Próxenos, métoikos, isotelés. The Integration of Foreigners in Athens

Abstract

Funerary inscriptions can be a source of direct or indirect evidence for the study of those Athenian institutions aiming to integrate the foreigners in the polis. This paper presents a selection of significant epitaphs. On the one hand the most ancient examples for the words próxenos and métoikos in Athens are found in funerary inscriptions. The inscriptions for isotelés on the other hand allow us to observe the transfering of this privilege within one family but only on the male line. Finally one funerary inscription documents naturalization in a metic family coming from Sinope.