The emergence and the evolution of property rights in ancient Greece

Abstract

In this paper, we trace the emergence and the evolution of property rights from the Homeric Era (1100-750 BCE) to Classical Greece, based on ancient sources and modern interpretations. Indications of the emergence of property rights are to be found in the writings of eighth century Homer and Hesiod. Property rights evolved, together with changes in warfare and city-states during the Archaic and Classical periods, becoming more secure and specific, based on contracts. We analyse as case studies Themistocles' Naval Law of 483/2 BCE and Nicophon's Monetary Law of 376/5. We also cover some other aspects of property rights, such as commercial transactions and the enforcement of contracts, official (written) law and legally binding procedures of law enforcement, banking services and the rights of women. Copyright © 2016 Millennium Economics Ltd.