Ateleia (ancient Greece)
Encyclopedia
Ateleia in ancient Greece
was a generally immunity (ἄδεια adeia) or exemption from some or all the duties which a person has to perform towards the state.
Immunities could be granted either as a privilege to the citizens of a state, exempting them from certain duties which would otherwise be incumbent on them, or they are given as honorary distinctions to foreign kings, states, communities or even private individuals. With regard to the latter the ateleia was usually an exemption from custom duties on the importation or exportation of goods, and was given as a reward for certain good services.
It appears that if a person thus distinguished, or a citizen of a foreign community possessing the ateleia, took up his residence in the state which had granted it, he also enjoyed other privileges, such as the exemption from the protection money, or tax which resident aliens had to pay at Athens. (Harpocrat. s. v. isoteles)
This ateleia might even become equivalent to the full franchise, as, e. g. the Byzantines
gave the exemption from liturgies
, and the franchise to all Athenians that might go to Byzantium. (Dem. De Coron. p. 256.) In many instances a partial ateleia, or an exemption from custom duties, was granted for the purpose of encouraging commerce. (Theophr. Char. 23 ; Schol. ad Aristoph. Plut. 905, with Bockh's remarks, Publ. Earn. p. 87.) With regard to the inhabitants of a state, we must, as in the case of Athens, again distinguish between two classes, the resident aliens (metics) and real citizens. At Athens all resident aliens had to pay a tax (metoikion or xenikon telos) which we may term protection-tax, because it was the price for the protection they enjoyed at Athens; but as it was the interest of the state to increase commerce, and for that purpose to attract strangers to settle at Athens, many of them were exempted from this tax, i. e. enjoyed the ateleia metoikiou, (isoteleia equal rights) (Dem. c.Aristae): p. 691), and some were even exempted from custom duties, and the property tax or eisphora from which an Athenian citizen could never be exempted. The ateleia enjoyed by Athenian citizens was either a general immunity (ateleia apanton), such as was granted to persons who had done some great service to their country, and even to their descendants, as in the case of Harmodius and Aristogeiton
; or it was a partial one exempting a person from all or certain liturgies, from certain custom duties, or from service in the army. The last of these immunities was legally enjoyed by all members of the council of the Five Hundred
(Lycurg. c. Leocr. 11), and the archons for the time being, by the farmers of the custom duties (Dem. c. Neaer. 1353), and by those who traded by sea, although with them the exemption must have been limited. (Schol. ad Arist. Plut. 905, Acham. 39i); Suid. s. v. emporos eimi) Most information respecting the ateleia is derived from Demosthenes' speech against Leptines
. But compare also Wolf's Prolegom. ad Lept. p. Ixxi. &c.; Bockh,Pz^ Econ. p. 85, &c.; Westermann, De publicis Atheniensium Honoribus et Praemiis^ p. 6, &c. [L. S.]
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
was a generally immunity (ἄδεια adeia) or exemption from some or all the duties which a person has to perform towards the state.
Immunities could be granted either as a privilege to the citizens of a state, exempting them from certain duties which would otherwise be incumbent on them, or they are given as honorary distinctions to foreign kings, states, communities or even private individuals. With regard to the latter the ateleia was usually an exemption from custom duties on the importation or exportation of goods, and was given as a reward for certain good services.
Historical examples
- CroesusCroesusCroesus was the king of Lydia from 560 to 547 BC until his defeat by the Persians. The fall of Croesus made a profound impact on the Hellenes, providing a fixed point in their calendar. "By the fifth century at least," J.A.S...
received the ateleia at DelphiDelphiDelphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
(Herod, i. 54) - the Attic Deceleans at Sparta (Herod, ix. 73)
- Leucon, the ruler of Bosporan KingdomBosporan KingdomThe Bosporan Kingdom or the Kingdom of the Cimmerian Bosporus was an ancient state, located in eastern Crimea and the Taman Peninsula on the shores of the Cimmerian Bosporus...
, at Athens. (Dem. c. Lept. p. 466, &c.)
It appears that if a person thus distinguished, or a citizen of a foreign community possessing the ateleia, took up his residence in the state which had granted it, he also enjoyed other privileges, such as the exemption from the protection money, or tax which resident aliens had to pay at Athens. (Harpocrat. s. v. isoteles)
This ateleia might even become equivalent to the full franchise, as, e. g. the Byzantines
Byzantium
Byzantium was an ancient Greek city, founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas . The name Byzantium is a Latinization of the original name Byzantion...
gave the exemption from liturgies
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
, and the franchise to all Athenians that might go to Byzantium. (Dem. De Coron. p. 256.) In many instances a partial ateleia, or an exemption from custom duties, was granted for the purpose of encouraging commerce. (Theophr. Char. 23 ; Schol. ad Aristoph. Plut. 905, with Bockh's remarks, Publ. Earn. p. 87.) With regard to the inhabitants of a state, we must, as in the case of Athens, again distinguish between two classes, the resident aliens (metics) and real citizens. At Athens all resident aliens had to pay a tax (metoikion or xenikon telos) which we may term protection-tax, because it was the price for the protection they enjoyed at Athens; but as it was the interest of the state to increase commerce, and for that purpose to attract strangers to settle at Athens, many of them were exempted from this tax, i. e. enjoyed the ateleia metoikiou, (isoteleia equal rights) (Dem. c.Aristae): p. 691), and some were even exempted from custom duties, and the property tax or eisphora from which an Athenian citizen could never be exempted. The ateleia enjoyed by Athenian citizens was either a general immunity (ateleia apanton), such as was granted to persons who had done some great service to their country, and even to their descendants, as in the case of Harmodius and Aristogeiton
Harmodius and Aristogeiton
Harmodius and Aristogeiton were two men from ancient Athens...
; or it was a partial one exempting a person from all or certain liturgies, from certain custom duties, or from service in the army. The last of these immunities was legally enjoyed by all members of the council of the Five Hundred
Boule (Ancient Greece)
In cities of ancient Greece, the boule meaning to will ) was a council of citizens appointed to run daily affairs of the city...
(Lycurg. c. Leocr. 11), and the archons for the time being, by the farmers of the custom duties (Dem. c. Neaer. 1353), and by those who traded by sea, although with them the exemption must have been limited. (Schol. ad Arist. Plut. 905, Acham. 39i); Suid. s. v. emporos eimi) Most information respecting the ateleia is derived from Demosthenes' speech against Leptines
Against Leptines
Against Leptines was a speech give by Demosthenes in which he called for the repeal of a law which denied anyone a special exemption from paying public charges . This law had been proposed by a man named Leptines, so the speech came to be known as Against Leptines...
. But compare also Wolf's Prolegom. ad Lept. p. Ixxi. &c.; Bockh,Pz^ Econ. p. 85, &c.; Westermann, De publicis Atheniensium Honoribus et Praemiis^ p. 6, &c. [L. S.]