Solon’s Citizenship Law (Plu. Sol. 24.4)
Solon’s Citizenship Law (Plu. Sol. 24.4)
Date
Authors
Papachrysostomou, Athina
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Franz Steiner Verlag
Abstract
The paper offers an interpretation of Solon's citizenship law (Plu. Sol. 24.4), focusing on its importance (the first of its kind) and its (occasionally misunderstood) meaning. Solon's law restricted the bestowal of Athenian citizenship rights only to the perpetual exiles and those who came to Athens with their entire family to practise a trade. Thereby Solon wished to limit transient settlement and labour in Attica in the early sixth century BC, thus providing for political and economic stability. The clarification of both the law's meaning and Solon's intentions is necessary, given the past and recent problematic readings of Plutarch's text.
Description
Keywords
Solon, Citizenship law, Athens, Plutarch, Participation, Integration, Non-Athenians, Exiles