Epigamy
Epigamy ( Greek ἐπιγαμία ) refers to the contractually secured right to marry citizens of different states in ancient Greece .
The epigamy was a prerequisite for the marriage, which was justified by a contract between the groom and the father or the kyrios ( κύριος , ruler) of the bride, if the married people were not citizens of the same state.
In principle, marriage between citizens of different states was not allowed. The epigamy law of 451 BC in Athens required full citizenship of both parties for marriage. In Athens, for example, Metics did not have the right to marry Athenians. For example, the marriage of Aspasia and Pericles was considered illegitimate under Attic law, as there was no epigamy between Miletus and Athens. On the other hand, Athens allowed in the 5th century BC The marriage with citizens of the Poleis on Euboea. There were also express prohibitions on epigamy - probably for specific reasons - between the Attic demes of the Palleneans and Hagnusians and between Andros and Paros.
The right that allowed the citizens of one state to marry a woman from the other state or to marry a daughter to a citizen of the other state was agreed in intergovernmental agreements. As a rule, this was a special favor granted by more respected states; reciprocity then occurred by itself. In the Hellenistic period in particular , epigamy and enktesis (the right to purchase land in the country, which could also be granted to non-citizens) were among the most important treaty provisions in intergovernmental alliances. One example is the border, isopolitical and alliance treaty between the Aitolian and Akarnanian federations in 263/62 BC. Chr.
Individual evidence
- ↑ epigamy . ( Memento of the original from December 7, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. online lexicon sphinx search.
- ↑ Plutarch , Theseus 13.3, text (Greek), text (English).
- ↑ Plutarch Gr.Fr.7,193.
- ↑ Wilhelm Wachsmuth: Hellenic Altherthumskunde from the point of view of the state . Halle 1846, p. 170 .
- ↑ Xenophon , Hellenika 5,2,19: επιγαμίαις καί εγκτήσεσι παραλλήλαις, text (English) perseus.tufts.edu
- ↑ online lexicon Sphinx search ( Memento of the original dated December 7, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. .
- ↑ contract text
