Kinship in ancient Athens : an anthropological analysis

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Bibliographic Information

Kinship in ancient Athens : an anthropological analysis

S.C. Humphreys

Oxford University Press, 2018

  • : set
  • v. 1
  • v. 2

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Pagination of each vol.: v. 1. xxi, 533 p. -- v. 2. vi, [537]-1457 p.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [1231]-1367) and indexes

Description and Table of Contents

Description

The concept of kinship is at the heart of understanding not only the structure and development of a society, but also the day-to-day interactions of its citizens. Kinship in Ancient Athens aims to illuminate both of these issues by providing a comprehensive account of the structures and perceptions of kinship in Athenian society, covering the archaic and classical periods from Drakon and Solon up to Menander. Drawing on decades of research into a wide range of epigraphic, literary, and archaeological sources, and on S. C. Humphreys' expertise in the intersections between ancient history and anthropology, it not only puts a wealth of data at readers' fingertips, but subjects it to rigorous analysis. By utilizing an anthropological approach to reconstruct patterns of behaviour it is able to offer us an ethnographic 'thick description' of ancient Athenians' interaction with their kin that offers insights into a range of social contexts, from family life, rituals, and economic interactions, to legal matters, politics, warfare, and more. The work is arranged into two volumes, both utilizing the same anthropological approach to ancient sources. Volume I explores interactions and conflicts shaped by legal and economic constraints (adoption, guardianship, marriage, inheritance, property), as well as more optional relationships in the field of ritual (naming, rites de passage, funerals and commemoration, dedications, cultic associations) and political relationships, both formal (Assembly, Council) and informal (hetaireiai). Among several important and novel topics discussed are the sociological analysis of names and nicknames, the features of kin structure that advantaged or disadvantaged women in legal disputes, and the economic relations of dependence and independence between fathers and sons. Volume II deals with corporate groups recruited by patrifiliation and explores the role of kinship in these subdivisions of the citizen body: tribes and trittyes (both pre-Kleisthenic and Kleisthenic), phratries, gene, and demes. The section on the demes stresses variety rather than common features, and provides comprehensive information on location and prosopography in a tribally organized catalogue.

Table of Contents

VOL. 1 Frontmatter Preface List of Tables List of Abbreviations Key to Reading Tables 0: Introduction Part 1: Legal and Economic Interaction 1: Drakon and Solon 2: Adoption 3: Guardianship 4: Marriage with Kin 5: Property 6: Economic Cooperation 7: Disputes Part 2: Ritual 8: Names 9: Rites de Passage 10: Funerals and Burials 11: Commemoration 12: Festivals, Associations, Dedications Part 3: Politics, Informal 13: Young Men's Social Groupings 14: Political Marriages, Lawsuits, Curse Tablets Part 4: Politics, Formal 15: Paredroi, Ostracism, the Thirty 16: Ambassadors, Generals, Military Commands 17: Council and Assembly VOL. 2 Part 5: Corporate Groups 18: The Pre-Kleisthenic Tribes and Trittyes 19: The Phratries 20: The Gene 21: The Kleisthenic Tribes and Trittyes Part 6: The Demes 22: The Demes: Introduction 23: I Erechtheis 24: II Aigeis 25: III Pandionis 26: IV Leontis 27: V Akamantis 28: VI Oineis 29: VII Kekropis 30: VIII Hippothontis 31: IX Aiantis 32: X Antiochis Appendices 1. Lists 2. The Hekatostai Records 3. IG ii3 4. 325 4. Lykourgos' Sons 5. POxy 2464 Endmatter Bibliography Index of Sources: Inscriptions and papyri Texts Vases Index of Proper Names Subject Index

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