Strangers in the Hellenistic polis of Rhodes. Between closeness and distance

ISBN-13: 9783110570809

short text

Migration and mobility can be described as defining features of the Hellenistic era. Research on the Hellenistic polis has recently focused on these phenomena in particular and has focused on the forms of networking between different polises . In contrast, there has not yet been a systematic study of the social impact of these new framework conditions on the citizenship of a polis and how the spatial coexistence of citizens and non-citizens was shaped. Rhodes offers a particularly instructive case study in this regard. Favored by its location on the central trade routes, the polis managed to become an important sea and trading power during this period and was therefore attractive to many foreigners.

The favourable, primarily epigraphic sources allow us to take a closer look at the social position of the foreigners. Based on the legal status of non-citizens, the aim of this study is to distinguish different groups of non-citizens, to examine the forms of interaction between strangers and polis citizens, and to ask about the possibilities of social mobility. The central areas of life of the residents of the polis are examined in detail in order to identify concrete areas of inclusion and exclusion.

Tags: polis history, society, polis communities, population, Rhodes, Hellenism, strangers, mobility, migration, acculturation, inscriptions, epigraphy, citizens.

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