In the three large federations of Central and Northern Greece of the Hellenistic time (3rd-2nd centuries BCE), there was a sphere of federal jurisdiction, which included the adjudication of disputes between the cities within the koinon , trials on charges of violating federal laws and treaties, and also, very probably, litigations between private individuals - citizens of different poleis . The Aitolians vested these judicial functions primarily in the federal council, which either judged the case itself, or, if necessary, created a judicial commission consisting of the citizens of the federation. There is no information about the invitation of foreign arbitrators by the authorities of the Aitolian and Akarnanian federations. The Thessalians, on the contrary, very often resorted to the assistance of foreign judges, although sometimes Thessalian judges could also be entrusted with the adjudication of cases. There is no evidence of the existence and activity of a permanent federal court as a special federal body in each of the three federations.
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