Neos Dionysos Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 I'd like to open up this discussion on Metics, (though they were more known in simply Athens), being the non-citizens and resident alieans of a greek polis, notably that of Athens. Many were ex-slaves, some simply moved to the city during it's time at the top and helped bolster the local economy, even if you were the richest man in Athens you would not be a citizen, and it appears many metics, were middle class to very rich, and could not change what they were at birth. Many metics after so many generations would try to pass themselves off as citizens and there were many who were caught and sent to slavery, in the very rare occasions, metics were granted citizenship, though while they did not enjoy privileges of citizenship, they had to endure it's responsiblities of taxation, paying for major events or celebrations, and serving in the military. Does anyone have any information they contribute? Any references to them would also be helpful since I have come across only one book, and I am highly considering this for a topic for a term paper... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 I think they were resident aliens of any Greek town. Like you said they couldn't own land or marry a citizen. I imagine Plato would have some things to say about them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neos Dionysos Posted January 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 I think they were resident aliens of any Greek town. Like you said they couldn't own land or marry a citizen. I imagine Plato would have some things to say about them? No they could own land, in fact, they could own a lot of land... but they could not vote, could not marry citizens, (at least in Athens since they are the best source we have on them overal), and Aristophanes speaks of them in his plays often, though not in great detail, they are more less background characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantagathus Posted January 24, 2006 Report Share Posted January 24, 2006 No they could own land, in fact, they could own a lot of land... It must have varied because some of the descriptions I've reads says that though they were afforded with certain rights, owning land was not one of them. At least in the city where they were a resident alien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted January 27, 2006 Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 "Metics could not own land in Athenian territory without special permission, but they enjoyed legal rights in Athenian courts that other foreigners lacked. In return, Metics paid taxes and served in the army when called upon." --- Thomas Martin. _Ancient Greece_ It should be noted that - outside of Athens - the arts and crafts and mundane trades had a very secondary place in Greek culture. War and politics were considered the proper professions for the male citizen. With the duly designated citizens controlling war and politics, trade and arts/crafts were taken up by the metics. The Metics could become very rich then, but they did not have full legal or political status in their polis, they had to pay taxes, and in an emergency they had to serve in the military alongside the citizens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neos Dionysos Posted January 27, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2006 The Metics could become very rich then, but they did not have full legal or political status in their polis, they had to pay taxes, and in an emergency they had to serve in the military alongside the citizens. I knew that... war and politics were inseperable and a part of the life of the culture. It is interesting to see just how rich some became, I recall coming across how a Metic was granted citizenship because he had payed/was paying for naval campaigns for an entire year. Which I wonder is if because he was doing this, or if he told him, "Hey, if I you don't make me a citizen, I ain't signing no more checks.". LoL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sullafelix Posted February 21, 2006 Report Share Posted February 21, 2006 Right...don't worry I have checked my info carefully before writing this time (ahem) Metics legal position metics interests in Athens were the responsibility of the Polemarch's court they were legally prostatai they had proper status though. Aristophanes mentions them Ar.Acharn.508* The when and where aspects It is reckoned that at the time of the Persians expulsion from Athens there were not a whole load of Metics there. However, an enormous upturn in the wealth of Athens and her glory days brought an influx of them so that by 431 3,000 servedwith the Athenians (Thuc.ii.31.2). It is worth remembering that to serve with the hoplites you had to be of a certain degree of substance so it is liekly that there were even more small scale traders and so on as well. The general esimate is 10k but was prob larger check out the following source references Diod.xi.43.3* about releasing metics from taxes to encourage them to come to Athens. Overall it si thought that the metics were better treated and encouraged by Athens which is why they went in such numers. Remember the cncept of a multiracial nation is new when discussing citizenship. the concept of giving citizenship to someone of a different race was alien (no pun intended!) * I haven't got all the abbreviation keys to hand sorry but if you can't get them your end let me know but there is stuff out there..sounds like an interesting paper Sulla Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aphrodite Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 (edited) I have found the following article on the definition of a Metic.... As the Greek polis evolved it sought to differentiate, amongst its inhabitants, between insiders and outsiders. Insiders par excellence were its own members, the citizens; palpable outsiders were its slaves, indigenous or imported (see slavery); but this simple dichotomy would have sufficed only for communities like Sparta which discouraged immigration. Elsewhere it was necessary to recognize free persons who lived, temporarily or permanently, in the polis without becoming its citizens. Several-oikos words are attested of such persons, with metoikos ( Edited March 13, 2006 by Aphrodite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neos Dionysos Posted March 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 Thanks... I've taken a look at Whitehead's work and it is very good sourcebook though, the information and his sources are all over the place and no where would I be able to use it to the full extent with the time limit I have on my term paper... so... I switched over to a different subject but using Eva Kleus' "The Reign of the Phallus" as my main secondary source, besides Aristophanes, Euripdies and Xenophon for primary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aphrodite Posted March 13, 2006 Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 What is your new essay title? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neos Dionysos Posted March 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2006 "Repression of Women and Early Feminism in Ancient Athens" ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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