Aprostasiou graphe
ἀπροστασίου γραφή
Aprostasiou graphe (ἀπροστασίου γραφή), an action falling under the jurisdiction of the polemarch, which was brought against those metoeki, or resident aliens, who had neglected to provide themselves with a patron (προστάτης). This action is stated to have been also brought against those metoeki who exercised the rights of full citizens, or did not pay the μετοίκιον, a tax of twelve drachmas exacted from resident aliens; but Meier has remarked that this action was only applicable in such cases, provided that the metoeki had no patron. It is probable that the μετοίκιον was regularly paid through the προστάτης, and that he was responsible for it; and in that case the default of payment would of itself prove neglect to comply with the provisions of the law. (Harpocrat., Zonar., Suid. s.v. Meier, Att. Process, p. 315; Perrot, Essai, p. 264.)
From William Smith (ed.), Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities. Text provided under a CC BY-SA license by Perseus Digital Library, http://www.perseus.tufts.edu, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities and Tufts University. Data accessed from https://github.com/PerseusDL/canonical-pdlrefwk/ on 17 October 2026.