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The thetes of Athens

Dynamics and developments of the Athenian lower classes (7th to 4th centuries BC)

by Miriam Valdés Guía (Author)
Monographs 200 Pages

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Summary

The main aim of this book is to study the Athenian lower classes between the 7th and 4th centuries BC, with the emphasis on the thetes. The word thes had a double meaning in ancient Athens: a day labourer and/or wage earner (generally a pauper without land) and a member of the Solonian census class. Based on this scheme, the intention here is to examine the ways in which both meanings overlapped throughout that historical period.
Within the framework of this evolution, the book addresses the different aspects that are necessary for understanding the meaning of the word thetes in relation to the social, economic, political and cultural status of those who were called as such. This involves identifying the different situations in which the thetes found themselves in ancient Athens over time.
All these issues are addressed in this book diachronically, thus offering a comprehensive overview of the historical evolution of the Athenian lower classes.

Details

Pages
200
ISBN (PDF)
9783631935460
ISBN (ePUB)
9783631935477
DOI
10.3726/b22754
Language
English
Publication date
2025 (April)
Keywords
Ancient Athens Ancient Greek Social and Cultural History Athenian census classes Athenian Democracy History “from below” Lower classes in Athenian Democracy Thetes
Product Safety
Peter Lang Group AG

Biographical notes

Miriam Valdés Guía (Author)

Miriam A. Valdés Guía is Professor in the department of Prehistory, Ancient History and Archaeology at the Complutense University of Madrid. She has been coordinator of the master’s in history and sciences of Antiquity and the PhD in Ancient World Studies at the same university and is currently directing the consolidated Research Group on Ancient Greek History of the department.

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Title: The thetes of Athens