Γεωγραφικα 15.1.50: Officials, the king's life, laws and customs

15.1.50

τῶν δʼ ἀρχόντων οἱ μέν εἰσιν ἀγορανόμοι οἱ δʼ ἀστυνόμοι οἱ δʼ ἐπὶ τῶν στρατιωτῶν· ὧν οἱ μὲν ποταμοὺς ἐξεργάζονται καὶ ἀναμετροῦσι τὴν γῆν ὡς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ τὰς κλειστὰς διώρυγας, ἀφʼ ὧν εἰς τὰς ὀχετείας ταμιεύεται τὸ ὕδωρ, ἐπισκοποῦσιν ὅπως ἐξ ἴσης πᾶσιν ἡ τῶν ὑδάτων παρείη χρῆσις. οἱ δʼ αὐτοὶ καὶ τῶν θηρευτῶν ἐπιμελοῦνται καὶ τιμῆς καὶ κολάσεώς εἰσι κύριοι τοῖς ἐπαξίοις· καὶ φορολογοῦσι δὲ καὶ τὰς τέχνας τὰς περὶ τὴν γῆν ἐπιβλέπουσιν ὑλοτόμων τεκτόνων χαλκέων μεταλλευτῶν· ὁδοποιοῦσι δὲ καὶ κατὰ δέκα στάδια στήλην τιθέασι τὰς ἐκτροπὰς καὶ τὰ διαστήματα δηλοῦσαν.

Of the magistrates, some have the charge of the market, others of the city, others of the soldiery. Some have the care of the rivers, measure the land, as in Egypt, and inspect the closed reservoirs, from which water is distributed by canals, so that all may have an equal use of it. These persons have charge also of the hunters, and have the power of rewarding or punishing those who merit either. They collect the taxes, and superintend the occupations connected with land, as woodcutters, carpenters, workers in brass, and miners. They superintend the public roads, and place a pillar at every ten stadia, to indicate the by-ways and distances.