Latest / Ancient Greece: Philosophy, Democracy, and Endless War — Fexingo History
Pericles' Citizenship Law: Who Was Really an Athenian
In 451 BCE, Pericles pushed through a radical law that redefined Athenian identity: only those with both a mother and father who were Athenian citizens could be citizens themselves. This episode explores the law's origins, its political motivations, and its devastating consequences. We discuss how it excluded tens of thousands, disenfranchised metics and women, and led to a bizarre census scandal in 445 BCE when the king of Egypt sent a grain dole that forced Athens to purge its rolls. We examine the law's role in fueling the Peloponnesian War, its impact on figures like Aspasia and…
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