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
A. The tribe (φυλή) of the Otorkondeis at the advice of their
treasurers and led by the priest of Artemis, decide to purchase from
Thraseas, son of Polites son of Melas of Grab ... and adopted son of
Heracleitos son of Heracleides of Ogonda, lands (γέας) in the Ombian
plain with the sixty-two ranks of vines, three olive trees, and all
the other trees without reserve, also lands elsewhere with the trees
without reserve for 5,000 drachmae of light Rhodian silver, provided
that Thraseas has the sale registered with sureties. Moreover,
Thraseas coming to the ekklesia declared that he was ready to manage
these things: and the sale having taken place of the said
(properties) to the trustees in the name of the god. Thraseas
himself then and there took on lease all the said (properties) from
the treasurers of the tribe: and he shall hold them (εἰς πατρικά)
for his patrimony, himself and his issue or those to whomsoever the
inheritance of his goods passes, and he shall pay annually to the
treasurers of the tribe 100 and ... drachmae, without fail or fraud.
B. ... all the land and trees which Thraseas has bought from
Artemisia, daughter of Hekataios of Ketambissos, without exception
in these places either in the matter of the share he took in the
division with his brother or of what he bought from Artemisia, all
for 7,000 drachmae of light silver of Rhodes, provided that Thraseas
register the sale and give sureties. And coming before the ekklesia
Thraseas declared that he was prepared to manage this; and the sale
of the foregoing having taken place to the trustees in the name of
the god, Thraseas himself then and there took on lease all the
foregoing from the treasurers of the tribe: and he shall hold them
(εἰς πατρικά) for his patrimony, himself and his issue or those to
whom the inheritance passes, and he shall pay annually to the
treasurers of the tribe 300 drachmae.
The rent forms part of the revenues of the god. If Thraseas gets
more than two years in arrear, the contract is annulled.
He shall not divide the land or share the rent (οὐ παραχωρήσει δὲ
Θρασέας ἑτέρῳ οὐδενὶ.... καταμερίζων τὰς γέας οὐδὲ καταδιελεῖ τὸν
φόρον).
M165 Perhaps due to the prevailing idea of the family as a continuing
unit.
M166 No final word can yet be said.
M167 Explanation of the structure of the kindred to be found in the
descent of city life from earlier stage of tribal society.
M168 Similarity between the bond of tribal blood and that of citizenship.
M169 The threefold bond:—
M170 (1) the bond of blood;
M171 (2) the bond of religion;
M172 (3) the bond of maintenance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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