Gerousia (Greek: γερουσία) was in the Ancient Greece the common name for the Council of Ouden (& lt; γέροντες, ± senate), who in the royal era was the ruling ruler as counselors as well as later in the Classical period in some oligarchically organized poles (including Sparta, Argos, Elis, Corinth) formed a similar advisory and / or administrative body. The members were referred to as geronten, whose word is redirected.
We are most familiar with Sparta's gerousia, where they continued until the 3rd century BC. played an essential role in the state apparatus. In Sparta, the gerousia (in Lakonian dialect γερωχία) consisted of both kings and 28 old men over the age of 60, who were chosen by Spartan citizens for life. The riots were actually included in the government by the kings and the efores, if legal proposals (ῥήτραι / rhètrai) were submitted and spoke directly with unions with kings and eforen. The members of the Spartan gerousia were not responsible to anyone, but their influence was limited in practice by the fact that the gerousia was not entitled to convene the apella, the public meeting of Spartan citizens.
In principle, any Spartan citizen, who had followed military education during his youth, could be elected to this council from the age of 60 years. However, in practice, candidates were preferably selected from the leading aristocratic families, and it is not surprising that most of the members belonged to the two royal houses, the agadas and the Eurypontides.
Even though the elections were held for democracy, some contemporary critics of the oligarchic system in Sparta (including Athenian philosopher Aristotle) had serious reservations about the fairness of these elections.
wiki
