The Politics of Citizenship in Athens

Medics whose family had lived in Athens for generations may have even attempted to pass as citizens. Paracles' common law wife, Aspasia, belonged to the medic class and required a decree of the assembly to grant citizenship to their children. Although medics were barred from the assembly and from serving as jurors, they did have the same access to the courts as citizens. Medics could also subject to enslavement for a variety of offenses that might be failures to abide by their status.