Carl Burgers. ATHENIAN RELIGION. A HISTORY. Chapter 5
Archaic Priesthood: The Problem of the
Gene
Words
Greek words from the reading:
genos (pl. gene)
gennetai
phratries
oikos
Eupatridai (Eupatrids)
Oschophoria (Oskophoria)
What we (sort of) know
History
Originally hereditary groups based on descent on the father’s side, the
gene later changed into a “false” kinship in the
sense that the supposed common ancestor was always fictitious (i.e. of myth).
When Solon changed the qualification for office from birth to wealth the
gene lost their political monopoly.
At some point prior the archaic period, according to a fragment of the
Constitution of the Athenians the entire citizen-body had
been “divided into 360 gene (of 30 men each), one for
every day of the year” (page 59). The theory goes that only the wealthiest
groups survived. This leads to the proposition that of the 60 possible gene
existing in the archaic period wuld have made up only 20% of the Athenian
citizenry.
Names
Mythical heroes names suffixed with -idai (e.g. Eumolpidai from Eumolpus)
exceptions: names that evoke rites, names of gods (Kynnidai, from Apollo
Kynneios) and names that don’t end in -idai at all (Kerykes or Heralds and
Heudanemoi or Wind-Calmers)
The Salaminians (Salaminoi)
appointed officials, kept records and owned property
most of the revenue spent on sacrificial victims
served community (as priests): involved with Oschophoria
also served themselves: performed their own rites and sacrifices
Other famous gene
Eumolpidai (hierophant of the Eleusinian Mysteries)
Eteoboutad (priestess of Athena Polias)
The Problem
We don’t really know what they did, or how they did. Or whether or not
they really existed after a certain time. This is because accounts can be
acceptably interpreted in many ways. Some see the gene as
archaic aristocrats, that the genetai were in fact the same
as the Eupatridai, others assert that the concept of genos
has been confused with that of oikos. Many scholars argue
that fluid history has been truncated and solidified to make for easier
reading by historians then and now, making proper study incredibly hard.
Many ancient sources use genetai and Eupatridai
as synonyms, whereas others separate them.
In Conlusion
Perhaps the gene are not as they have been portrayed traditionally
– but they definitely played some important role in the religious life of
Attica. Their methods might be hidden, but their roles are documented. They
provided a priesthood and they organized festivals. Everything else about
these elite/possibly non elite (we don’t know) groups is up to speculation.
Return to Main Page: CLST 4003H. Honors Colloquium
on Greek Religion. Spring, 2002.
Recent Comments