Study Of The Classical Period In Athens Family

This dissertation inquires into the family of the classical Athens systematically and comprehensively, and tries to show that the meanings of the oikos changes with the change of the family's function in the history. Some affairs of the family, such as marriage, heritage, and the relation between husband and wife, and that of father and son, are private, but the city-state often intervenes in them, so they also take on the public characteristics. The city-state intervenes the family affairs, as well as keep the independence of family,reciprocal profile is the key of this relation.The dissertation is divided five chapters, Chapter one recounts the meanings of the oikos, studies the signification of the genos, analyses the changes of these terms in the ancient history. In chapter two, three, and four, by studying the marriage, the relationship within the family, and heritage ,the author expresses that the personal affairs in the family are not purely private because of the impact of the city-state. Chapter two expounds on the character of the marriage of Athens by analyzing the process of it which includes betrothal, wedding, and wedding feast. As a matter of fact, the marriage of Athens is dual trait, namely it is private, as well as public. In chapter three, the author investigates the relation between husband and wife, and that of father and son, in practice, they have been affected by the city-state. Chapter four explains the heritage of the Athenian family, the city-state also pays attention to the inheritance and succession, legislation is the main means of city-state to intervene these affairs. In the chapter five, the author shows the relation between oikos and polis, on the one hand, oikos and polis are opposite each other, on the other hand, they are supplement each other.