XĔNĀGI (ξεναγοί). The Spartans, as being the head of that Peloponnesian and Dorian league, which was formed to secure theindependence of the Greek states, had the sole command of the confederate troops in time of war, ordered the quotas which each state was to furnish, and appointed officers of their own to command them. Such officers were calledXenagi. The generals whom the allies sent with their troops were subordinate to these Spartanxenagi, though they attended the council of war, as representatives of their respective countries. After the peace of Antalcidas, the league was still more firmly established, though Argos refused to join it; and the Spartans were rigorous in exacting the required military service, demanding levies by thescytale, and sending outxenagito collect them. The wordXenagusmay be applied to any leader of a hand of foreigners or mercenaries.
XĔNĒLĂSĬA (ξενηλασία). The Lacedaemonians appear in very early times, before the legislation of Lycurgus, to have been averse to intercourse with foreigners. This disposition was encouraged by the lawgiver, who made an ordinance forbidding strangers to reside at Sparta without special permission, and empowering the magistrate to expel from the city any stranger who misconducted himself, or set an example injurious to public morals.
XĔNĬAS GRĂPHĒ (ξενίας γραφή). As no man could be an Athenian citizen except by birth or creation (γένειorποιήσει), if one, having neither of those titles, assumed to act as a citizen, either by taking part in the popular assembly, or by serving any office, judicial or magisterial, or by attending certain festivals, or doing any other act which none but a citizen was privileged to do, he was liable to aγραφὴ ξενίας, which any citizen might institute against him; or he might be proceeded against byεἰσαγγελία.
XĔNUS (ξένος). [Hospitium.]
XESTES (ξέστης), a Greek measure of capacity, both fluid and solid, which contained 12 cyathi or 2 cotylae, and was equal to ⅙ of the chous,1/48of the Roman amphora or quadrantal, and1/72of the Greek amphora or metretes; or, viewing it as a dry measure, it was half the choenix and1/96of the medimnus. It contained ·9911 of a pint English. At this point the Roman and Attic systems of measures coincide; for there is no doubt that the Attic xestes was identical with the Roman sextarius.