{"id":4638,"date":"2026-08-26T17:34:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T14:34:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amphiktyon.org\/?p=4638"},"modified":"2026-08-26T17:34:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T14:34:14","slug":"the-greeks-children-of-the-gods-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amphiktyon.org\/?p=4638","title":{"rendered":"THE GREEKS, CHILDREN OF THE GODS\u00a0\u00a0PART II"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Lieutenant General (Ret.) K. H. Konstantinidis<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Different Peoples and Their Views on Women and the Family<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Greeks differed from other peoples in their values, one of the most important of which was the sacred institution of the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

a\/ The Agathyrsians of Scythia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ancient sources mention practices involving the communal sharing of women, supposedly intended to prevent hatred and jealousy and to regard everyone as brothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the same tradition, they considered all children to be common to the community. Ancient writers also attribute to them forms of communal ownership of property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

b\/ The Galactophagi of Scythia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Nicolaus of Damascus, they held women and possessions in common. They called their elders fathers, those of their own age brothers, and the younger members sons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

c\/ The Nasamonians of Libya<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herodotus reports that the Nasamonians practiced free sexual relations and describes particular customs concerning marriage and the wedding night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

d\/ The Arunta Tribe in Australia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anthropological studies also refer to particular marriage and sexual customs among certain Australian tribes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

e\/ Ancient Ethiopia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some ancient traditions state that royal succession passed to the sons of the king’s sisters rather than to his own sons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

f\/ Lycia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herodotus reports that in Lycia, when a person was asked about his ancestry, it could be identified through the maternal line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

g\/ Sparta<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Sparta, there was no law establishing a general \u201ccommunal ownership of women.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were, however, particular Spartan practices concerning marriage and procreation in certain circumstances, as described by Xenophon and Plutarch. This is different from the notion that women were regarded as common property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commentary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWere the consequences of weakening traditional institutions, such as the family, the kinship group, family ties, and traditional gender roles, indeed beneficial to societies? Or did they create new social problems that are still seeking solutions?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least for the time being, what has occurred is a chaotic disintegration of societies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even the meanings of certain words associated with kinship, descent, and political status<\/strong>, such as citizenship<\/strong>, have changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system has become hostile to kinship, family, and extended family ties, and the consequences are plainly visible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern citizenship has become detached from the concepts of ancestry, descent, and a shared national and cultural identity. There is an attempt to create a society that is a patchwork of tribes, nations, and religions, but the experiments so far have been disappointing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Greek concept of \u03b3\u03ad\u03bd\u03bf\u03c2<\/strong> (genos)<\/strong> cannot simply be translated as nationality<\/em>, because in Greek it has historically and culturally deeper meanings: common ancestry, kinship, historical continuity, and collective identity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The concept of nationality<\/strong> overlaps with some of these meanings, but it is not identical to genos<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n