From slave to free : a legal perspective on Greek manumission
This work analyses the most important sources for manumission in Ancient Greece from a legal perspective, with the aim of unearthing the legal concepts and definitions that informed the liberation of slaves in the ancient documents. More specifically, this study will examine the legal nature of manumission in exchange for money while also analysing the legal condition of those áŒÏÎ"Î"Î"ÏÎžÎ"ÏÎżÎč who, after their liberation, were required to perform ÏÎ±ÏÎ±ÎŒÎżÎœÎź-services towards their former masters. This analysis will focus on the origins of manumission in Greece (which can be traced back to the Homeric poems), on the body of Hellenistic inscriptions from Delphi and Chaeronea, on some forensic speeches from Classical Athens and, finally, on the so-called âpublic manumissionsâ. All these sources are unequivocal in showing that, on the one hand, manumission in exchange for money had the nature of a bilateral legal transaction between the slavesâ masters and a third party, other than the slaves; and on the other hand, that the legal condition of manumitted slaves is always understood as one of freedom, independently of the possible imposition of post-manumission obligations upon them. This work
Zanovello, Sara Linda
Classics ; Ancient Greece
From slave to free : a legal perspective on Greek manumission. This work analyses the most important sources for manumission in Ancient Greece from a legal perspective, with the aim of unearthing the legal concepts and definitions that informed the liberation of slaves in the ancient documents. More specifically, this study will examine the legal nature of manumission in exchange for money while also analysing the legal condition of those áŒÏÎ"Î"Î"ÏÎžÎ"ÏÎżÎč who, after their liberation, were required to perform ÏÎ±ÏÎ±ÎŒÎżÎœÎź-services towards their former masters. This analysis will focus on the origins of manumission in Greece (which can be traced back to the Homeric poems), on the body of Hellenistic inscriptions from Delphi and Chaeronea, on some forensic speeches from Classical Athens and, finally, on the so-called âpublic manumissionsâ. All these sources are unequivocal in showing that, on the one hand, manumission in exchange for money had the nature of a bilateral legal transaction between the slavesâ masters and a third party, other than the slaves; and on the other hand, that the legal condition of manumitted slaves is always understood as one of freedom, independently of the possible imposition of post-manumission obligations upon them. This work
slave free legal perspective greek work analysis important source ancient_greece legal perspective aim legal concept definition inform liberation slave ancient_document specifically study examine legal nature exchange money also_analyse legal condition liberation require perform services towards former master analysis focus origins greece trace_back homeric poem body hellenistic inscription delphi forensic speech classical_athens finally so_called public source unequivocal showing one_hand exchange money nature bilateral legal transaction slave master third party slave hand legal condition slave always understand freedom independently possible imposition post obligation upon them work