Athens Sources Flashcards
What is the Law of Solon ?
An adulterer may be put to death by the man who catches him in the act.
Who is Euphiletus ?
The husband who killed his wife’s lover Eratosphenes in Source 88
How are the women perceived in Source 88 ?
Cunning - Maid pinches the baby to distract him from knowing the lover was in the house
Victims - ‘your wife is not the only one he has seduced’,’he had first approached her after the funeral’ as Eratosothenes is demonised as a ‘villain’
Why does the ‘Son of the Women’ need to proof his mothers Marriage in source 86 ?
He needs to prove his mother is a full born Athenian citizen so that he able to make claims to his estate.
What is the Demesen ?
A social group. - all the wives of the Demesen ‘chose our mother to preside at the Thesemophoria ~ this shows is important to the well-being of Athenian society and is respectable enough to be part of the ceremony
What does the ‘Son of the Women’ in source 86 do to prove his an Athenian
- he also gave a marriage banquet to the phratry ( marriage union of two towns, shows it complied with customs)
- Introduced us to the phratry
- Father took an oath introducing the Children born from an Athenian citizen and lawfully wedded wife
Why is her name not mentioned ?
Because she is a respectable women
Who is Clytemnestra in source 89 and how is she perceived as ?
Is the wife of the deceased and caused murderer. She is not respectable as her name is spoken of.
- Evil Villain: ‘she destroyed him without mercy’, ‘he died by force an unwilling victim’
- Manipulator: Sold dreams to the maid to do her own bidding
Who is Neaera ?
She was a prostitute who married Stephanus the Athenian who claimed her daughter Phano as Athenian Citizen who married Phrastor
Why was it bad for a Non-Athenian to marry an Athenian ?
They did not have equal rights and standing in society. If an Alien married an Athenian citizen they shall be deprived of his status and his property shall be confiscated.
How is Neaera perceived ?
- Dirty ‘working as a prostitute, though she was not of age’
Slept with anyone and everyone ‘Xenoclides, who was barred from giving evidence’
‘ he made love to her openly, anywhere and everywhere’
She had orgies occasionally - Frivolous ‘She expected them to pay all her daily expenses’
Expected to have attention paid to her wishes
Why is the description of Phano’s mother so important ?
Like mother like Daughter. Women learnt their morals form their mother ‘she was not well-behaved nor willing to be guided by him’
What is source 90 and how are women perceived ?
The prosecution case against Neaera.
-Tricksters who have no morals | Neaera’s prostitute life | deifying the gods by attending religious festivals | She stole from Phrynion | Seduced and tricked a sick man
- Causing the break down of Society
‘Your laws will lose their force and the ways of harlots will be supreme’
What does the law decree about Women and Adulterers ?
‘She is forbidden to attend any of the public sacrifices even those which alien women/slaves attend’
Why was it so Wrong for Phano to be placed in religious festivals ?
She was given as a bride to Dionysus and the a King Archon.
‘To prevent respectable women from acquiring the same standing as Prostitutes’
