Home Citizenship for sale?
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Citizenship for sale?

Grants of politeia for money: a reappraisal
  • Sviatoslav Dmitriev EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: May 31, 2023
Become an author with De Gruyter Brill

Abstract

Reexamining inscriptional and literary sources on grants of politeia by ancient Greek cities in exchange for money allows us to rethink the commonly accepted interpretation of these grants as the sale of citizenship. This article argues that such grants actually reciprocated benefactions that involved a financial expenditure in the interests of the city. These grants could be interpreted as a sale of politeia, similar to today’s grants of citizenship offered by many countries in return for investments. However, like these modern gifts of citizenship, the grants in ancient Greece reflected a basic norm that politeia could only be conferred on benefactors.

Acknowledgments

A shorter version of this paper was offered at the conference Citizenship in Classical Antiquity: current perspectives and challenges (UCL, 1-3 July 2019). I am indebted to its organizers—Jakub Filonik, Christine Plastow and Roel Konijnendijk—for their kind invitation, and to Thomas Figueira and the Editor for helpful suggestions.

Bibliography:

Avram, A. “Le rôle des époikoi dans la colonization grecque en mer Noire: quelques études de cas.” Pallas 89 (2012): 197–215.10.4000/pallas.854Search in Google Scholar

Baslez, M.-F.L’Étranger dans la Grèce antique. Paris: Les Belles Lettres, 1984.Search in Google Scholar

Bingen, J. “Inscription d’Achaïe.” BCH 78 (1954): 74–88.10.3406/bch.1954.2434Search in Google Scholar

Brunet, S. “Olympic hopefuls from Ephesus.” Journal of Sport History 30 (2003): 219–235.Search in Google Scholar

Davies, J. “Athenian citizenship: the descent group and the alternatives.” CJ 73 (1977–78): 105–121; repr. in Athenian Democracy, ed. by P Rhodes, 18–39. Oxford: Oxford U. P., 2004.10.1515/9781474471985-007Search in Google Scholar

Davies, J. “Cultural, social and economic features of the Hellenistic world.” In The Cambridge Ancient History2, vol. 7.1. Ed. by F. Walbank, et al., 257–320. Cambridge: Cambridge U.P., 1984.10.1017/CHOL9780521234450.009Search in Google Scholar

Domingo Gygax, M. “Contradictions et asymétrie dans l’évergétisme grec: bienfaiteurs étrangers et citoyens entre image et réalité.” Dialogues d’histoire ancienne 32 (2006): 9–23.10.3406/dha.2006.2998Search in Google Scholar

Domingo Gygax, M. “Proleptic honours in Greek euergetism.” Chiron 39 (2009): 163–191.Search in Google Scholar

Domingo Gygax, M.Benefactions and Rewards in the Ancient Greek City. Cambridge: Cambridge U. P., 2016.10.1017/CBO9781139031820Search in Google Scholar

Figueira, T. Athens and Aigina in the Age of Imperial Colonization. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins U. P., 1991. Search in Google Scholar

Fortenbaugh, W. and D. Gutas. Theophrastus. London: Routledge, 2017.Search in Google Scholar

Fortenbaugh, W. Theophrastus of Eresus. Vol. 1. Leiden: Brill, 1992.10.1163/9789004326064_002Search in Google Scholar

Garland, R. Wandering Greeks. Princeton: Princeton U. P., 2014.10.23943/princeton/9780691161051.001.0001Search in Google Scholar

Gauthier, P. “῾Générosité’ romaine et ῾avarice’ grecque. Sur l’octroi du droit de cite.” In Mélanges d’histoire ancienne offerts à W. Seston, 207–215. Paris: de Boccard, 1974; repr. in Gauthier (2011), 3–12. Search in Google Scholar

Gauthier, P.Un commentaire historique des Poroi de Xénophon. Geneva: Droz, 1976.Search in Google Scholar

Gauthier, P. “La citoyenneté en Grèce et à Rome: participation et intégration.” Ktèma 6 (1981): 167–179; repr. in Gauthier (2011), 13–34.Search in Google Scholar

Gauthier, P. “Les cités hellénistiques: épigraphie et histoire des institutions et des régimes politiques.” In Acts of the VIIIth International Congress of Greek and Latin Epigraphy, Athens, 3-9 October 1982, ed. by A. Kalogeropoulou, 82–107. Athens: Hypourgeio Politismou kai Epistēmōn, 1984 a; repr. in Gauthier (2011), 315–350.Search in Google Scholar

Gauthier, P. “Le programme de Xénophon dans les Poroi.” RPhil 58 (1984b): 181–191; repr. in Gauthier (2011), 221–244.Search in Google Scholar

Gauthier, P.Les cités grecques et leurs bienfaiteurs. Paris: de Boccard, 1985.Search in Google Scholar

Gauthier, P. “Epigraphica.” RPhil 64 (1990): 61–70. 10.1080/0300443900640107Search in Google Scholar

Gauthier, P.Études d’histoire et d’institutions grecques. Ed. by D. Rousset. Geneva: Droz, 2011.Search in Google Scholar

Gawantka, W.Isopolitie. Munich: Beck, 1978.Search in Google Scholar

Habicht, C. “Samische Volksbeschlüsse der hellenistischen Zeit.” AM 72 (1957 [1958]): 152–274.Search in Google Scholar

Hamon, P.Corpus des inscriptions de Thasos, III. Documents publics du quatrième siècle et de l’époque hellénistique. Athens: École française d’Athènes, 2019.10.2307/j.ctv1q26pkhSearch in Google Scholar

Holleaux, M. “Éphèse et les Priéniens du Charax.” RÉG 29 (1916): 29–45.10.3406/reg.1916.7491Search in Google Scholar

Knibbe, D., H. Engelmann, and B. İplikçioğlu. “Neue Inschriften aus Ephesos, XI.” JÖAI 59 (1989): 162–238.Search in Google Scholar

Kralli, I. The Hellenistic Peloponnese. Swansea: Classical Press of Wales, 2017.10.2307/j.ctt1z27gpzSearch in Google Scholar

Kyle, D.Sport and Spectacle in the Ancient World. 2nd ed. Chichester: Wiley Blackwell, 2015.Search in Google Scholar

Lasagni, C. “Politeia in Greek federal states.” In Citizens in the Graeco-Roman World, ed. by L. Cecchet and A. Busetto, 78–109. Leiden: Brill, 2017.10.1163/9789004352612_005Search in Google Scholar

Lehner, M. “Die Agonistik im Ephesos der römischen Kaiserzeit.” Diss. Munich University, 2004.Search in Google Scholar

Lonis, R.La cité dans le monde grec. 2nd ed. Paris: Nathan, 2000.Search in Google Scholar

Magnetto, A.L’arbitrato di Rodi fra Samo e Priene. Pisa: Edizioni della Normale, 2008.Search in Google Scholar

Mavelli, L. “Citizenship for sale and the neoliberal political economy of belonging.” International Studies Quarterly 62 (2018): 482–493.10.1093/isq/sqy004Search in Google Scholar

McCabe, D. Ephesos Insciptions. Princeton: Institute for Advanced Study, 1991.Search in Google Scholar

Migeotte, L.L’emprunt public dans les cités grecques. Québec: Sphinx, 1984.Search in Google Scholar

Migeotte, L.Les finances des cités grecques aux périodes classique et hellénistique. Paris: Les Belles Lettres, 2014.Search in Google Scholar

Müller, C. “Epaminondas et les euergètes de la cité d’Akraiphia au Ier s. de n. ère.” In 2. Diethnes Synedrio Boiotikon Meleton 1992 II, ed. by A. Christopoulou, 455–467. Athens: Etaireia Boiōtikón Meletón, 1995.Search in Google Scholar

Müller, C. “Évergétisme et pratiques financiers dans les cités de la Grèce hellénistique.” RÉA 113 (2011): 345–363. 10.3406/rea.2011.6710Search in Google Scholar

Müller, C. “Le prestige peut-il s’acheter? Réflexions sur la vente de la citoyenneté et des honneurs dans les cités grecques aux époques hellénistique et romaine.” In Le prestige à Rome à la fin de la République et au début du Principat, ed. by R. Baudry and F. Hurliet, 281–294. Paris: de Boccard, 2016.Search in Google Scholar

Ogden, D.Greek Bastardy in the Classical and Hellenistic Periods. Oxford: Oxford U. P., 1996.10.1093/oso/9780198150190.001.0001Search in Google Scholar

Oliver, G. “Citizenship: inscribed honours for individuals in Classical and Hellenistic Athens.” In Individus, groupes et politique à Athènes de Solon à Mithridate, ed. by J.-C. Couvenhes and S. Milanezi, 273–292. Tours: Presses universitaires François-Rabelais, 2007 a.10.4000/books.pufr.2899Search in Google Scholar

Oliver, G. War, Food, and Politics in Early Hellenistic Athens. Oxford: Oxford U. P., 2007 b.10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199283507.001.0001Search in Google Scholar

Oliver, J. “Epaminondas of Acraephia.” GRBS 12 (1971): 221–237.10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a096142Search in Google Scholar

Osborne, M. Naturalization in Athens, vol. 3–4, Brussels: AWLSK, 1983.Search in Google Scholar

Papazoglou, F. Laoi et Paroikoi. Recherches sur la structure de la société hellénistique. Belgrade: Université de Belgrade, 1997.Search in Google Scholar

Petrakos, V. Hoi epigraphes tou Oropou. Athens: Archaiologike Etaireia, 1997.Search in Google Scholar

Petrakos, V. Ho demos tou Ramnountos, vol. 2: Hoi epigraphes. Athens: Archaiologike Etaireia, 1999.Search in Google Scholar

Pouilloux, J.Recherches sur l’histoire et les cultes de Thasos, vol. 1: De la fondation de la cité à 196 avant J.-C. Paris: de Boccard, 1954.Search in Google Scholar

Pouilloux, J.Choix d’inscriptions grecques. Paris: Les Belles Lettres, 1960.Search in Google Scholar

Rizakis, A. “La politeia dans les cités de la confédération achéene.” Tyche 5 (1990): 109–134.10.15661/tyche.1990.005.15Search in Google Scholar

Rizakis, A. Achaïe III. Les cités achéennes: épigraphie et histoire. Athens: Centre de recherches de l’Antiquité grecque et romaine, 2008.Search in Google Scholar

Robert, J. and L. Robert. Fouilles d’Amyzon en Carie, tome 1: Exploration, histoire, monnaies et inscriptions. Paris: de Boccard, 1983.Search in Google Scholar

Robert, L. “Sur un diction relatif à Phasélis. La vente du droit de cite.” In Hellenica. Recueil d’épigraphie, de numismatique et d’antiquités grecques, vol. 1, 37–42. Limoges: Imp. A. Bontemps, 1940.Search in Google Scholar

Robert, L. “Sur des inscriptions d’Éphèse.” RPh 41 (1967): 7–84; repr. in L. Robert, Opera Minora Selecta V, 347–424. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1989. Search in Google Scholar

Rostovtzeff, M. Social and Economic History of the Hellenistic World, vol. 3. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon, 1953.Search in Google Scholar

Roueché, C.Performers and Partisans at Aphrodisias in the Roman and Late Roman Periods. London: Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies, 1993.Search in Google Scholar

Saba, S. Isopoliteia in Hellenistic Times. Leiden: Brill, 2020.10.1163/9789004425705Search in Google Scholar

Segre, M. “Decreto di Aspendos.” Aegyptus 14 (1934): 253–268. Search in Google Scholar

Shachar, A. “Citizenship for sale?” In The Oxford Handbook of Citizenship, ed. by A. Shachar et al., 789–816. Oxford: Oxford U. P., 2017.10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198805854.013.34Search in Google Scholar

Stern, J. “A propos de la vente du droit de cité. Les ἑξαμναῖοι d’Éphèse.” Chiron 17 (1987): 293–298.Search in Google Scholar

Szanto, E.Das Griechische Bürgerrecht. Freiburg: Mohr, 1892.Search in Google Scholar

Thür, G. and H. Taeuber. Prozessrechtliche Inschriften der Griechischen Poleis: Arkadien. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1994.Search in Google Scholar

Walser, A. Bauern und Zinsnehmer: Politik, Recht und Wirtschaft im frühhellenistischen Ephesos. Munich: Beck, 2008.Search in Google Scholar

Wilhelm, A.Neue Beiträge zur griechischen Inschriftenkunde: I. Vienna: A. Hölder, 1911; repr. in A. Wilhelm, Akademieschriften zur griechischen Inschriftenkunde, 1895–1951, vol. 1: 19–81. Leipzig: Zentralantiquariat der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, 1974.Search in Google Scholar

Wilhelm, A.Neue Beiträge zur griechischen Inschriftenkunde: IV. Vienna: A. Hölder, 1915; repr. in A. Wilhelm, Akademieschriften zur griechischen Inschriftenkunde, 1895–1951, vol. 1: 177–243. Leipzig: Zentralantiquariat der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, 1974.Search in Google Scholar

Wörrle, M. “Epigraphische Forschungen zur Geschichte Lykiens I.” Chiron 27 (1977): 43–66.Search in Google Scholar

Zuiderhoek, A. The Politics of Munificence in the Roman Empire. Cambridge: Cambridge U. P., 2009.10.1017/CBO9780511576508Search in Google Scholar

Published Online: 2023-05-31
Published in Print: 2023-05-27

© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

Downloaded on 25.10.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/jah-2022-0018/html
Scroll to top button