ABSTRACT
In the opinion of the Greeks, therefore, the two groups of politai emerged in Athens as a result of Solon's reforms. In the period before the word politeia started to be used, the privileged legal status which Greek communities awarded to honorands was designated by what has been termed as 'ethnics'. The earliest inscriptions with direct references to grants of Athenian politeia belong to the fifth century. The only rationale behind interpreting ethnics as displays of citizen status appears to be the belief that since the word politeia allegedly denoted citizenship and played the same role in such grants as ethnics, the latter should have referred to citizenship as well. Recipients of politeia not only themselves defended their own interests in the court of the granting city but also acted as prostatai for others. Politai 'by decree' not only received an equal economic and legal status in the granting city but also the right to participate in its popular assembly.
