καὶ τὸν βίον τὸν ὑμέτερον αὐτῶν ἀσφαλέστερον καταστήσετε. Wrongdoers and policing in Classical Athen

Abstract

A recurring theme in classical studies is the question of violence in Ancient Greece, and from there, with the upswing of criminology studies, increasing attention has been paid to crime and criminality in the Ancient World. However, one must be cautious when applying our modern concept of crime and its repression on ancient societies. The crime level in ancient Athens seems to have been very moderate and perhaps for that reason, the state´s tools to restrain it were not very developed. It would be though inaccurate let ourselves be carried away by a contemporary perspective and affirm that these instruments, which we would define as police in the modern world, did not exist at all. Democratic Athens had an entire structure of magistrates and institutions that were in charge of enforcing the laws, although private initiative played also a remarkable role.