Dokimasia

Docimasy or dokimasia (Greek δοκιμασία ) denotes an official examination of persons and things in ancient Greece.

Application

In ancient Athens candidates for high office like that of the Basileus or the Archon had to undergo the dokimasia. The same was true for the enrollment in the public lists for ephebes and for new residents. Similarly, the suitability testing of horses for war service has been so designated.

Target

The dokimasia should ensure that work was carried out by appropriately qualified persons. Especially in public office and in politics, and in the military leadership, the dokimasia was necessary to filter out obviously unsuitable candidates in the usual practice of drawing offices.

Method

The dokimasia for public office in Athens was a judicial -like process, in which the candidate was first to present evidence for his civil rights, the fulfillment of military service and tax liability and his blamelessness. Then everyone could raise objection and attach allegations. In Aristotle, such methods are described. The Logograph Lysias has written speeches for assaying method.