Ancient Xenophobia

Xenophobia
Plutarch makes a particular note that Pericles proposed a law that defined an Athenian by having two Athenian parents. This helps to establish who is a legitimate Greek.  “Many years earlier when Pericles was at the height of his political power and had legitimate children (as was said), he proposed a law that only children born from two Athenian parents were to be Athenian.” ( Life of Pericles , 37.1-5=RECW 4.1 p 53).

In multiple accounts, Euripides, exemplifies a strong dislike towards others and suggests that their presence within Greece pollutes their pure blood and they are unwanted. (Euripides 219-225 =RECW 4.3-4 p54-58).



Plato recounts Socrates’ statement that inferior races should be assigned to another polis, because they are unworthy. There is also a general concern that the mixing of different Greeks will lead to a general unhappiness. The peoples subjected to Persian rule are brought up. It is also said that people who are not of shared tribal descent will result in civil strife. (Plato Timaeus 18d-19a = RECW 4.7 p58-59) (Plato Laws 3.692e-6.392a = RECW 4.10 p62-63)

Not only are these ‘other’ people to be feared, but they occupy an area that is inhabited by strange, dangerous creatures, that Aeschylus says are to be avoided. He says that near the Ethiops river, “dwell[s] a race of black men.” Because this race of black men is in close proximity of dangerous creatures the Greeks may believe the behavior is shared between the two groups  (Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound,  786-815 = RECW 6.2, p84-85).