Perioeci in the context of "Mothax"

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⭐ Core Definition: Perioeci

The Perioeci or Perioikoi (Περίοικοι, /peˈri.oj.koj/) were the second-tier citizens of the polis of Sparta until c. 200 BC. They lived in several dozen cities within Spartan territories (mostly Laconia and Messenia), which were dependent on Sparta. The perioeci only had political rights in their own city, while the course of the Spartan state exclusively belonged to Spartan citizens, or Spartiates.

The name perioeci roughly means "those dwelling around/nearby", deriving from περί, peri, "around", and οἶκος, oîkos, "dwelling, house". Perioeci and Spartans were collectively called the Lakedaimonians.

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👉 Perioeci in the context of Mothax

Mothax (Ancient Greek: μόθαξ, mothax, pl.: μόθακες, mothakes) is a Doric Greek word meaning "stepbrother".

The term was used for a sociopolitical class in ancient Sparta, particularly during the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC). The mothakes were primarily either offspring of Spartiate fathers and helot mothers or children of impoverished Spartiates. Mothakes were not able to contribute to the syssitia, the core civic daily institution for citizens, and thus were not allowed to maintain an "equal" status. They were, however, permitted to fight as troops along with perioeci.

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Perioeci in the context of Ancient Elis

Elis (/ˈlɪs/) or Eleia (/ɪˈl.ə/; Attic Greek: Ἦλις, romanized: Ēlis [ɛ̂ːlis]; Elean: Ϝᾶλις [wâːlis]; Greek: Ήλιδα, romanizedIlida) was an ancient district in the northwestern Peloponnese in Greece, roughly corresponding to modern regional unit of Elis. It was bounded to the northeast by Achaea, east by Arcadia, south by Messenia, and west by the Ionian Sea. The region is a fertile lowland with extensive plains, watered by the Peneus, Alpheus and other rivers that flow down from the Arcadian highlands. The region's name is probably cognate with the English 'valley'.

The Eleans traced their roots back to the mythical Dorian invasion. They united into a single polis ("city-state") centred on the city of Elis in 471 BC. Over the course of the archaic and classical periods, the city gradually gained control of much of the region of Elis, most probably through unequal treaties with other cities; many inhabitants of Elis were Perioeci—autonomous free non-citizens. Elis' main claim to fame was its control over the sanctuary at Olympia and the Olympic games.

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