Ἐπώνυμοι

Citizens and foreigners whose excellence made them suitable used to be honoured [sc. in classical Athens↗] with bronze statues; and one subset of these gave their names[s] to the tribes. They say that this is how it was first decided to expound the tribes: having no idea what name[s] to give the tribes, [they decided] to do this from the most famous ones; each individual made his own list of a hundred names¹ and lots were drawn. At any rate by the statues of these Eponyms they used to introduce the laws, before they were ratified, so that those who wished to do so could encounter them and raise objections.