγόρας (the ἀρχέρανος), Ἀρχαιολ. Ἐφημ. N. S. No. 77. An ἔρανος πεντακοσιόδραχμος, i. e. one to which each had to contribute 500 drachmas, is mentioned in Dittenberger, S. I. G. No. 433, 1. 4; whilst the ἔρανος εἰκοσίμνως in Lys. c. Autocr. fr. 49 (= Pollux, 9.57) and the ἔ. τετταρακονταμναῖος in Dittenberger, No. 462, 1. 12, represent the total amount collected. The [p. 1.759]friends who paid their share are said ἐρανίζειν τινί (Dem. c. Boeot. i. p. 999.18), εἰσφέρειν ἔρανον, etc. The relief was looked upon as a friendly loan, repayable by the borrower, probably by instalments (Lys. c. Aeschin. fr. 1), when in better circumstances (Theophr. Char. 17): it was neither a present (yet see Dem. de Cor. p. 329.312; [Dem.] c. Nicostr. p. 1249.9; Theophr. Char. 15), nor a loan (χρέως), but something between the two (ἐξ ἐράνου ὔφλημα, Isae. Hagn. § 43: cf. Dem. c. Aphob. i. p. 821.25; Lyc. c. Leocr. § 22). Security for an ἔρανος is mentioned in the inscription from Amorgus (quoted above), and in Wescher et Foucart, Inscr. de Delphes, No. 139. Some scholars are of opinion that there were actual associations for the purpose of mutual relief, resembling in some degree our friendly or benefit societies; yet this view is shown to be wrong by Van Holst, de Eran. vet. Graec. p. 73 ff. (Cf. Caillemer, Le Contrat de Société à Athènes, p. 24 ff.; Thalheim, Rechtsalterth. p. 65, n. 2.)
For the recovery of such loans when the person assisted was in a position to pay them back, but unwilling to do so, for the decision of disputes amongst the ἐρανισταί--e.g., about the payment of each member's share, or the use made of the contributions by the president, etc.--there were special ἐρανικαὶ δίκαι [EMMENOI DIKAI]. Plato (Legg. xi. p. 915 E) disapproved of lawsuits in such matters, and would not allow them in his republic.
The various purposes for which clubs were formed we learn from the law which Gaius ascribes to Solon, ἐὰν δὲ δῆμος ἢ φράτορες ἢ ἱερῶν ὀργίων θύται (Mommsen; ἢ ναῦται, MS.) ἢ σύσσιτοι ἢ ὁμόταφοι ἢ θιασῶται ἢ ἐπὶ λείαν οἰχόμενοι ἢ εἰς ἐμπορίαν, ὅτι ἂν τούτων διαθῶνται πρὸς ἀλλήλους, κύριον εἶναι ἐὰν μὴ ἀπαγορεύσῃ δημόσια γράμματα (Dig. 47, 22, 4). By σύσσιτοι (or ὁμόσιτοι, Pollux, 6.7) probably members of a dinner club are meant; men who either possessed no establishment of their own, bachelors and widowers, or those who preferred taking their meals in male society rather than at home with their wives, combined to form such clubs. According to Plat. Lach. p. 179 B, Lysimachus, the son of Aristides, and Milesias, the son of Thucydides, were members of a club of the kind (Schömann, Griech. Alterth. i. p. 363).--The ὁμόταφοι can scarcely be the γεννῆται, who as such had a claim to the πατρῷα μνήματα (ὧν ὅσοιπέρ εἰσι τοῦ γένους κοινωνοῦσιν, Dem. c. Eubul. p. 1307.28; cf. [Dem.] c. Macart. p. 1077.79; Plut. Cim. 4; Ps. Plut. Vitt. X. Oratt. p. 838 B), for the γεννῆται are distinguished from οἷς ἠρία (Harpocr. s. v.= τάφοι) ταὐτά in Dem. c. Eubul. p. 1319.67. Sometimes the ἔρανος looked after the burial of its members, e. g. Koumanoudes, Ἐπιγραφαὶ ἐπιτύμβιοι, No. 2362, Ἀρτεμίδωρος Σελευκεύς: ἐρανισταί: cf. also C. I. A. ii. No. 621. According to a Rhodian inscription (Bull. de Corresp. hellén. 1880, p. 139 ff) a piece of land was given to the ἐρανισταὶ as a present εἰς ταφία, which J. Martha explains to mean that the revenue from this piece of land was to be used in defraying the burial expenses of members, whilst in E. L. Hicks' opinion (Brit. Mus. Inscr. 2.360) the land was granted as a burial-ground to certain eranists.--Οἱ ἐπὶ λείαν οἰχόμενοι are men banded together for the purpose of privateering, to exercise in time of war the right of reprisal, which corresponds somewhat to the modern letters of marque (Schömann, Antiq. jur. publ. Gr. p. 368 n.).--Trading companies are frequently mentioned in inscriptions, e.g. C. I. G. No. 124= C. I. A. ii. No. 475, ναύκληροι καὶ ἔμποροι οἱ φέροντες τὴν σύνοδον τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ χενίου in the Piraeus; C. I. G. No. 2271, 1. 35, τὸ κοινὸν τῶν Τυρίων Ἡρακλεϊστῶν ἐμπόρων καὶ ναυκλήρων; Journ. of Hell. Stud. viii. p. 415aguild of Thasian merchants had taken Hermes κερδέμπορος for their patron-god; they styled them-selves accordingly κερδέμποροι, and their president was called ἀρχικερδέμπορος, etc. Cf. Harpocr. s. v. κοινωνικῶν καὶ περὶ τῶν ἑκούσιον κοινωνίαν συνθεμένεν ἐμπορίας ἤ τινος ἄλλου, such as trading companies (Lys. c. Frument. § § 9, 17, 21; Dem. c. Dionys. p. 1285.7 ff.), mining companies (οἱ κοινωνοῦντες μετάλλου, Dem. c. Pantaen. p. 977.38; Hyperid. pro Eux. col. 44; Xen. de Redit. 4, 30 f.), farmers of taxes (Andoc. de Myst. § 133; Lyc. c. Leocr. § § 19, 58; Plut. Alc. 5), or lessees of the theatre in Piraeus (C. I. A. ii. No. 573), etc.--For the constitution, etc., of the various σύνοδοι τῶν περὶ τὸν Διόνυσον τεχνιτῶν in Athens (C. I. A. ii. No. 551), Thebes (C. I. G. No. 1600), Argos (C. I. G. No. 3068 C; C. I. A. ii. No. 552 b), Teos (C. I. G. No. 3067), and Cyprus (C. I. G . Nos. 2619, 2620), etc., see A. Müller, Bühnenalterth. p. 392 ff. The general name for all such associations was ἑταιρεῖαι ( “sodales sunt qui ejusdem collegii sunt quam Graeci ἐταιρείαν vocant,” Gaius, l.c.), but in its special sense ἑταιρεῖαι meant political clubs. These were not like the preceding societies, recognised and authorised by the state, but were at best only tolerated. Such clubs played an important part in Athenian politics. Themistocles owed much of his power to such a club (Plut. Alc. 2); Thucydides, the son of Milesias, united the aristocrats into an association in opposition to Pericles. until he was ostracised and the ἑταιρεία in consequence broken up (Plut. Per. 11, 14). Yet it was only after the death of Pericles that these clubs became established “conspiracies for the management of trials and elections” (ξυνωμοσίαι ἐπὶ δίκαις καὶ ἀρχαῖς, Thuc. 8.54; cf. 3.82-85; Plat. Theaet. p. 173 D, σπουδαὶ ἑταιριῶν ἐπ᾽ ἀρχάς, and [Andoc.] c. Alcib. § 4), which were not very scrupulous in their choice of means, and did not disdain the employment of such measures as false testimony and corruption (Dem. c. Mid. p. 560.139; c. Zenoth. p. 885.10; c. Pantaen. p. 978.39). They were secretly conducted (Plat. Rep. ii. p. 365 D), and used to put down the democracy (ξυνωμότας δὲ ἔλεγον τοὺς ἐπὶ καταλύσει τοῦ δήμου συνερχομένους, Schol. Aristoph. Wasps 342), and on that account for-bidden. (Cf. the first section of the νόμος εἰσαγγελτικὸς in Hyperid. pro Eux. col. 22, and the Lex in [Dem.] c. Steph. p. 1137.26.) The mutilation of the Hermae was proposed at a convivial meeting of the club to which Andocides belonged (Andoc. de Myst. § 61 ff.); the Athenians ascribed the offence to conspirators who wanted to effect a revolution and to over-throw the democracy (Thuc. 6.27; Andoc. de Myst. § 36). The charge against Alcibiades ran: συνάγει τὴν ἑταιρίαν ἐπὶ νεωτέροις πράγ μασιν, etc. (Isocr. de Big. § 6; cf. Thuc. 6.61; Diod. Sicul. 13.5). In the days of the Roman [p. 1.760]empire friendly societies, under the name of ἔρανοι, were frequent among the Greek cities, but were looked upon with suspicion by the emperors as leading to political combinations (Plin. Ep. 10.93, 94).