Download Metics

Athenian Society:
Nobles/ Citizens (eupatridae)
When a young Athenian male turned 18, he had to show that he was eligible for
citizenship by proving that he was born in Athens, that both of his parents were
also born in Athens. At the age of 18 they also took the Ephebic Oath of loyalty.
Ephebic Oath:
I will not disgrace the sacred arms, nor will I abandon the man next to me,
whoever he may be. I will bring aid to the ritual of the state, and to the holy
duties, both alone and in company with many. I will obey those who from time to
time are judges; I will obey the established statutes (laws), and whatever other
regulations the people shall enact. If anyone shall attempt to destroy the statutes,
I will not permit it, but will repel him both alone and with all. I will honor the
ancestral faith.
Excerpt from the Ephebic Oath
Responsibilities
All Athenian citizens, whether rich or poor, were expected to be interested in
everything about their city-state and to be well informed about politics. They
took this responsibility very seriously. One of their chief duties was to attend the
Ecclesia people’s assembly where they could take part in debates and vote on
important issues. Also, at the age of 30, an Athenian citizen was expected to hold
one of the many jobs involved in running the state, such as the Boule know as the
Council of 500.
Between the ages of 20 and 60, citizens were expected to be prepared for
military service if an emergency occurred. Citizens who could afford to provide
their own armour and equipment made up the Athenian army. Poorer citizens,
know as thetes, were rowers in the navy. In Athens only citizens were allowed to
own land this made them feel superior to other groups in society.
A good education:
The education of Athenian
citizens consisted of 3 basic
courses. The first course,
"Grammata" (the letters),
included reading, writing and
arithmetic’s. The teacher was
called "Grammatistes" (teacher
of letters). When the children
had a good command of the
language, they were introduced
to the great poets works like
Homer´s Iliad and Odyssey.
Athenian Men vote to ostracize a fellow citizen in the
Athenian Agora.
Athenian Society:
Metics
Metics were free resident aliens who lived permanently in the city. The majority
of metics had come to Athens to benefit from the Athenian economic miracle, and
were usually involved in commerce. It is noteworthy that ancient sources
contrast metics not with the citizens but with the townsfolk. Only a small
percentage of metics were former slaves who had opted to stay on in Athens
after being given their freedom.
Rights:
A metic did not have the right to acquire land or a house. This right was only
given to a foreigner by the city in recognition of services rendered. Moreover, a
metic was liable for an annual tax - twelve drachmai for a man, six for a woman.
This payment, the metoikion, was not a punishing sum: it was a day's wage for a
working man.
Importance of the metics:
Some metics played an important role in the Athenian economy, including
prominent entrepreneurs in particularly lucrative financial operations such as
commerce, industry, or banking ventures. But on the whole they were involved
in less profitable occupations - for instance as cooks, gardeners and workmen
engaged on public buildings (the Erechtheion in 409/8 and 408/7 B.C.; Eleusis in
329/8 B.C.), cooks and gardeners. Because of their jobs, metics tended to live in
demes either in or next to the asty.
Archaeological finds, inscriptions from gravestones, tell us that in the Classical
period demes such as Melite (in north-west Athens) and Piraeus had the highest
concentrations of metics. Although the metics may have been a special social
group, subject to legal restrictions and without the right to participate directly in
the political process, this did not stop them playing an active part in Athenian
social life.
Daily life:
They became friends with Athenian citizens, held symposia, they took part in city
festivals and made personal
contributions for the
endowment of altars and even
for putting up building
installations, as in Piraeus.
Votes of thanks to metics are
frequent from the fourth
century B.C., indicating an
increase in the number of
sponsorships by them and that
the value of their contribution
was now being recognized by
the city.
A symposium, or drinking party, in ancient Greece.
Athenian Society:
Slaves:
Slavery was one of the key aspects of Greek life: in Athens it was the backbone of
their society, so important that the number of slaves outnumbered the citizens.
Although there were a lot of slaves it is believed that the Athenians respected
and even formed relationships with their slaves, although this depended on the
type of slave.
Types of slaves:
There were three main types of slaves found in Athens: the first was the
household slave, who in many regards would have had a relatively good life and
good treatment. There were also the entertainment slaves who had
opportunities to improve their standing in society. The final type of slave was the
laboring and skilled slave, whose treatment rested on their occupation. Athenian
slaves had many opportunities to improve their lives as well as being able to rely
on laws to protect them, allowing for treatment that was almost equal to that of
an Athenian citizen.
Importance:
Slaves were an important social group in Athens, fundamental to the Athenian
economy. In the second half of the fifth century, there were twice as many slaves
as citizens. Most slaves were non-Greeks. Some came to Athens as prisoners of
war. Others were captured by pirates and sold to Greek traders who auctioned
them off to the highest bidder in the marketplace in Athens (agora). A slave was
usually the property of an owner, and rich owners often owned large number. A
special group of slaves who were owned by the state were archers from Scythia
who were responsible for keeping Athenians citizens in order in the Ecclesia
(assembly). These men had more status than other slaves.
Treatment:
Athenian slaves were treated well
because of the laws that protected them,
the principles the Athenians held dear
and the opportunities they had for
improving their life. For the household
slave living close to their master
benefitted them with greater
opportunities for kindness and
manumission. The entertaining slaves had
poor living conditions but they formed
relationships to benefit themselves and
had many opportunities to improve their
lives. Although there were times when
Athenians treated their slaves badly, most
slaves had rights and opportunities that
made their treatment almost equal to that
of the citizens.
Slavery in Athens
Athenian Society:
Women:
Women in Classical Athens (5th and 4th centuries BC)
were generally seen as inferior to men. However, this
depended on whether they were a slave, or a housewife.
Each of these classes of women were looked at differently
and played different roles in Athens.
Housewives:
Becoming a housewife was the expected role of Classical Athenian women.
After marrying and having children, the women were in charge of all household
duties. The duties of a household wife depended on whether or not the
household was rich or poor. In a rich household, the wife would distribute jobs
to the slaves working both inside and outside of the house. Housewives not only
were responsible for the slaves; they also had the task of training the household
workers.
In poor households, the wife had many more duties, as poor households had no
slaves to assist with the work. Additional duties for a poor housewife would
include shopping for food, making the family's clothing, and retrieving water. A
poor housewife would be likely to acquire a job to assist with the finances of the
household. These jobs could include acting as a wet-nurse midwife or smalltime market trader.
“ A good woman is the rudder of her household. A sympathetic wife is man’s
chiefest treasure…She bears him children; She watches o’er his couch, if he be sick,
with tender care; she’s ever by his side. When the fortune frowns; and should he
chance to die, the last sad rites with
honour due she pays.”
Menander, an Athenian dramatist, describes
Religious participation:
some qualities of a good women in Ancient
Athens
Religion was the one area of public life
where women could participate freely. In Athens, the priestess of Athena (the
city's eponymous goddess) held much honor. She was consulted for major
decisions and her words were well respected. During the Panathenaea (a festival
to celebrate the birthday of Athena) the virgin daughters of nobles were chosen
to carry sacred baskets in the procession.
Influence:
Athenian women took little part in economic or political life. An Athenian
woman’s status improved if she gave birth to a boy as it ensured a continuation
of a male line.