Common and Special in the Eponymous Traditions of Rhodes, Miletus and Olbia Pontica

Rhodes was founded in 408 BC through the synoecism of the cities Ialysos, Kamiros and Lindos. A unique political tradition known as the règle triennale ensured a democratic process, where each phyla (φυλή) took turns nominating its eponym. This meant that siblings held the eponymous office at intervals of two or three years. In contrast, a variation of the règle triennale was found in the eponymous catalogue of Olbia Pontica. This variation may have resulted from democratic reforms of 392—388 BC. Unlike Rhodes, the Olbia catalogue displayed a form of differentiation in the intervals for holding office, which were set at 14, 12, and 9 years, likely reflecting an oligarchic nature within its democratic system. The Olbian version of the règle triennale probably involved six families, which aligns with the presumed number of phyla. Notably, there was an absence of the règle triennale in Olbia during the period of “radical” democracy from 330 to 318 BC, which is quite typical of that time.