- a symbol
STEPBible TBESG
1. a sign or token by which one infers a thing, [variant datesTragica Adespota; λαμπάδος τὸ σύμβολον the token of the beacon-fire, (Aeschulus Tragicus):—;often in plural, of marks on the body, (Euripides); of omens , (Aeschulus Tragicus)
2. a pledge or pawn , on which money was advanced, (Lysias Orator)
3. in plural tallies , Lat. tesserae hospitales, i.e. the halves of a bone or coin, which two persons broke between them, each keeping one piece, (Herdotus Historicus), etc.
4. at Athens, a ticket, counter , Lat. tessera, such as were given to the dicasts, on presenting which they received their fee, (Demosthenes Orator)
5. a permit or licence to reside, given to aliens , (Aristophanes Comicus); a ticket given by each person who joined in a picnic, to be presented for payment at the end (compare συμβολή IV), (Aristophanes Comicus)
6. in Eccl. the distinctive mark of Christians, a confession of faith, a creed , Lat. symbolum.
7. in legal phrase, σύμβολα were covenants between two states for protection of commerce , (Demosthenes Orator), etc.; σύμβολα ποιεῖσθαι πρὸς πόλιν to make a commercial treaty with a state, τὰ ς. συγχέειν to violate such treaty , (Demosthenes Orator) (ML)