The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Greek Law<\/a>, 67), Robert Parker assesses the scope and limits of freedom of speech and religion.<\/p>\nHe notes, \u201cIf one asks how tolerant of
\nunorthodox teachings\u00a0(and cults) Athenian society
\nwas in practice, the answer will fluctuate\u00a0depending on how one judges
\ndoubtful cases, but nothing would\u00a0justify talk of systematic
\nrepression. If one asks whether the Athenians\u00a0recognized an ideal of freedom
\nof thought or of religious tolerance,\u00a0the answer is unequivocally
\nno: no text suggests that they did, and the\u00a0decree of Diopeithes (if
\nhistorical) and the successful charge against\u00a0Socrates show them untroubled
\nby such ideals. Freedom of speech a\u00a0<\/em>l\u2019Athenienne<\/em> meant the right
\nof the poor man to make his voice heard\u00a0alongside
\nthat of the rich, not a licence for impious talk.\u201d<\/p>\nBy the same token, private religious practices were allowed in Athens, but \u201cif\u00a0they came to be perceived\u00a0as being socially undesirable,
\nthe undesirable behavior they encouraged\u00a0could be rolled up along with \u2018innovation
\nin religion\u2019 in a charge of\u00a0impiety against their
\nleader.\u201d This wasn\u2019t merely theoretical: \u201cWe know of three such prosecutions in the\u00a0fourth century, all brought
\nagainst women, two of which resulted in\u00a0condemnation and execution.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In an essay on sacred law in ancient Athens (The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Greek Law, 67), Robert Parker assesses the scope and limits of freedom of speech and religion. He notes, \u201cIf one asks how tolerant of unorthodox teachings\u00a0(and cults) Athenian society was in practice, the answer will fluctuate\u00a0depending on how one judges doubtful […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[253],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ancient-athens-classics-greek-religion"],"yoast_head":"\n
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