What laws applied to guarantors? Epigraphic evidence for legal procedure affecting personal security in Athens and beyond

Starting from the 5th cent. BC inscriptions show the existence of several laws in which guarantors are involved. Such laws concern mainly the selling or leasing of public and sacred land, the building contracts, the management of public debtors. The texts, which dated mostly to 4th-3rd cent. BC, come from various poleis (as Athens, Delos, Epidauros, Mylasa) all over the Greek world, but present similar procedures. Furthermore, some data in the texts show the existence of provisions for the scrutiny of the guarantors before the boule or a team of magistrates appointed by the city. These clauses occur mostly in decrees on leases of land and building contracts, from Athens, where the best example comes from the Agyrrhios’ nomos, Thespiae, Lebadeia, Mylasa, Amos, etc. Based on these documents the paper aims at investigating the typology of legal documents involving the guarantors, and to what extent they are concerned.