The Populace of Athens – Freemen-citizens

Freemen encompassed all male citizens of the city. They were divided into numerous classes whose status reflected the degree to which they were self-reliant or autarkic. Ideally the Greeks believed professions that relied on the payment of others were less favorable than professions in which a citizen was seen to be self-sufficient, such as farming. At the lowest end were the thetes, mainly composed of urban craftsmen and trireme rowers. In the middle ranks were primarily small farmers, who had enough money to buy hoplite infantry armor. At the top of the hierarchy were the aristocrats who owned large estates and traditionally made up the cavalry, though many actually fought as hoplites. There were however, numerous ‘in-between’ ranks based on old tribal affiliations, past acts of heroism, family and religious connections, and so on.

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