3. In Crete the boys, as long as they remained in the house of their father, were said to dwell in darkness.(1446) At this period they were admitted into the syssitia of their respective fathers, where they sat together on the ground; after the syssitia they formed themselves into societies under separate paidonomi.(1447) It was not till their seventeenth year that they were enrolled in the agelæ,(1448) so that the education was here entrusted to the family for a longer period than at Sparta. They remained in the agelæ till married, and consequently even after they had attained the age of manhood; hence in the extant treaty between the Latians and Olontians, it is required that the agelæ also should take the oath.(1449) From the circumstance, however, that these troops of young men were brought together by one of the most wealthy and illustrious in their body, whose father held the office of commander (ἀγελάτης), led them to the chase and the games, and exercised the right of punishment over them;(1450) we perceive that a far greater influence, as well over the government(1451) as the education, was permitted to particular families in Crete than at Sparta, whilst the system itself was less strict and impartial. The age of manhood was in Crete dated from the time of admittance into the male gymnasia (there called δρόμοι;)(1452) hence a person who had exercised ten years among the men was called δεκάδρομος;(1453) the youth who had not as yet wrestled or run in them ἀπόδρομος.(1454) We have no account respecting other Doric towns, and merely know that the classes of the ephebi at Cyrene were called from the number of each, the “three hundred.”(1455)