The struggle for power in the Mani was rooted in the need to obtain and control areas of valuable land and then to defend them against others with equal ambitions and the method of defence that evolved was the Tower. This was explained by Col. Leake when he wrote, "Each person of power and every head of a family of any influence has a pyrgo (tower), which is used almost solely as a tower of defence: the ordinary habitation stands at the foot of it. ...in general these buildings are uninhabited except in times of alarm. To overturn the pyrgo of the enemy and to slaughter as many of his relations as possible, are the objects of every war. The tower has loopholes in the different stories and battlements on top, and he that can get a rusty swivel (small canon) to plant upon them is not easily subdued. Most of the ordinary dwellings are built with loopholes in the walls; nor are the villages in which there is no inhabitant of sufficient opulence to build a pyrgo, the more peaceable on that account, but quarrel either among themselves or with their neighbours, and endeavour to overturn one another's houses just like their betters."
The evolution of an elite, feudal society in tightly confined boundaries with local autonomy required its own system of justice. The lack of any organised district government meant that a system of personal rendering of justice prevailed and this was known as "Aftothikia" whereby matters were resolved within the family. Aftothiko literally means - "to take the law into one's own hands" and from early beginnings in the 15th Century, it evolved into a highly structured process. Before enactment , a family would first consult its oldest members and, if sanctioned, would then give warning of the decision to the offending family. From then on, all and any actions were considered just. This did not usually mean an all-out attack on the enemy but would more often take the form of ambush and murder and this was considered perfectly honourable. This method of warfare could result in a feud continuing for a great number of years with "tit-for-tat" ambush and murder until the virtual extinction of one family.
This in turn led to the creation of "rules" to enable the normal cycle of life to continue, although that may sound like a contradiction in terms. The harvest was essential to survival so a "treva" or truce could be called to enable the crops to be gathered and sometimes "safe conduct" would be granted to a rival provided he was accompanied by a third party who was trusted by both sides to act as escort. The feud could end in a truce, sometimes by the intercession of a third party, or by the families themselves with a mutual pardon. This was done to prevent the virtual extinction of both families and the mutual pardon removed the obligation for vengeance.
In general, women and priests were not direct targets and could come and go unharmed. Thus the women's role also included the supplying of food, ammunition and powder to the family tower when under siege and running short of supplies.
          The Earl of Carnarvon recorded, "The Maniats never attacked a woman. In the fiercest wars, no shot from tower or ambuscade (ambush) seems to have been directed against her. Even when she served as a screen for her husband, the assailed party is said never to have returned fire upon her." This was not entirely true for there were instances where the pregnant wife of a murdered man would be deliberately killed to prevent possible future vengeance from a son. 
Aftothikia was given moral support by the church in Mani - if only by keeping silent. It was the only form of justice available and the priests were usually natives of Mani who had been