In ancient Athens, epigamia () designated the legal right to contract a marriage. In particular it regulated the right of intermarrying into another city-state. In the period of Athenian democracy, such intermarriage was not allowed, and only a decree of the popular assembly could permit it. Even resident aliens (
metoeci) did not have the right to marry Athenians.
''Epigamia'' was also a way of formalizing the relationship between different nations. Typically, an ''epigamia'' agreement would allow the adoption of the nationality of the country of residence, for the spouse as well as children. For example, Athens granted epigamia to
Euboa in the 5th century, a very rare case.
Some cases are known (especially through
Plutarch
Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...
), in which ''epigamia'' was denied between two villages of
Attica
Attica (, ''Attikḗ'' (Ancient Greek) or , or ), or the Attic Peninsula, is a historical region that encompasses the entire Athens metropolitan area, which consists of the city of Athens, the capital city, capital of Greece and the core cit ...
,
Pallene and
Hagnous Hagnus () was a deme of ancient Attica. From the mythical story of the war of the Pallantidae against Theseus, we learn that the demoi of Pallene (Attica), Pallene, Gargettus, and Agnus were adjacent. When Pallas (son of Pandion), Pallas was marchin ...
, presumably because alliances would have been akin to endogamy.
In 303 BCE,
Seleucus I led an army to the
Indus
The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans- Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in the Western Tibet region of China, flows northwest through the dis ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
, where he encountered Chandragupta. The confrontation ended with a peace treaty, and "an intermarriage agreement" (epigamia), meaning either a dynastic marriage or a more general agreement for intermarriage between Indians and Greeks. Accordingly, Seleucus ceded to Chandragupta his northwestern territories as far as
Arachosia
Arachosia (; ), or Harauvatis ( ), was a satrapy of the Achaemenid Empire. Mainly centred around the Arghandab River, a tributary of the Helmand River, it extended as far east as the Indus River. The satrapy's Persian-language name is the et ...
and received 500 war elephants (which played a key role in the victory of Seleucus at the
Battle of Ipsus
The Battle of Ipsus () was fought between some of the Diadochi (the successors of Alexander the Great) in 301 BC near the town of Ipsus in Phrygia. Antigonus I Monophthalmus, the Macedonian ruler of large parts of Asia, and his son Demetrius wer ...
):
:The Indians occupy
n partsome of the countries situated along the Indus, which formerly belonged to the Persians: Alexander deprived the Ariani of them, and established there settlements of his own. But
Seleucus Nicator
Seleucus I Nicator (; Greek: Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ, ''Séleukos Nikátōr'', "Seleucus the Victorious"; ) was a Macedonian Greek general, officer and successor of Alexander the Great who went on to found the eponymous Seleucid Empire, ...
gave them to
in consequence of a marriage contract, and received in return five hundred elephants. —
Strabo
Strabo''Strabo'' (meaning "squinty", as in strabismus) was a term employed by the Romans for anyone whose eyes were distorted or deformed. The father of Pompey was called "Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo, Pompeius Strabo". A native of Sicily so clear-si ...
15.2.9
Strabo 15.2.9
/ref>
Notes
Society of ancient Greece
Ancient Greek law
Seleucid Empire
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