APELLA, the title of the assembly at Sparta, corresponding to the Ecclesia in other Greek States. Every full citizen who had completed his 3oth year was entitled to attend the monthly meetings. The presiding officers were at first the kings, but later the ephors, and the voting was conducted by shouts; in case of doubt the votes were counted. Lycurgus had ordained that the apella must simply accept or reject the proposals submitted to it. The actual debate was confined to the kings, elders, ephors and perhaps the other magistrates. The apella voted on peace and war, treaties and foreign policy in general : it decided which of the kings should conduct a campaign and settled questions of disputed succession to the throne : it elected elders, ephors and other magistrates, and voted on legal proposals.
See G. Gilbert, Constitutional Antiquities of Sparta and Athens (Eng. trans., 1895) ; L. Whibley, Companion to Greek Studies (3rd ed., 1916) , with useful bibliography.