Apophăsis
(
ἀπόφασις). Literally, “a
declaration.”
1.
The proclamation at Athens of the decision which the majority of the judges came to at the
end of a trial, and was apparently made by a herald under the direction of the presiding
magistrate. The decisions of arbitrators (
διαιτηταί) were
called by the same name.
2.
Such proclamations being generally made on court days,
ἀπόφασις came to mean the day on which the trial took place.
3.
The word was also employed to indicate the account of a person's property, which was
obliged to be given when an
antidosis (q. v.) was demanded.