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Document Details :

Title: Epigamia in Hellenistic Interstate Treaties
Subtitle: Foreign and Family Policy
Author(s): SABA, Sara
Journal: Ancient Society
Volume: 41    Date: 2011   
Pages: 93-108
DOI: 10.2143/AS.41.0.2129566

Abstract :
This paper studies the use of the right to intermarriage (epigamia) within Hellenistic Interstate Treaties. Documents record it sporadically in agreements of various kinds. For example in sympoliteiai it is used to force intermarriage or was available only to certain ethnic groups. Epigamia appears also together with potential citizenship (isopoliteia) in Crete and the Mainland within alliances or boundary disputes and acts as a diplomatic tool to help cement or facilitate such agreements. Moreover, the communities signing these treaties had ties with federal institutions. This suggests that they used epigamia in interstate treaties because they were already familiar with it.

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