Theoricon

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Theoricon ( Greek  θεωρικόν ; plural θεωρικά Theo Rika ) was originally a government benefits, to the time of Pericles in the 5th century. Was introduced as show money to enable the citizens of Athens to attend theater performances. The service developed further into a general benefit, for which active participation in the community was a prerequisite.

In 1976 Paul Veyne presented the fundamental investigation of the phenomenon to this day :

“Contemporaries also viewed the Theoricon as a form of public support. When Demosthenes speaks of the theoricon, he keeps using words such as 'needy' or 'poor' citizens. The Theoricon brought with it an extensive redistribution of income within the citizenry. It was a pact that 'cemented' democracy. The rich were well aware of this and in their anger proclaimed that they were the real poor. Xenophon excelled on this subject. [...]

If you paid the people attendance payments or the Theoricon, you could only get the necessary sums through the establishment of a capital tax. As a result, a democracy that was supposed to be moderate and permanent found itself ready for the following pact: the rich made contributions to public welfare and in return were freed from liturgies, which were as ruinous as they were pointless. [...]

The notables had to feed the poor, distribute grain and meat to them, and even give them festivals. They did this through a kind of semi-voluntary tax. "

In the 4th century BC The authority set up for its administration temporarily took over the entire administration of the financial system ( Eubulus , 354 to 338 BC).

See also

literature

  • August Boeckh : The state budget of the Athenians. Volume 1. Realschulbuchhandlung, Berlin 1817, p. 304 ff .: Book II.13 .
  • James Junkin Buchanan: Theorica. A study of monetary distributions to the Athenian citizenry during the fifth and fourth centuries BC Augustin, Locust Valley NY 1962 (also: Princeton University, Dissertation, 1954).
  • Edward M. Harris: Demosthenes and the theoric fund. In: Robert W. Wallace, Edward M. Harris (Eds.): Transitions to empire. Essays in Greco-Roman history, 360-146 BC, in honor of E. Badian (= Oklahoma Series in Classical Culture. Vol. 21). University of Oklahoma Press, Norman OK et al. 1996, ISBN 0-8061-2863-1 , pp. 57-76.
  • Eberhard Ruschenbusch : The introduction of the Theorikon. In: Journal of Papyrology and Epigraphy . Vol. 36, 1979, pp. 303-308, JSTOR 20185812 .
  • Paul Veyne : Bread and Games. Social power and political rule in ancient times. Campus-Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 1988, ISBN 3-593-33964-1 ; Paperback dtv, Munich 1994, ISBN 3-423-04639-2 . (French: Le pain et le cirque. Sociologie historique d'un pluralisme politique . Coll. Point Histoire, Éditions du Seuil, 1976.)

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Paul Veyne : Bread and Games. Social power and political rule in ancient times. Taschenbuch dtv, Munich 1994, ISBN 3-423-04639-2 , p. 201.