AGRAULĬA (ἀγραύλια) was a festival celebrated by the Athenians
in honour of Agraulos, the daughter of Cecrops. It was perhaps
connected with the solemn oath, which all Athenians, when they
arrived at manhood (ἔφηβοι), were obliged to take in the temple of
Agraulos, that they would fight for their country, and always observe
its laws.
AGRĪMENSŌRES, or “land surveyors,” a college established under the
Roman emperors. Like the jurisconsults, they had regular schools,
and were paid handsome salaries by the state. Their business was
to measure unassigned lands for the state, and ordinary lands for
the proprietors, and to fix and maintain boundaries. Their writings
on the subject of their art were very numerous; and we have still
scientific treatises on the law of boundaries, such as those by
Frontinus and Hyginus.
AGRIŌNĬA (ἀγριώνια), a festival which was celebrated at Orchomenus,
in Boeotia, in honour of Dionysus, surnamed Agrionius. A human being
used originally to be sacrificed at this festival, but this sacrifice
seems to have been avoided in later times. One instance, however,
occurred in the days of Plutarch.
AGRONŎMI (ἀγρονόμοι), the country-police, probably in Attica, whose
duties corresponded in most respects to those of the astynomi in the
city, and who appear to have performed nearly the same duties as the
hylori (ὑλωροί).
AGRŎTĔRAS THŬSIA (ἀγροτέρας θυσία), a festival celebrated every year
at Athens in honour of Artemis, surnamed Agrotera (from ἄγρα, the
chase). It was solemnized on the sixth of the month of Boëdromion,
and consisted of a sacrifice of 500 goats, which continued to be
offered in the time of Xenophon. Its origin is thus related:--When
the Persians invaded Attica, the Athenians made a vow to sacrifice
to Artemis Agrotera as many goats as there should be enemies slain
at Marathon. But as the number of enemies slain was so great that
an equal number of goats could not be found at once, the Athenians
decreed that 500 should be sacrificed every year.
AGYRTAE (ἀγύρται), mendicant priests, who were accustomed to travel
through the different towns of Greece, soliciting alms for the gods
whom they served, and whose images they carried, either on their
shoulders or on beasts of burthen. They were, generally speaking,
persons of the lowest and most abandoned character.