ERANOS

The Greek term for an organized club or society, for the purposes of feasting and amusement, whose members were called eranistae. Sometimes it would be formed in connexion with the worship of particular deities. Sometimes, again, the object of an eranos would be mutual assistance by advances of money. The governmeni encouraged these clubs, because their corporate character made it easier to settle with expedition any legal proceedings arising out of their affairs. Trials of this kind, for refusal to pay subscriptions, or to repay loans, had to be settled within a month.