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 for decision, and declaring the result and other incidental matters.

In England it is illegal, by a statute of George III. (Seditious Meetings Act 1817), to hold a public meeting in the open air within 1 m. of Westminster Hall during the sitting of Parliament.

 MEGALOPOLIS, an ancient city of Arcadia, Greece, situated in a plain about 20 m. S.W. of Tegea, on both banks of the Helisson, about 2 m. above its junction with the Alpheus. Like Messene, it owed its origin to the Theban general Epaminondas, and was founded in 370, the year after the battle of Leuctra, as a bulwark for the southern Arcadians against Sparta, and as the seat of the Arcadian Federal Diet, which consisted of ten thousand men. The builders were protected by a Theban force, and directed by ten native oecists (official “founders”), who likewise attended to the peopling of the new city, which apparently drew inhabitants from all parts of Arcadia, but especially from the neighbouring districts of Maenalia and Parrhasia. Forty townships are mentioned by Pausanias (viii. 27, 3–5) as having been incorporated in it. It was 50 stadia in circumference, and was surrounded with strong walls. Its territory was the largest in Arcadia, extending northward 24 m. The city was built on a magnificent scale, and adorned with many handsome buildings, both public and private. Its temples contained many ancient statues brought from the towns incorporated in it. After the departure of Epaminondas, Lycomedes of Mantineia succeeded in drawing the Arcadian federation away from its alliance with Thebes, and it was consequently obliged to make common cause with Athens. An attempt on the part of the federation to use the treasures of the temple of Zeus at Olympia led to internal dissensions, so that in the battle of Mantineia (362) one half of the Arcadians fought on the side of the Spartans, the other on that of the Thebans. After this battle many of the inhabitants of Megalopolis sought to return to their former homes, and it was only by the assistance of three thousand Thebans under Pammenes that the authorities were able to prevent them from doing so. In 353, when Thebes had her hands full with the so-called Sacred War, the Spartans made an attempt to reduce Megalopolis; but the Thebans sent assistance and the city was rescued. Not sure of this assistance, the Megalopolitans had appealed to Athens, an appeal which gave occasion to the oration of Demosthenes, . The Spartans were now obliged to conclude peace with Megalopolis and acknowledge her autonomy. Nevertheless their feeling of hostility did not cease, and Megalopolis consequently entered into friendly relations with Philip of Macedon. Twenty years later, when the Spartans and their allies rebelled against the power of Macedon, Megalopolis remained firm in its allegiance, and was subjected to a long siege. After the death of Alexander, Megalopolis was governed by native tyrants. In the war between Cassander and Polyperchon it took part with the former and was besieged by the latter. On this occasion it was able to send into the field an army of fifteen thousand. In 234 Lydiades, the last tyrant of Megalopolis, voluntarily resigned his power, and the city joined the Achaean League. In consequence of this it was again exposed to the hatred of Sparta. In 222 Cleomenes plundered it and killed or dispersed its inhabitants, but in the year following it was restored and its inhabitants reinstated by Philopoemen, a native of the city. After this, however, it gradually sank into insignificance. The only great men whom it produced were Philopoemen and Polybius the historian. Lycortas, the father of the latter, may be accounted a third. In the time of Pausanias the city was mostly in ruins. The site of Megalopolis was excavated by members of the British School at Athens in the years 1890–1892. The description of Pausanias is so clear that it enabled Curtius, in his Peloponnesos, to give a conjectural plan that was found to tally in most respects with the reality. The town was divided into two approximately equal parts by the river Helisson, which flows through it from east to west. The line of the walls may be traced, partly by remains, partly by the contours it must have followed, and confirms the estimate of Polybius that they had a circuit of 50 stades, or about 5 m. It is difficult to see how the river bed, now a broad and shingly waste, was dealt with in ancient times; it must have been embanked in some way, but there are no remains to show whether the fortification wall