Social Hierarchy and Legal Systems in Greece and Rome

Social Structure in Ancient Greece

The Spartan Class System

• Spartans: These were citizens with full rights. They were a minority and were primarily engaged in public administration or the army.
• Perioeci: These individuals lived in outlying communities with some autonomy. They owned land but lacked political rights and were engaged in handicraft.
• Helots: These were the descendants of the inhabitants of Messenia who were defeated by the Spartans. They lived in a state of semi-slavery and cultivated the land of the Spartans.

The Athenian Social Hierarchy

• Citizens: This minority group held full political and civil rights.
• Metics: These were freemen from other Greek poleis or born overseas. Most were workers engaged in trade or crafts.
• Slaves: They had no political or civil rights and could be sold or rented.

The Evolution of Greek Law

Greek law was based on immutable principles, yet they renewed their institutions according to circumstances. They regarded the law as a means of limiting the power of authority.

• Draco: He wrote the first written laws in the 7th century BC. It was a very strict code of laws that softened over time and was eventually updated by Solon.
• Lycurgus: In Sparta, the first laws were imposed by Lycurgus in the 7th century BC, gathering their ancient customs into a formal code.

Social Structure in Republican Rome

Privileged Citizens

• Patricians: These were wealthy citizens descended from the earliest inhabitants of Rome. They possessed large estates, farms, and mines.

Non-Privileged Citizens and Residents

• The Plebeians (The People): Making up the majority of the population, they were devoted to crafts and trade.
• Clients: These were Roman citizens who had fallen in status and placed themselves under the guardianship of a patron (a rich man). The patron helped them economically and protected them legally.
• Slaves: People with no rights, including prisoners of war, criminals, debtors, and the children of slaves. Their treatment varied according to their owner.
• Freedmen: These were slaves to whom their owners had given freedom. They were free but lacked political rights.

The Foundation of Roman Law

Roman law is considered one of the most important institutions of Western civilization. In the beginning, it was an unwritten law.

Ius Civile and Ius Gentium

1. Civil Law (Ius Civile): This affected only Roman citizens. The Romans based this on customary law: unwritten precepts inspired by the customs of their ancestors. In the 5th century BC, under pressure from the Roman plebeians, the first laws were written: The Laws of the Twelve Tables. These were posted in the Forum so that everyone could know them.
2. The Law of Nations (Ius Gentium): This governed Rome's relations with other nations (allies or subjects). It regulated the private relationships between non-citizens and free Roman citizens and serves as the basis for subsequent international law.