Dikastes

Dikastes (δικαστής, plural dikastai, δικασταί) was the ancient Greek word for a juror or judge. In the Athenian legal system, dikastai were citizen jurors who served on popular courts called dikasteria. These courts handled a wide range of public and private cases, with jury sizes varying greatly depending on the nature and importance of the trial. The dikastai were selected by lot from a larger pool of eligible citizens and sworn an oath to judge impartially and according to the laws. Their role was central to the Athenian democratic principle of citizen participation in the administration of justice. The power of the dikasteria, composed of large numbers of dikastai, acted as a check on the power of the elite and magistrates.