Ephebic Oath
Encyclopedia
The Ephebic Oath was an oath
sworn by young men of Classical Athens
upon induction into the Ephebic College, graduation from which was required to attain status as citizens. The oath was quoted by the Attic orator
Lycurgus
, in his work Against Leocrates (4th century BCE), though it is certainly archaic (5th century BCE). The Ephebate, an organization for training the young men of Athens, chiefly in military matters, had existed since the 5th century but was reorganized by Lycurgus. The oath was taken in the temple of Aglaurus
, daughter of Cecrops
, probably at the age of eighteen when the youth underwent an examination (Greek
: δοκιμασία) and had his name entered on the deme
register. He was then an ephebus until the age of twenty.
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
sworn by young men of Classical Athens
Classical Athens
The city of Athens during the classical period of Ancient Greece was a notable polis of Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC under Cleisthenes following the tyranny of Hippias...
upon induction into the Ephebic College, graduation from which was required to attain status as citizens. The oath was quoted by the Attic orator
Attic orators
The ten Attic orators were considered the greatest orators and logographers of the classical era . They are included in the "Alexandrian Canon" compiled by Aristophanes of Byzantium and Aristarchus of Samothrace.-The Alexandrian "Canon of Ten":* Aeschines* Andocides* Antiphon* Demosthenes*...
Lycurgus
Lycurgus of Athens
Lycurgus was a logographer in Ancient Greece. He was one of the ten Attic orators included in the "Alexandrian Canon" compiled by Aristophanes of Byzantium and Aristarchus of Samothrace in the third century BCE.Lycurgus was born at Athens about 396 BC, and was the son of Lycophron, who belonged...
, in his work Against Leocrates (4th century BCE), though it is certainly archaic (5th century BCE). The Ephebate, an organization for training the young men of Athens, chiefly in military matters, had existed since the 5th century but was reorganized by Lycurgus. The oath was taken in the temple of Aglaurus
Aglaulus, daughter of Cecrops
Aglaulus or Agraulos was in Greek mythology the daughter of Cecrops and Aglaulus, daughter of Actaeus. She had two offspring by two different gods, Alcippe and Ceryx...
, daughter of Cecrops
Cecrops I
Cecrops was a mythical king of Athens who is said to have reigned for fifty-six years. The name is not of Greek origin according to Strabo, or it might mean 'face with a tail': it is said that, born from the earth itself, he had his top half shaped like a man and the bottom half in serpent or...
, probably at the age of eighteen when the youth underwent an examination (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: δοκιμασία) and had his name entered on the deme
Deme
In Ancient Greece, a deme or demos was a subdivision of Attica, the region of Greece surrounding Athens. Demes as simple subdivisions of land in the countryside seem to have existed in the 6th century BC and earlier, but did not acquire particular significance until the reforms of Cleisthenes in...
register. He was then an ephebus until the age of twenty.