This paper analyzes the purpose and the outcome of the civic scrutiny or diapsephismos conducted in Athens after the tyrants’ expulsion and referred to by the author of the Athenian Constitution ([Arist.] Ath. Pol. 13. 5). A long standing traditional view associated the diapsephismos with the purpose of «the aristocrats» to purge the citizen rolls and to exclude as «impurely born» the newly enfranchised citizens who had come to share in the life of the polis under the tyranny. This paper aims to reject this communis opinio arguing that the diapsepshismos was instead the instrument adopted in Cleisthenes’ reform in order to formally include those «who were not of pure descent» into the group of citizens and to enroll them into the ten territorial tribes. In this context I also stress that the traditional view of the diapsephismos as a purging of the citizen-registers is affected by the reconstruction preserved in the Constitution of Athens, a reconstruction suitable to the ideology of the Athenian democracy on citizenship in fifth and fourh centuries B.C when the idea of the Athenians «pure by birth» was invented
The Greek term adeia corresponds to the concept of immunity as a special permission, such as safe conduct when passing through enemy territory, as well as the “immunity vote” granted in Athens by the Assembly (ekklesia) allowing the discussion of a subject which otherwise could not be discussed. The “immunity vote” was prescribed when persons with a statement to make were debarred from addressing the Assembly (e.g. slaves, metics, women, and criminals), or when the statement concerned an entrenched matter. In both cases, an Assembly competent to grant adeia required special definition as to the voting method (two votes at separate meetings before the action could be taken) and attendance (a quorum of 6000 votes)
Nel quinto libro dell’Etica Nicomachea Aristotele definisce la condizione necessaria perché una particolare specie di giustizia, il giusto politico (politikon dikaion), trovi attuazione: è l’esistenza di un ordine politico formalmente definito (politeia). Al centro della riflessione aristotelica sul giusto politico è il rapporto che passa tra questa particolare modalità di configurazione della giustizia e la politeia reale. È infatti la comprensione di quel rapporto a rendere intelligibili i fattori politici “indipendenti” (indipendenti cioè dalla natura, dalla necessità o dal caso) che condizionano la storia delle comunità politiche e che costituiscono l’oggetto di studio proprio della scienza politica. Attraverso la comparazione con la politeia Aristotele riflette sull’intelligibilità del giusto politico: in quanto si discosta dalla nozione assoluta di giustizia, come la politeia reale si discosta da quella ideale, il giusto politico diventa intelligibile.
The Greek term adeia means literally “absence of fear” and in Athenian Law indicates a special authorization or immunity from prosecution. The Athenian Assembly granted adeia to authorize deliberation on an entrenched piece of legislation, and about atimoi and public debtors or to confer immunity from legal prosecution in criminal investigation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.