What is a "Suffete"?
The blurb from the games page mentions, "With a new Suffete being elected on Saturday, everyone has a role to fill." But what is a "Suffete"?
Well, from the wiki entry on Carthage, "Greco-Roman accounts show the indigenous term was Sofetim "Judges" (the same name rulers are given in the Bible), which might originally have been the title of the city's governor installed by the mother city of Tyre. Later, one sofet or two sofetem, who were believed to have exercised judicial and executive (but not military) functions, were elected annually from among the most wealthy and influential families. These aristocratic families were represented in a supreme council comparable to the Roman senate that had a wide range of powers. However, it is not known whether the sofetim were elected by this council or by an assembly of the people. Although the city's administration was firmly controlled by oligarchs, democratic elements were to be found as well: Carthage had elected legislators, trade unions and town meetings. There was a system of checks and balances, as well as public accountability: the Head of the Admiralty would have to pay with his life for military defeat."
So there you have it, we are electing the new king-type-person. Well some of us. I imagine there will be noble, slave, priest and foreign characters in the game. Carthage was a port of trade and I'm sure may foreign interests will try to manipulate the outcome of the election. I can't imagine the king having much power as he is, after all, elected. You have to bend your will to your supporter's interests, after all. The true power is often behind the throne and not on it. Get busy on Friday, candidates! You'll have to act more quickly than your rivals to get as much support as you can for the election on Saturday.
Well, from the wiki entry on Carthage, "Greco-Roman accounts show the indigenous term was Sofetim "Judges" (the same name rulers are given in the Bible), which might originally have been the title of the city's governor installed by the mother city of Tyre. Later, one sofet or two sofetem, who were believed to have exercised judicial and executive (but not military) functions, were elected annually from among the most wealthy and influential families. These aristocratic families were represented in a supreme council comparable to the Roman senate that had a wide range of powers. However, it is not known whether the sofetim were elected by this council or by an assembly of the people. Although the city's administration was firmly controlled by oligarchs, democratic elements were to be found as well: Carthage had elected legislators, trade unions and town meetings. There was a system of checks and balances, as well as public accountability: the Head of the Admiralty would have to pay with his life for military defeat."
So there you have it, we are electing the new king-type-person. Well some of us. I imagine there will be noble, slave, priest and foreign characters in the game. Carthage was a port of trade and I'm sure may foreign interests will try to manipulate the outcome of the election. I can't imagine the king having much power as he is, after all, elected. You have to bend your will to your supporter's interests, after all. The true power is often behind the throne and not on it. Get busy on Friday, candidates! You'll have to act more quickly than your rivals to get as much support as you can for the election on Saturday.
posted by DJ Feng Shui at 12:59 PM
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