On The Structure of Greek Tribal Society: An EssaySeebohm, Hugh E. (Hugh Exton)
History
On The Structure of Greek Tribal Society: An Essay
Seebohm, Hugh E. (Hugh Exton)
Greece -- History; Greece -- Law -- Antiquities; Greece -- Social life and customs; Land tenure -- Greece; Tribes
“She who has not a brother ... let not a wise man marry her,
through fear of the law about a daughter’s son.”(60)
Again Isaeus:—
“We, because of our nearness of kin, would have been compelled to
maintain (γηροτροφεῖν) our aged grandfather and either ourselves
marry Cleonymos’ (our uncle’s) daughters or give them away with
their portions to others and all this our kinship, the laws, and
_our shame_ would have compelled us to perform or incur the
greatest penalties and the _utmost disgrace_.”(61)
(M32) In the laws of Gortyn very clear rules are laid down to be followed
where there were difficulties in the way of the heiress marrying the next
of kin.
“The heiress shall marry the eldest brother of her father that is
alive. If there are more heiresses and uncles, they shall ever
marry the eldest. If there are no uncles but sons of uncles, she
shall marry the son of her father’s eldest brother. If there are
more than one heiress and sons of uncles, they shall ever marry
the son of the eldest in order: but a man shall not marry more
than one heiress”(62)
There is also a statement made by Demosthenes(63) that sounds as if it
might have come from the _Ordinances of Manu_. It is there stated that if
there were more than one heiress, _only one_ need be dealt with in respect
to _providing succession_, though all shared in the property.
The law of Gortyn goes on:—
“If the man will not marry her, though of age and wishing to
marry, the guardians of the heiress shall sue, and the judge shall
condemn him to marry her in two months. If he will not marry her,
according to the law, she shall have all the property and shall
marry the next of kin (after him) if there is one....
“If she is of age and does not wish to marry the next of kin or if
he is a minor and she does not wish to wait, she ... can marry
whom she will of those who claim her of the tribe. But she shall
apportion off his share of the property to the first of kin.
“If there are no kin to her, she shall have all the property and
marry whom she will of the tribe.
“If no one of the tribe will marry her, her guardians shall ask
throughout the tribe, ‘ Will any marry her?’ And if any one then
marries her, he shall do it in thirty days after the ‘asking.’ But
if there is still no one, she shall marry any one else she can.”
Such pains were taken to find a representative for the deceased in his
family, or at any rate in his _tribe_.(64)
(M33) The same questions seem to have arisen amongst the Israelites in the
time of Moses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account